Marquand would love chance to be big in Japan again

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Tom Marquand would love to return to Japan to ride again at the end of the British Flat racing season.

The 24-year-old, along with wife and fellow jockey Hollie Doyle, competed in the last two International Jockeys Championships in Hong Kong before heading to Japan for a nine-week stint.

It was the couple’s first trip to Japan, with Covid restrictions having scuppered their plans in 2021 – and the fervent Japanese fans instantly took them to their hearts.

After booting home 16 winners and securing a fourth-placed finish on Daring Tact in the Japan Cup and another Group One ride on Justin Palace in the Arima Kinen, Marquand cannot wait to get back, if invited.

“It is one of the places that everyone in racing should try to visit, just to see it,” he said.

“For as much as people can tell you about it, until you actually go and experience it for at least a couple of weeks, it is pretty mad.

“Everyone should try to get out there. Apart from the racing, it is an amazing country. I’d go back in a heartbeat.”

Marquand and Doyle, who is sidelined with a broken elbow sustained in a fall at Wolverhampton on January 16, will bid to apply to return at the end of the year.

“We will definitely try to go back this year,” he said.

“Sadly, it is not quite as straightforward as saying, ‘I want to go, I’ll go’, like Australia.

“But hopefully, the fact that we had a successful enough trip will help. The application for a licence is based on your success from the year previous, so it is based on what we have done in 2022 in England.

“We were joint second in the championship and you have to be top three in England and/or have ridden two major Group One winners. We both had three last year, so hopefully that will be enough to get back in.”

Metamorpheus could be aimed at Cheltenham in March

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Tim Doyle is dreaming of what would be a memorable a Cheltenham Festival victory with recent Punchestown scorer Metamorpheus.

Raced once on the Flat at two, the homebred son of Morpheus – who is Frankel’s half-brother – did not make his hurdling debut until Limerick at Christmas, where he gave a good account to finish third, beaten little over two lengths at 100-1.

He then showed plenty of improvement to run out a convincing five-length winner at Punchestown on his second outing over timber – a performance that thrilled his Moyne-based handler.

“I was delighted and I loved how he quickened up from the last to the line,” said Doyle.

“He took a good step forward, but he’s an inexperienced horse so I was hoping he would and I’m hoping there would be lots more improvement as well.”

That Punchestown contest has been a good guide to the Boodles Fred Winter in the past and last year saw the Festival-winning Brazil finish fourth to Gordon Elliott’s The Tide Turns, with Cheltenham fourth HMS Seahorse runner-up. The year before Coltor finished fourth before going on to finish fifth at Prestbury Park in the spring.

And having beaten the runner-up Almuhit by a similar distance to what current Boodles favourite Tekao did at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, Doyle acknowledges a Festival bid has to be considered.

“It’s in the back of my mind,” he said. “It’s very exciting because it’s hard to come by horses good enough to go there (Cheltenham) with a little bit of a chance. He’s a good hardy horse and he should keep progressing.

“There’s a couple of options here in Ireland I think at Naas and Fairyhouse and we’ll have to have a run in one of those to qualify.

“I’ve never had a runner at the Festival. I’ve run a few over there in the autumn, but I’ve never had a winner in Cheltenham. So we’ll see what happens and hope it works out.”

Fakir D’oudairies prevails in dramatic Thurles feature

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Fakir D’oudairies seized the opportunity to go one better than last season and claim an incident-packed renewal of Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles.

Joseph O’Brien’s gelding finished second behind Allaho last term and was the 7-4 favourite on his return to the track under JJ Slevin.

In the Grade Two he travelled prominently but tailed the strong-finishing Haut En Couleurs and French Dynamite turning into the home straight.

The former looked have the race under control – but a final-flight fall ended his hopes while French Dynamite made a serious mistake behind him.

Fakir D’oudairies then swept through to take up the lead and crossed the line six lengths ahead.

Chacun Pour Soi had moved with promise for a long way, before dropping away quite tamely.

“He got a little lost around the turn and was galloping down the straight but obviously the horse in front fell, although we were coming for a challenge anyway,” O’Brien said.

“I was very pleased with the performance and pleased with how he jumped and it sets him up nicely for the spring. He was giving away weight and I feel as he is getting older, it is taking a bit more work to get him there.

