Tag Archive for: George Boughey

Pretty Polly a possible pick for Via Sistina

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A trip to Ireland for the Pretty Polly Stakes remains on the agenda for Via Sistina following her runaway victory at Newmarket last weekend.

Making her first appearance since winning a Group Three in France in November, George Boughey’s mare successfully graduated to Group Two level with a six-length romp in the Dahlia Stakes under a typically cool ride from Jamie Spencer.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock is now set for a tilt at Group One honours, with the Curragh on July 1 a possible target.

“She’s a good filly,” said Boughey.

“I think the likelihood is the Pretty Polly is probably the plan. This weather is changeable and no one really knows what is going on, but if we get a wet summer we might see a bit more of Via Sistina than we would in a usual year.

“She’s very effective on that (soft) ground and between a mile and a mile and a half, I don’t really know what her trip is.

“She showed loads of pace and there’s a big summer ahead for her.”

Via Sistina oozes class in Dahlia Stakes cruise

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Via Sistina was a runaway winner in a strong renewal of the Howden Dahlia Stakes for jockey Jamie Spencer and trainer George Boughey.

The strapping daughter of Fastnet Rock, reportedly the biggest horse in the Newmarket yard, had won a Group Three at Toulouse in November, having finished runner-up on her first start for the yard in a similar contest at Newmarket.

Formerly with Joseph Tuite, the five-year-old was back down in trip to nine furlongs for her seasonal debut and relished the soft ground, travelling sweetly throughout the Group Two contest.

As the field split into two groups early, Spencer sat motionless on the far side as last season’s Falmouth winner Prosperous Voyage set the pace, and he was still on the bridle when the pace quickened.

With two furlongs to race Via Sistina, sent off the 5-2 favourite, was asked to quicken and she strode clear in tremendous fashion to score eased down by six lengths from Al Husn, who got the better of Astral Beau by half a length for the minor honours.

Boughey said: “She’s done very well over the winter and Jamie said he had them covered all the way.

“The ground is so key to her – she’s got a hell of a turn of foot in soft ground. Her work is good on decent ground, but when it’s soft I haven’t got anything to go with her, so this hasn’t come as a huge surprise. When the rain started to fall we were pretty happy.

Via Sistina in full flight
Via Sistina in full flight (Nigel French/PA)

“She’s done it with consummate ease there. She’s not so free now, she’s able to relax and that’s going to enable her to get better and better.

“Even at the back end of last year we were talking about the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day as a realistic possibility. It’s been soft for the last however many years on Arc day and we’ll work back from that.

“The Pretty Polly on Irish Derby day is possibly the next step and she’s not sort of pace, so I think she’s pretty versatile trip-wise.

“I don’t really know what her trip is, but the softer the ground the better for her really.”

Boughey looking to Totally Charming for first winner in Ireland

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Totally Charming bids to provide Classic-winning trainer George Boughey with his first ever victory on Irish soil in the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh.

The Newmarket handler saddled 136 winners in Britain last season, only his fourth with a licence, with Cachet’s 1000 Guineas success at Newmarket being the clear highlight.

But despite his rapid rise through the training ranks, Boughey has sent only three horses across the Irish Sea and none have managed to return home a winner.

That could all change this weekend, however, with Totally Charming a clear favourite for the €100,000 feature on the first day of the Irish Flat turf season.

Boughey said: “It’s a hard place to go Ireland! We’ve left them to it for a while, but it’s nice to go there with a horse that’s got a favourite’s chance.”

Totally Charming won four times in 2022, with his final victory of the campaign coming on heavy ground at Doncaster in October suggesting the forecast testing conditions on Saturday will hold no fears.

Boughey admits a wide starting berth in stall 22 is not ideal, but booking of champion jockey Colin Keane a clear positive.

“He’s travelled over well and we’re pleased with how he’s been training really,” the Hamilton Road handler added.

George Boughey has high hopes for Totally Charming
George Boughey has high hopes for Totally Charming (David Davies/PA)

“He’s a horse who has shown his form on very soft ground at Doncaster at the end of the year and that was kind of the reason we decided to go to Ireland, rather than stay on the conventional route at home and go for the Lincoln at Doncaster next weekend.

“We entered him for the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton a couple of weeks ago, but he’s a pretty good horse fresh. He’s a horse who probably just needed another bit of work, it’s a long season ahead and we don’t want to go to the well too many times.”

Totally Charming is joined on the trip from Newmarket by the William Haggas-trained Lattam.

The son of Lope De Vega won his first two starts at Thirsk and Haydock last summer before disappointing at Yarmouth and York, but Haggas feels he has plenty in his favour.

“Lattam is very well. I think he will enjoy the ground and the straight mile will suit so we are looking forward to running him,” he said.

