Tag Archive for: Givega

Givega expected to get Imperial Cup call up

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Givega is poised to return to Sandown for a crack at the Betfair Imperial Cup having shown his true colours when bouncing back to his best at the Esher venue recently.

Gary Moore’s seven-year-old, who is out of a sister to the great six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega, created a real buzz when winning his first two hurdling outings in the manner of a top-class operator and by a combined 18 lengths.

However, he blotted his copybook when sent off favourite, upped in both trip and grade, for the Grade Two Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick in January and was left with somewhat of a point to prove.

Returned to calmer waters at Sandown earlier this month, Givega was back on form as he made all in the hands of Niall Houlihan while giving 9lb and a seven-and-a-half-length beating to runner-up Immortal.

Raised 4lb to a mark of 133 for that victory – and with connections keen to swerve the Cheltenham Festival – Moore is now eyeing a tilt at the prestigious £100,000 handicap hurdle on March 11 that precedes the Prestbury Park showpiece the following week.

“He’s a horse I like a lot, he’s a good horse,” said Moore.

“I was really happy with him (at Sandown). He got a fairly soft lead in front and jumped well, he’s a chaser in the making. I know he’s already seven years old, but he’s next year’s horse really and he will stay further than two miles, he will definitely get further.

“He definitely won’t go to Cheltenham. The plan is to go back to Sandown for the Imperial Cup.

“It’s a shame he went up (in the handicap) for the other day, but if he hadn’t have gone up, he might not have got in I suppose.”

Moore eyeing Sidney Banks redemption for Givega

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Gary Moore is backing Givega to bounce back from his disappointing run in the Leamington Novices’ Hurdle – and he could be given the opportunity to put things right in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon next month.

A winner in the pointing field for Colin Bowe in early 2021, the son of Authorized, who is out of a sister to the great six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega, had done nothing but create a deep impression in his early outings under Rules.

He recorded a runaway 13-length victory at Lingfield on debut and soon followed that up with an easy win at Fontwell on Boxing Day, which saw him sent off the 3-1 favourite when stepping up in both trip and class at Warwick.

Givega (left) was one of the runners in action during The Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick
Givega (left) was one of the runners in action during The Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)

However, he raced far too keenly in the hands of Jamie Moore in the two-mile-five-furlong Grade Two contest and was beating a retreat when pulled up before two out.

“He was far too keen, but I learnt quite a lot that day and there’s things we won’t be doing again,” said Moore.

“Jamie went the way he did because he felt the ground was fresher that side, but it lit the horse up too much and he overraced and you just don’t finish off then.

“We would just give him plenty of daylight in his races in future, he’s either got to be up the front or out the back, one or the other.”

The seven-year-old could now be given the opportunity to make amends in what is shaping up to be a competitive running of the Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon on February 9, with the Listed event also a possibility for well-regarded stablemate Authorised Speed.

“We’ll see how he is and see what the ground is like and he could go to the Sidney Banks,” continued Moore.

“The other horse who could also go for that is Authorised Speed. They both need soft ground though, which you don’t often get at Huntingdon.”

Moore set to raise Givega’s sights after Fontwell strike

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Givega is set to step up in grade having enhanced his reputation at Fontwell on Boxing Day.

Winner of a Tralee point-to-point for Colin Bowe in May 2021, the son of Authorized was ultra-impressive when making his belated debut under rules at Lingfield in November, bolting up by 13 lengths.

Keen to get some more experience into the highly regarded six-year-old – who is out of a sister to the great six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega – Gary Moore sent his charge to one of his local tracks under a penalty over the festive period.

He came through the assignment with flying colours, making all and quickening well when briefly challenged two out to record a five-length success.

Now the Sussex-based handler is keen to test his exciting prospect in Graded company and is not against stepping up in trip with Givega on his next start.

“I was delighted,” said Moore. “He had to make all his own running and he had a little blip in the week before his run which kind of worried me, but he has still come through and won as he did, so I was highly delighted and he’s a very nice horse that I think quite highly of.

“I’m not sure where he could go next. The Tolworth might be an option, but that will probably come too soon and I will probably run the other horse in that (Authorised Speed). So I need to get my head into the programme book and see where there are some hurdle races.

“He does need soft ground – it wasn’t that soft at Fontwell, it was given as good to soft, but it was more good ground to be honest.

“It’ll have to be a step up in grade now as he has a double penalty, even though he needs some more experience really. But I think it will have to be a step up in grade.

“He’ll get two and a half (miles) and potentially get three, so he could step up in trip.”