“He is a young horse and over his career has been fantastic and always runs his race. He tries and is a great horse to have in the yard. Today’s race was a good one, they went a good gallop and it was a deep field so I’m very pleased.

“He will potentially go back to Ascot for the Grade One he won last year (Ascot Chase) and then we’ll look at the Ryanair Chase and Aintree. I suppose all those options will be left open.”

Marquand: Dettori retirement will leave huge void for racing

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As Frankie Dettori begins his long goodbye, a farewell tour before retirement from the saddle at the end of this year, the sport of racing will scratch its head and wonder just how it is going to fill the void.

Dettori has affected the brand like no other before him. He is known worldwide. The flamboyant Italian has achieved almost everything that can be achieved in the saddle.

Now at the age of 52, Dettori is almost done punching the clock and his weighing-room colleague Tom Marquand insists there will be no one who can do as much for the visibility of the sport.

“I don’t think anyone could fill the gap that Frankie is going to leave, because he is Frankie,” said Marquand.

The farewell tour begins for racing's golden boy Frankie Dettori
The farewell tour begins for racing’s golden boy Frankie Dettori (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He is someone that won’t be replaced, not only because of his achievements but the way he goes about it as well – he’s Frankie, no one else is going to be Frankie. Anyone else can try, but they are not going to manage it.”

Marquand, 24, married fellow jockey Hollie Doyle in March last year. The pair, who met when pony racing, have been dubbed racing’s ‘Golden Couple’.

They shared the spoils behind William Buick in the Flat jockeys’ championship last term, each riding 91 winners between the Guineas meeting and Champions Day. Both had a trio of Group One victories.

The fact that Hollie and Tom are both extremely good at their jobs and are highly personable, professional and generous with their time, makes them a marketing dream.

Becoming A-list racing celebrities was never part of the plan. Marquand says he is not yet used to it, much less feels like he deserves it.

“We have never really gone out of our way to do anything,” he said.

Racing's royal couple are highly marketable
Racing’s royal couple are highly marketable (John Walton/PA)

“We have never really chased it. We recognise the sport needs promoting and if we are doing well, it is our job to go alongside riding and we recognise that. It is not something we view as we can boost our career by doing it. It is part of the job.”

The pair went down a storm when competing against each other in Japan recently.

“It is one of the places that everyone in racing should try to visit,” he adds. “It is an amazing country and we’d both go back in a heartbeat.”

Hollie is facing a spell on the sidelines, having broken her left elbow in a fall at Wolverhampton, so Tom is preparing to fly solo to Australia, a trip that could end up being a near three-month stay.

He rode eight winners when last in New South Wales in 2021, which included partnering the now-retired Addeybb to victory in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes for a second time.

Tom Marquand will not have the benefit of riding Champion Stakes hero Addeybb in Australia
Tom Marquand will not have the benefit of riding Champion Stakes hero Addeybb in Australia (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Marquand will team up with trainer William Haggas, who will send four horses to the six-week Sydney Autumn Carnival, which features 18 Group One contests worth over £22million.

Group Two winners Dubai Honour and Purplepay will join handicappers Earl Of Tyrone and Protagonist, both owned by Melbourne Cup-winning syndicate Australian Bloodstock. He is also expected to get plenty of rides from local trainers.

However, Marquand, who has ridden 42 winners in total on his last three visits to Sydney, admits the trip, which sees him have his first rides on February 4, could be emotionally challenging.

“We know how lucky we are to get opportunities like going to Hong Kong and Japan together, because they so hard to come by,” he said.

“Hollie and I compete as individuals. It is an interesting dynamic.

“I’d be one of the most competitive people ever and Hollie would be the same – you pick up a tennis racket and you’d want to win a game of tennis, pick up a golf club, you want to win a game of golf.

Marquand (centre) and Doyle (left) both go at it as individuals
Tom Marquand (centre) and Hollie Doyle (left) both go at it as individuals (Adam Davy/PA)

“Probably because it is so volatile in the racing world with your results – one day you might ride a treble or ride a St Leger winner then go to Wolverhampton the next day for six rides and don’t ride anything better than a 0-65 horse – that is what keeps you grounded.

“Between us, because we are both experiencing each other’s ups and downs as well, it evens it out even more.

“It helps the relationship. In reality, it has been quite hard sometimes.