“His form did tail off a bit last season, but he seems to be in good form this spring and I hope there is some improvement in the tank. That is what you are hoping with horses like him at this time of year and while he still has a bit of improvement to come in his coat, he is pretty fit and well.

“We’ve had the odd winner in Ireland without having many runners over there, but I felt the ground could be important to Lattam and I can’t guarantee we’d get his ground for our own Lincoln (at Doncaster on Saturday week), so we pointed him to the Curragh.

“Chris Hayes rides him and he knows the time of day. We have used Chris a bit over here and he rode a nice winner for us at Naas last year and a Listed winner for us at Dundalk previously.

“The owners are all set to go and are looking forward to a great day.”

Emporio winning at the Curragh
Emporio winning at the Curragh (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

The home team is headed by Donnacha O’Brien’s previous course winner Emporio, who will be ridden by 7lb claimer Paddy Harnett.

O’Brien said: “He handles soft ground and is quite a high-class horse, probably a stakes horse, but a mile on soft ground is no problem and there are no problems with the conditions.

“I suppose to win a Lincoln, you probably have to be a stakes horse – I think he’s Listed class and we’ll find out more after he runs.”

Other notable contenders include Cosmic Vega, who represents the new training team of Mick Halford and Tracey Collins, and Michael O’Callaghan’s well-travelled top-weight I Am Superman.

Ado McGuinness, who won the 2020 Irish Lincolnshire, has declared no less than 10 runners, with No More Porter and Celtic Crown among them.

Al Dasim has George Boughey dreaming big

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The Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night and an appearance at Royal Ascot are both in George Boughey’s sights for Al Dasim after the exciting sprinter made it three from three at Meydan on Super Saturday.

The Harry Angel colt won a couple of novice events at Wolverhampton in the autumn and has taken his game to another level since arriving in the UAE early in the new year.

Having impressed in a two three-year-old only conditions races, Al Dasim stepped up to comprehensively beat his elders in last weekend’s Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint and a tilt at Group One glory on the Dubai World Cup undercard now looms large.

Boughey said: “He’s just gone from strength to strength out there really. He was quite a raw, immature horse when he left and they can kind of go one way or the other but he has just improved.

“I’ve never been so relaxed before a high grade race as I was the other day, just because he’s so relaxed and he also stays very well for a sprinter, which is helpful at Meydan and will also be a huge asset for him when he gets back home.

“He’s come out of the race in great shape. Ryan King, who is my head man out there to ride him, has done a great job with him. I actually haven’t seen him since he ran as I was on the night flight out of there, but he’s sent me pictures and videos and he looks better than he’s ever looked really.”

Al Dasim holds a speculative entry in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 – but Boughey views a tilt at Classic honours as “very unlikely”, instead preferring him to keep him to sprint trips and his powder dry for the Royal meeting the following month.

“He’d be very unlikely to run in the Guineas. He’s had a busy enough winter and if he does go to the Al Quoz, he’ll have a good break and probably go first up at Royal Ascot,” Boughey added.

“He could have a prep run, but he’s going to have penalties now and rather than carrying a penalty in a trial it might be worth just going straight to the Royal meeting.

“He’ll get an entry in the Commonwealth Cup and will probably get an entry in the King’s Stand as well because it doesn’t look a very good division this year and a stiff five or six furlongs at Ascot could be right up his street.”

Boughey eyeing Chartwell return for Classic victor Cachet

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George Boughey has identified the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield as a likely comeback target for his 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet.

The Hamilton Road handler enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2022, with Cachet’s Classic triumph the clear highlight as he saddled 136 winners in Britain in only his fourth season with a licence.

Cachet was beaten a head by Mangoustine when chasing a Guineas double in the French equivalent just a fortnight later before finishing fifth in what proved to be her final start of the season in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

The daughter of Aclaim has not been seen in competitive action since, but has been kept in training as a four-year-old by owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and Boughey was delighted to see her return to the Newmarket grass gallops for the first time this year on Tuesday.

“She’s doing well and cantered on the grass for the first time this morning,” said the trainer.

“It’s hugely exciting to have a Classic winner coming back as a four-year-old.

George Boughey celebrates following Cachet's 1000 Guineas success
George Boughey celebrates following Cachet’s 1000 Guineas success (David Davies/PA)

“She’s been off the track for a long time and a good spot for her to start back would be something like the Chartwell at Lingfield (May 13), which is on the same day as the Lingfield Derby Trial.

“She doesn’t have a penalty, which for a Classic winner running in a Group Three makes it quite a good spot for her I think.

“Seven furlongs on an undulating track on what can be fast ground, that’s where we’re looking at the moment anyway.”

Boughey eyeing Saudi riches with Missed The Cut

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George Boughey has high hopes that Missed The Cut can strike for the British raiders at the fourth edition of the Saudi Cup and become the flag-bearer for his Newmarket yard.

The young trainer has enjoyed a stratospheric rise since taking out his licence in 2019, just like the horse who will represent him in Saturday’s Neom Turf Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

Boughey enjoyed Classic success for the first time last season, with Cachet landing the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile, and there is confidence in the camp that Missed The Cut can also make his mark at the top level in due course.

The American-bred four-year-old had not seen a racecourse until April last year, but won four of his first six races, including victory in the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He subsequently bounced back from a Group Two defeat at Deauville to beat leading Dubai World Cup hope Algiers at Lingfield in November and Boughey has kept his powder dry since ahead of what he hopes could be a huge year.

“He has come a long way in a short space of time,” said the trainer, who saw the son of Quality Road breeze on the track ahead of the extended 10-furlong test on Saturday.

“There was a rapid rise through the summer last year, possibly too much too soon when we took him out to France for a Group Two.

“We are just taking our time with him. He comes here in super shape, so we are looking forward to it.

“His last run is obviously good form. Algiers has taken his form to a whole different level on the dirt at Meydan and this is a whole different kettle of fish.

“It is a tight 10 and a half furlongs around the turf on Saturday. He has plenty of pace and he should go pretty well.”

Boughey believes his charge is only now starting to mature, adding: “He is a very good-looking horse and he’s only sort of furnishing now. He was very raw last year and his demeanour has improved. His behaviour is better and he is certainly going the right way.

“I hope he can be a flag-bearer for the yard. He has got to go and do it on the world stage and his work is getting that way.”

Missed The Cut winning at Royal Ascot
Missed The Cut winning at Royal Ascot (Adam Davy/PA)

He went on: “I think he could be versatile ground and trip-wise. He has got a dirt pedigree as well, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him step onto an all-weather surface in the pretty near future.”

Boughey harbours hopes that Missed The Cut could make a return to Riyadh next year for the Saudi Cup itself, should all go to plan.

He added: “We will take one step at a time, but he has a top-side dirt pedigree and we will certainly be exploring that soon, whether it will be in Dubai or America.

“He is obviously part-owned by Lanes End Stud and that will be where we want him to end up (in America).

“He has got to go and prove it. He is a Stakes winner now, but is certainly going the right way.”

Oisin Murphy has been among the winners since his return from suspension
Oisin Murphy has been among the winners since his return from suspension (John Walton/PA)

Oisin Murphy, fresh from his 14-month ban, will take the ride for the first time.

The Irishman has only had six previous rides for Boughey, yet the conditioner is eyeing a long-term partnership with the former champion jockey.

Boughey said: “We have had a bit of a headache through his career so far with jockey changes.

“Oisin is a world-class rider and I think we might be able to get a bit of consistency with him.

“He doesn’t, at the moment, have a top-class 10-furlong horse to ride this year, so it would be good to nail him down and hopefully they can create a good bond together.”

Oisin Murphy poised for high-profile Saudi Cup card return

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Oisin Murphy has a ride to relish upon his return to the saddle as he is due to partner Missed The Cut in the Neom Turf Cup.

The jockey is approaching the end of a 14-month suspension imposed by the British Horseracing Authority after he admitted to breaking Covid rules, misleading the regulator and prejudicial conduct, plus two alcohol breaches.

Murphy’s ban expires on February 16 and he has been forging a new connection with Newmarket trainer George Boughey, whose colt Missed The Cut holds an entry for the Group Three Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh on February 25.

The race is part of the hugely valuable Saudi Cup meeting and it is Murphy who will take the ride as Boughey seeks a regular jockey for the horse throughout the upcoming season.

“Oisin Murphy currently will ride him. It’s taken quite a lot of brainpower throughout his career so far, he’s had a number of jockeys and I think a horse like him probably deserves to have a jockey that’s going to try and ride him wherever possible,” he said.

Missed The Cut at Royal Ascot
Missed The Cut at Royal Ascot (Adam Davy/PA)

“I had a long chat to Oisin at the back end of last year when we were trying to make a plan for him. William Buick and Ryan Moore traditionally ride mine whenever they can but I think, at their own admission, they won’t be able to ride him come the summer.

“They both were available to ride him in Saudi but we’re just prolonging the inevitable and I want someone who is going to be able to create a bond with the horse.”

Murphy has ridden the Missed The Cut both at home and in a racecourse gallop at Chelmsford in a newly-established alliance between trainer and jockey.

“He’s done plenty of work, he’s been to Chelmsford to ride him the other morning and he’s delighted with him,” said Boughey.

“It’s a bit of a new thing, Oisin has only ridden one winner for me so it’s not really a relationship that’s had much to go at so far.

“He’s obviously a fantastic rider and I’m delighted to have him on board. He’s ridden at Newmarket and he went to Chelmsford the other morning, his work has been pretty good and there are few better men to know what a top class horse looks like than Oisin.”

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.”