“It is going to happen in a couple of weeks. I am going to want to go to Australia and if Hollie wasn’t injured, she’d be riding here – and having two months away is hard.

“I know other jockeys experience it, but they get their wife to get to come over for a week or month or something, whereas we don’t really get that unless it is like Japan, where we got to go together – and that is the first time that has ever happened for more than a few days.

“So, it does make it hard in some elements. I don’t know whether she will come, but it is one of those things.

“But if we ran our respective careers off each other, it wouldn’t work, because neither of us would be successful, so you have both got to go at it as individuals. We have managed to make it work.”

When Hollie’s injury heals, the sport’s dream team will once again be pitting their wits against each other on the track, worrying about who will do the washing up and ironing later.

“We don’t rib each other. Even in pony racing, it never really came into it,” adds Marquand.

“Ultimately we both want to win, but we are fully of the idea that if you are not going to win personally, you hope it is her and she is the same.

“Obviously, she would sooner beat me than finish second but not because it is me – it is because she wants to win and I’m the same.”

The couple will continue to push each other and support each other, and that could not make racing’s marketing bods any happier. Without Frankie, the show must go on.

Allegorie De Vassy stays unbeaten for Mullins at Thurles

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Allegorie De Vassy’s winning streak continued as she cantered to victory in the Coolmore N.H. Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at Thurles.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old has been victorious in three previous starts for the Clossuton handler, most recently taking the Grade Two Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase at Limerick by 19 lengths.

At the same level at Thurles she was the 1-8 favourite to oblige again – but gave onlookers a fright when pausing to take a look at the first fence and nearly unseating Paul Townend.

That was the only moment of doubt, however, as the bay then strolled home without seeing another rival to prevail by 19 lengths once again.

Mullins said: “Maybe it was my fault as I said to Paul to let her go from the start and she was too exuberant at the first – I don’t think he’ll be listening to me again!

“Paul thinks it was pure exuberance and he was letting her roll down to the fence rather than pulling her together and asking her. She went off right, but he gathered her together more after that.

“I think it was a one-off thing and she didn’t get a jump this week as our jumping area was frozen.

“She was just too fresh and exuberant, but settled into it nicely and confirmed what she showed at Limerick.

“What impressed me at Limerick was that she was able to jump so well out of the heavy ground – most horses can’t keep that up for two miles and four furlongs, but she did against good opposition.”

Paddy Power make Allegorie De Vassy the 13-8 favourite for the Mares’ Chase they sponsor at Cheltenham, with Coral going 6-4 for the Festival contest.

Mullins added: “I’m very pleased today and doubt she’ll run before Cheltenham although she will have a school somewhere, maybe after the Dublin Racing Festival or the week after that. At the moment the mares’ chase (at Cheltenham) is where she’ll go.”

Henry de Bromhead had a smart-looking winner on the card as Belle The Lioness took the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle under Rachael Blackmore.

The 2-7 favourite was not foot-perfect over the final two flights but still booked her ticket to Cheltenham with a half-length victory.

“We’ve had a lot of fun with her and she hasn’t been out of the first two for us. She got lit up by the loose horse and plenty went against her and in a better race, the way to ride her is to take your time,” De Bromhead said.

“On her previous run, we are going to aim for the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham – we’re entitled to go and take our chance. She has done plenty already, has her black type and will go straight there.”

In the concluding Thurles Racecourse Hunters Chase there was a winning favourite again as Ferns Lock won at even money – meaning all seven races on the card were claimed by the horse at the top of the market.

A 20-length winner ahead of Cheltenham and Punchestown champion Billaway, David Christie’s Ferns Lock carried Barry O’Neill to an easy win around the three-mile, half-furlong trip.

“He has the potential to be a serious horse and Barry said he learned more today than the last day. He said Billaway eyeballed him early in the race and he panicked a bit and took a while to settle. Once he settled into a rhythm he was pretty good and there is improvement to come.

“He is 17 hands, is a huge tank and after Fairyhouse we gave him a break but put on about 50 kilos! Then I had to try and get it off him and was panicking.

“He is a horse for next year and won’t go away – the Tetratema (at Gowran) will be one of his main aims. I definitely won’t send him to Cheltenham as he might be run off his head and it could scare the life out of him.

“What this horse has over my other three hunter chasers (Vaucelet, Winged Leader and Ultimate Optimist) is a serious kick of gear.