Moore teams up with Boughey quartet as he kicks off British season

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Ryan Moore returns to British action for the first time this year at Lingfield’s Winter Million fixture on Saturday, with four rides for trainer George Boughey.

The leading jockey has enjoyed a well-earned break since riding in Hong Kong last month and Boughey has given him an excellent chance to hit the ground running by providing him with a strong book of rides.

Moore makes his comeback in the opening BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap aboard Ehteyat, who carries a 5lb penalty for a comfortable victory at Southwell last Sunday.

Ryan Moore - back in action at Lingfield
Ryan Moore – back in action at Lingfield (Mike Egerton/PA)

The four-year-old is drawn widest of all in stall 10, but Boughey is nevertheless anticipating another bold showing.

He said: “The track probably isn’t to his liking as he’s a big, strong staying type and he’s drawn widest of all, so there’s a few things for Ryan to try to negate.

“But he seems to have come out of Southwell in good shape and the way he hits the line suggests he should stay the two miles pretty well.”

Boughey and Moore team up in the following talkSPORT Powered By Fans Handicap with Pocket The Packet, who has won five times from eight starts since October and gone up 40lb in the ratings as a result.

He is 13lb higher than when triumphing at Lingfield just over a week ago and Boughey admits the handicapper is bound to catch up with him sooner or later.

“I didn’t expect him to do what he did the other day. The race looked to fall apart a bit and he’s got a big hike for winning that,” Boughey added.

“He’s never been a horse that has really expressed himself as an 85-rated horse, but he’s three from three in handicaps at the track and we’ll give it another go.

“He’s a very ordinary work horse – he wouldn’t go past a 50 horse. He’s been a pleasant surprise.”

The Newmarket handler appears more confident about the chances of his final two runners on the card – Paris Lights and All The King’s Men.

Former Jessica Harrington inmate Paris Lights made a successful start for Boughey over the course and distance last month and enters the handicap arena off a mark of 80 in the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap.

All The King’s Men, meanwhile, is a dual winner in France and makes his debut for the yard in the Spreadex Sports Get £40 In Bonuses Handicap.

Boughey said: “Paris Lights is good and we slightly hoped he’d do what he did on stable debut.

“He was gelded when he came to us and looked good the other day. He looks quite progressive, he’s drawn in the middle and I hope he should run a big race.

“He went up 5lb for his last run and he goes there off a nice mark, I think.

“All The King’s Men was gelded on his arrival at the yard and his work has been good. He’s a half-brother to a Group One performer (Goken), so I think he’s a horse that should give a bold account of himself.

“He’s a horse that will hopefully stay a bit further in time, but this is a nice starting point and his work on the all-weather surfaces at home has been good, so we’re going there in pretty good shape.”

Dubai first is another landmark for George Boughey

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George Boughey’s burgeoning career reached another landmark at Meydan on Friday as the Newmarket trainer enjoyed a first winner in Dubai.

Having recorded his first Classic winner last year with Cachet in the 1000 Guineas, it was the Mickael Barzalona-ridden Al Dasim – winner of his last two starts at Wolverhampton – who provided him with a maiden Dubai Carnival success when taking the Al Wasl Stakes by three lengths.

“It was obviously fantastic, our second runner in Dubai to be a winner. To have horses running all around the world and through the winter to have a nice team of horses to run in Dubai is fantastic,” Boughey told to Great British Racing International.

“He’s a horse who’s been targeted to come out here for a while. Sheikh Abdullah (owner) obviously wants to have horses running out here and he’s got a fantastic stable in Kuwait and in Saudi, and now to have a winner in Dubai is obviously great.

“He’s a horse who’ll probably head towards the Dubai Trophy in February. He’s shown an adaptability to run on turf and also on the all-weather, and it would be no surprise to see him run on the dirt.”

He added: “Everyone’s delighted and huge credit goes to my team out here – Ryan King and Charles Eddery who have the horses in great shape.”

Elsewhere on the card, Valiant Prince led home a Godolphin one-two-three in the Al Rashidiya.

The Dubawi colt was one of four runners carrying the royal blue silks in the Group Two, with Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor saddling a pair of contenders each.

Appleby was represented by Ottoman Fleet and Valiant Prince, the latter finishing powerfully under James Doyle to prevail.

Three-quarters of a length behind him was Bin Suroor’s Dubai Future, with Ottoman Fleet the third-placed horse by a further half a length.

“It was a big step forward on what he’s achieved in the past and I think he did a good job,” said Doyle.

“While we were drawn well and we had quite a cheap run round early, it got a bit hairy on the bend.

“It just meant the two in front just got away from us a bit, but it kind of suits him in a way – he doesn’t want to see loads of daylight.

“The way he picked up was quite a surprise to me. Once he got a bit of space he felt to me like he was always going to go and win comfortably.”