“He has the potential to be top class and we’ve always held him in the highest regard.”

Murphy proud to have been part of golden generation of jump jockeys

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Timmy Murphy, whose career bridged two golden eras of race-riding, insists the current crop of jump jockeys have plenty to learn and cannot be held in the same regard as many of the recent greats.

Almost five years removed from a career that saw him join an elite band of jockeys to have ridden more than 1,000 winners over jumps, the Irishman refuses to believe that the modern standard of jockeyship is reaching the same heights as those who have gone before.

Although a supremely talented rider, Murphy insists he has “no regrets” that he was cursed to have been the contemporary of arguably some of the most gifted practitioners in the sport’s history.

“No, I was very lucky,” he said. “Before AP McCoy and Richard Johnson, I was with Adrian Maguire and Richard Dunwoody, and that generation. They were as good, if not better.

“They were the jockeys we looked up to and aspired to be as good as. That is why the generation after that were so good.

“The likes of AP, Norman Williamson and Richard Johnson would have 100 per cent learned from them.

“There were loads of talented jockeys. Any of the top 10 were good enough to be champion jockey. I don’t think the current bunch are as good.”

To those who never saw him in action, Murphy’s peculiar greatness is not easy to describe.

He had all the orderly attributes a jockey needs – courage, a cool head, strong hands, strength in a finish and tactical skill. But above all it was his judgement of pace which singled him out from his star-studded counterparts.

Murphy (left) and owner David Johnson had a strong and successful bond
Murphy (left) and owner David Johnson had a strong and successful bond (David Davies/PA)

These days, he is an interested bystander, well placed to critique the current generation of riders.

“The style of racing has changed a lot,” he said. “There is not a lot of race-riding going on.

“The pace of the racing seems to be an awful lot quicker from flag-fall and there’s nobody taking their time and judging that.

“The race starts now in the parade ring. You get down to the start and everyone holds their position.”

Following a 21-year riding career over jumps which yielded a 2008 Grand National success on Comply Or Die and multiple Grade One wins, a shoulder injury forced Murphy to switch codes in 2015.

There was scarcely a day in all those final three seasons when Murphy did not have to think about weight. He needed the Spartan self-control of a fasting hermit and, in the end, cashed one cheque too many on the bank account of his energy and strength. He called it quits following victory aboard Happy Escape at Chepstow in May 2018.

Al Eile was a three-time Aintree Hurdle winner
Al Eile was a three-time Aintree Hurdle winner (David Davies/PA)

“I couldn’t keep going jumping because of my shoulder. They wouldn’t let me reapply for a licence,” said Murphy. “That is the only reason why I went on the Flat for the last three years.

“The sweating and dehydrating came towards the end. I loved Flat racing to start with. It is exciting, but that novelty wears off after a couple of years.

“You could diet as much as you like, but if your body is heavier than it is supposed to be, you are only left with one option – riding when dehydrated.”

Murphy’s career was a colourful one and like all good storybook heroes, his tale involved a heavy dose of triumph over adversity.

Three years after riding his first winner, in 1997 Murphy broke his Cheltenham Festival duck, as Terao landed the Mildmay Of Flete. He then partnered Davids Lad to 2001 Irish Grand National glory.

Our Vic was a dual Grade One scorer for Murphy
Our Vic was a dual Grade One scorer for Murphy (David Jones/PA)

However, despite losing good jobs with Kim Bailey and Paul Nicholls for poor timekeeping owing largely to a battle with alcohol, and numerous injuries, his ability to rise from personal and professional blows was the making of him.

His talent meant he was always in demand and he forged an enduring association with champion jumps owner, the late David Johnson, carrying the famous green and blue colours to success in a host of big wins, which included 2008 Ryanair Chase winner Our Vic and top two-mile chaser Well Chief, trained by David and Martin Pipe.

“I enjoyed looking for the next good horse, the good novices,” said Murphy. “When you were riding for the Pipes, the Paddy Power meeting (at Cheltenham in October) was big.

Murphy (left) and trainer Martin Pipe were a formidable partnership
Murphy (left) and trainer Martin Pipe were a formidable partnership (Barry Batchelor/PA)

“Martin and David would have a load of novices lined up ready for that meeting. When Martin said, ‘This is a certainty’, they very seldom got beat. It is nice going out with that confidence.

“It is obviously a big help if you are a retained rider and you know the horses. You know what they are capable of they are going to be put in the right races. That makes your job easier.”

Murphy’s finest hour came in the 2008 Grand National, in the same week he won the Aintree Hurdle with the John Queally-trained Al Eile, and Our Vic defeated Kauto Star in the Betfair Bowl.

“That was a brilliant weekend,” he added. “Al Eile’s third Aintree Hurdle was great.

“He is a horse that is not really mentioned that much. He won four years on the bounce at Aintree – he won the juvenile and then he won the Aintree Hurdle three years on the trot. He was a very good horse.”

Another favourite was the Michael Hourigan-trained Beef Or Salmon, whom he partnered to win a Punchestown Gold Cup.

Murphy partnered Beef or Salmon to win the Punchestown Gold Cup
Murphy partnered Beef or Salmon to win the Punchestown Gold Cup (PA)

“Beef Or Salmon was always pretty special. Michael did an unbelievable job. To know what he had as a novice – he never really had a novice campaign – he was straight in amongst the big boys,” Murphy added.

The now 48-year-old was never rash enough to entertain thoughts of, let alone become, a trainer. “I wouldn’t want to give back everything I earned,” he confessed.

For now he is content to supervise his stock of cattle, and oversee resting and recuperating horses – including some from Emma Lavelle, Kim Bailey and Richard Hannon – at his 44-acre Cilldara Stud near Cheltenham.

“I’m keeping busy. I now have to work for a living!” he quipped.

“It is not too bad. I’m still riding out for Richard Hannon five days a week. I go there in the mornings. It is busy enough at the moment. We do five, six or seven lots, then go home.

Flying North (left) was among the 31 winners Murphy rode in his penultimate season on the Flat
Flying North (left) was among the 31 winners Murphy rode in his penultimate season on the Flat (Julian Herbert/PA)

“It is nice with all the babies at the moment. The potential is all there – they are all superstars at the moment.

“Then I come home to do the horses. It’s just rehab and stuff, horses with injuries who want a bit of rest and summer turnout, things like that. It started before I retired.

“Most of them are usually National Hunt horses with (bad) legs and they need a bit of time off. Then you start them back on the walker and gradually get them up and running again.”

His children also keep him busy. The Murphy name could well adorn racecards in the next few years, for two of Murphy’s sons, Finn, (11) and Lucas (13) are burgeoning pony-racing stars.

“The boys are starting the point-to-point season at the end of this month, then the racecourse series will start in the summer.

“Lucas is pretty keen to be a jockey, but I don’t know about Finn. He’s pretty laid back. They will keep me plenty busy enough, though.

He quipped: “I’ve always said I retired from my hobby and then I started work!”

Protektorat primed for Cheltenham clash with Noble Yeats

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Dan Skelton feels the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham will answer a lot of questions regarding Protektorat’s Gold Cup claims.

Hugely impressive in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his seasonal reappearance, in which last season’s Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard disappointed, Skelton immediately nominated a trip to Prestbury Park as a prep for the Festival.

Rather than scare away the opposition this coming Saturday, though, the spate of recent abandonments and other issues mean he will face a keen test of his credentials against the likes of Grand National winner Noble Yeats, a previous King George winner in Frodon and Sounds Russian.

“I’m not saying Protektorat is an absolute certainty as if your man turns up (Noble Yeats) he is a shorter price in the Gold Cup, rightly or wrongly, whatever your opinion is. It is going to be enlightening to see them lining up against each other,” said Skelton.

“Noble Yeats was very good in the Many Clouds Chase which you would expect a Grand National winner to be able to do.

“You can’t deny Noble Yeats’ ability and stamina and I don’t think he will be inconvenienced by his lack of experience at the track. However, Protektorat has just turned into a real good stayer and that is very important around Cheltenham.”

Protektorat oozed class at Haydock and Skelton, who has his horses firing on all cylinders after a quiet Christmas, said: “I think the win at Haydock suggested that he had improved from last season which we had seen at home but he still had to confirm that on the track.

“We’ve not changed anything in his training regime just as they get that bit older and stronger you can do that bit more with them that is the truth.

“He went through the race very well and picked up very well. I was surprised how he scampered clear after the last, which I thought was very good.

“All in all it was just good to see him come out and win like that.”

Assessing his Gold Cup rivals, Skelton is well aware of the task ahead.

“I thought Bravemansgame was very good at Kempton and I think he put to bed any doubts about really seeing that trip out,” he said.

“He has now won a King George which is probably the second biggest chase on the calendar in the UK. Any doubts people could have about him have been dispelled and it enhanced him for a Gold Cup even more.

“Galopin Des Champs is yet to take race beyond an extended two-miles-five-furlongs over fences but that appears to be the only answered question about him as there is no question about his class and ability.

“The Dublin Racing Festival will tell you a little bit about what chances a lot of the Irish guys have and what form they are in.

“We also haven’t seen last year’s Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard since his no show in the Betfair Chase but you would be foolish to write him off as well.”

Saudi Cup meeting one of the options for Missed The Cut

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The Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh has emerged as a potential next port of call for George Boughey’s Royal Ascot hero Missed The Cut.

The four-year-old won the Golden Gates Stakes at last year’s summer showpiece meeting and was last seen claiming Listed honours in the Churchill Stakes at Lingfield in November.

The form of the latter contest looks red-hot, with the narrowly beaten runner-up Algiers emerging as a potential Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup contender with a runaway victory at Meydan earlier this month.

A possible trip to America for the Santa Anita Handicap in March has previously been mooted for Missed The Cut, while he also holds a Saudi Cup entry – but if he is to travel to the Middle East, it appears more likely he will be in action on the February 25 undercard.

Boughey said: “We’ve not finalised anything at the moment. He’s training away and there’s also options for him both sides of the pond, whether it’s in the Middle East or in America.

“He’s a horse that’s done very well through the winter – he still looks like it’s the middle of the summer – and I think wherever we next see him he could be running for some big pots anyway.

“He’s probably unlikely to get in the Saudi Cup I’d say, but he is in the $1.5million Neom Turf over 10 and a half furlongs, so that possibly looks like the next logical step for him.

“He’s a horse we have high hopes for.”

George Boughey is excited to see Missed The Cut return to action
George Boughey is excited to see Missed The Cut return to action (David Davies/PA)

Boughey admits he was pleased to see Simon and Ed Crisford’s Algiers win round one of the Al Maktoum Challenge in such scintillating style earlier this month, adding: “He was very good and I think he’s a horse who is improving with age, as is ours really.

“It’s always nice to see them go and do it on the track and it’s great for the Crisford team. Algiers looks like a horse who could be a Saudi Cup horse or a Dubai World Cup horse.

“We gave him 10 lengths at Lingfield and nabbed him on the line, which hopefully stands us in good stead for the rest of the year.”

Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting frozen off

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Despite a huge effort by officials and groundstaff at Lingfield the third day of the Winter Million fixture has been abandoned due to a frozen track.

Prospects had looked bleak earlier in the week and Friday’s scheduled card, the first of the three-day Winter Million meeting, was called off a long way in advance.

However, a thaw towards the end of the week, particularly on Saturday which enabled the course to become raceable, raised hopes the valuable fixture featuring the Fleur Du Lys Chase would be able to take place.

Forecasts ranged from between minus 1C and minus 4C with clerk of the course George Hill confessing it would need to be towards the lower end to stand any chance.

Unfortunately temperatures reached a bitter minus 5C on course and the efforts of up to 50 people in covering up the course with frost sheets went to waste with the meeting called of long before a scheduled 8am precautionary inspection.

Hill tweeted: “***RACING ABANDONED*** (Sun 22 Jan). Currently -5C, inspection brought forward as currently frozen in places with no signs of improvement with the forecast. Despite our best efforts, the weather has beaten us.”

It means there has been no racing on turf in the UK since Hereford on Monday but Navan did manage to race on Saturday in Ireland and racing is due to take place at Thurles on Sunday.

There was also bad news from Market Rasen who abandoned their meeting on Friday, set to feature the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Open National Flat race, but swiftly rearranged for Tuesday.

However, much colder temperatures than forecast over the weekend has meant there has been no discernible improvement in the track and early on Sunday morning Tuesday’s fixture was also abandoned.

The going report read: “Following a second consecutive night of un-forecast -5C the track now has significant areas of frozen ground, including under the frost covers. Original forecast for improved conditions has not materialised and therefore no prospect of the ground thawing before racing.”

Exeter’s meeting on Tuesday must survive a 4pm inspection on Monday while Leicester will inspect at 3.30pm on Monday for their meeting on the same day following successive minus 5C nights over the weekend.

Kempton’s all-weather meeting on Monday must survive an 8am precautionary inspection on raceday due to the threat of freezing fog and low temperatures having passed a 12.30pm precautionary inspection on Sunday.

Knight and Den deliver Lingfield double for TJ Kent

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It was a red letter day for Newmarket handler TJ Kent, who along with jockey Tom Marquand registered a double at Lingfield on Saturday.

A former assistant to Roger Varian and in his fourth year with a trainer’s licence, he successfully saddled the consistent Obsidian Knight (11-2) to land the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap, before Super Den (11-2) struck in the concluding Spreadex Sports £300 Spread Betting Cashback Handicap.

Although a first-ever double for Kent, it was just a regular day at the office for Marquand, who the Red House Stables trainer was keen to praise after their second success of the day.

He said: “It’s been a fantastic day and I’m delighted for all connections, but I have to say Tom gave Super Den an absolutely perfect ride.

“That’s twice today he’s done it for me – William Haggas is a great trainer but he’s also a great judge of a jockey. We’re very fortunate in this country that we have so many top-class jockeys and Tom is one of those.”

It was a case of a plan coming together in the finale when Super Den reversed the form of his previous outing, avenging a one-length track-and-trip defeat at the hands of 9-4 favourite Starshiba.

“We did actually target these two races,” added Kent. “We ran Super Den here last time to see how he handled the track and that’s why we came back.”

“It’s the first double we’ve had and if you look at our numbers and what we’re doing, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve got a great little team at home and hopefully a day like this brings us a couple of orders.”

Obsidian Knight ridden by Tom Marquand wins the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap at Lingfield Park Racecourse
Obsidian Knight ridden by Tom Marquand wins the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap at Lingfield Park Racecourse (Steven Paston/PA)

Ryan Moore, riding in the UK for the first time in 2023, looked to have made a race-winning move aboard George Boughey’s 11-4 favourite Paris Light only to be reeled in by Marquand and Obsidian Knight in the 10-furlong handicap.

Kent believes there is more to come from the five-year-old, who has been somewhat unlucky since scoring here in October and was securing his third victory at the track.

“Things just haven’t worked out for him in his last few runs,” continued Kent. “Jamie Spencer gave him a cracking ride when he was beaten not far at Wolverhampton and he was beaten here last time by an improver.

“He’s been very consistent – he’s very honest and genuine.

“That’s three times he’s won round Lingfield now. We were more than hopeful he would be in the shake up and we’ll probably keep him going on the all-Weather and see if we can pick up some prize-money from the All-Weather Championships.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it and if we’re not happy, we could always give him a little break and look at some options on the turf as we don’t think he’s just an all-weather horse.”

Although out of luck in his first three rides of the day for Boughey, Moore made no mistake in his final taste of the action by pushing out the 15-8 favourite All The King’s Men for a commanding two-and-a-half-length victory in the Spreadex Sports Get £40 In Bonuses Handicap.

A €675,000 yearling, the winner was twice victorious in 10 starts for Fabrice Chappet in France and was scoring off a mark of 79 on his stable bow for the Saffron House Stables handler.

All The King’s Men ridden by Ryan Moore wins the Spreadex Sports Get 40 In Bonuses Handicap at Lingfield Park Racecourse
All The King’s Men ridden by Ryan Moore wins the Spreadex Sports Get 40 In Bonuses Handicap at Lingfield Park Racecourse (Steven Paston/PA)

It was Luke Morris who denied the the Moore/Boughey combination in the opening BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap when John Ryan’s 28-1 shot First Emperor saw out the two-mile distance best to see off 11-8 market leader Ehteyat.

Morris was himself foiled late when Molly Gunn produced Beau Geste (9-1) to perfection to seal the Spreadex Sports First Goalscorer Insurance Classified Stakes in the shadow of the post, while Hayley Turner got on the scoresheet aboard David Simcock’s Harry Brown (7-1) in the talkSPORT Powered By Fans Handicap.

There was also an all-northern finish to the BetUK Over 40,000 Live Streamed Races Handicap when man of the moment Billy Loughnane helped Ruth Carr’s Embour (16-1) edge out the Karl Burke-trained Silky Wilkie.