Tag Archive for: Goshen

Hanlon: Hewick in right spot for him at Sandown

/by

Rachael Blackmore partners Hewick when he attempts to strike at Sandown’s jumps finale meeting for the second year in a row, lining up in the bet365 Oaksey Chase.

Whereas last year John ‘Shark’ Hanlon’s versatile performer was scoring in the handicap feature over three and three-quarter miles, his performances since have earnt him a crack at the Grade Two on the card over a mile less.

The eight-year-old – who famously cost only €850 euros – has gone from strength to strength since his victory in Esher 12 months ago, winning the Galway Plate and American Grand National before running a huge race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, where he was well in it before suffering a fall two out.

Having missed out on a tilt at the Grand National while recovering from his Prestbury Park exertions, Hewick was set to line up in the Punchestown Gold Cup earlier this week before conditions turned against him.

Instead he returns to Sandown for a race where he is 10lb clear of his nearest rival on ratings.

“The race is very suitable for him,” said Hanlon.

“I would have loved to have run him at Punchestown but the ground there is very tacky. I know they’re set to get a drop of rain at Sandown but I was talking to the clerk of the course and he said the ground would be like last year. So if it is on the soft side of good that will do perfectly.

“He was running a cracker in Cheltenham when he fell and I’ve tried to go down the option here of the easier route. I could have gone for the bet365 Gold Cup again, but I would be giving away two stone to everything.

“In this race it is the other way round and the opposition is giving me weight. They have to beat me this time whereas usually it’s the other way round. Take the top horse (Eldorado Allen), he is rated 12lb lower than Hewick, yet has to give him 2lb. I think the race is very suitable for the horse and he is in great form.”

Hewick has been ridden by Jordan Gainford in his six of his last seven starts.

However, with the young Irish pilot on the sidelines with injury, Hanlon has called up an old ally to deputise – having been one of the first to Blackmore’s talents at the fledgling stages of her career.

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with Hewick during a visit to Shark Hanlon’s yard at Bagenalstown in County Carlow
John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with Hewick during a visit to Shark Hanlon’s yard at Bagenalstown in County Carlow (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“We have Rachael Blackmore on board and I don’t think there is anything wrong with our jockey booking – we’ve got a great substitute,” continued Hanlon.

“It’s tough on Jordan because Gordon (Elliott) said he was available to go over, so it is very tough the way it has worked out. Hopefully he will be back in the saddle when we get back to Galway or somewhere.”

Kim Bailey’s First Flow and Joe Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen are next best on official figures but the biggest danger to Hewick could be the improving Solo who has seen the form of his Pendil Novices’ Chase victory franked in recent weeks.

The seven-year-old is one of two for Paul Nicholls alongside McFabulous as the champion trainer looks to win this contest for the fourth time in a row.

“Solo won the Pendil Novices’ Chase last time and the form has worked out well – the horse who finished second of Jamie Snowden won last week at Ayr. We’ve kept him fresh for this,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“McFabulous, his last two runs have been disappointing. He didn’t go on the soft ground at Kempton on Boxing Day. He pulled up at Newbury and had an irregular heartbeat for whatever reason, but he’s been fine since. But he has been out of sorts and has to bounce back from that.

“Solo I think will go very well in this, but I think Hewick is the one to beat.”

Topham runner-up Fantastic Lady represents Nicky Henderson, with the field rounded off by Gary Moore’s hat-trick-seeking Black Gerry – a winner of four of his six appearances this term.

“He’s governed by the ground but has done amazingly well this year,” said Moore.

“It won’t be easy for him and he wants soft ground really, but the trip will suit him well.”

Although Black Gerry may be an outsider in the Oaksey Chase, Moore holds a strong hand in the bet365 Select Hurdle with Goshen.

The enigmatic seven-year-old was a good winner of the Ascot Hurdle in November before finishing second to Paisley Park in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton. But he now has a point to prove following some below-par efforts since.

Goshen, ridden by Jamie Moore, goes on to win The Coral Hurdle at Ascot
Goshen, ridden by Jamie Moore, goes on to win The Coral Hurdle at Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“I like to think he has a reasonable chance,” said Moore.

“He hasn’t once been out of the money this year and I’ve done some stupid things with him – I’ve run him over fences twice and run him at Fontwell.

“He won’t be signing off because he will be running on the Flat if we have some soft ground next week, but hopefully he will be out in the field by June and July.”

Thyme Hill was a Grade One winner over fences earlier in the campaign but now reverts to hurdles for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, while Nicky Henderson saddles both 2018 winner Call Me Lord and the likeable mare Theatre Glory.

Nico de Boinville and Theatre Glory return after securing Listed honours at Warwick
Nico de Boinville and Theatre Glory return after securing Listed honours at Warwick (PA)

The five-strong line-up is complete by Knappers Hill, who was a winner of a handicap last yearat this meeting and has performed adequately when handed some stiff assignments this term.

“If he gets two-mile-five he will go well I think. We have kept him fresh for this,” said Nicholls.

“He ran twice in a week back in February which was a bit too much for him really and then we’ve kept him fresh for this.

“He won over two and a half at Chepstow on debut this season and definitely has a chance. I guess it will be good to soft and that will suit him well.”

Moore eyeing National Spirit hat-trick with Goshen

/by

Goshen has been tasked with helping Gary Moore win a third Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday.

The Moore family first won the Grade Two contest at one of their local tracks in 2017 with Camping Ground and added to their tally 12 months ago when the now-retired Joshua Moore partnered his father’s Botox Has to a game success over race regular Brewin’upastorm.

Now it is the turn of their stable stalwart to uphold family honour, while Jamie Moore will have the chance to write his name on the roll of honour.

The unseasonal dry spell means conditions will once again be against the ever-popular seven-year-old, who also has to tackle his old nemesis of racing left-handed. But encouragement is taken from two high-quality hurdling appearances this term, which are sandwiched by a pair of lacklustre outings over the larger obstacles.

He surged clear of the reopposing Brewin’upastorm to record an eight-and-a-half-length victory in the Ascot Hurdle in November before backing it up with a strong second behind Paisley Park in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle on Boxing Day and his handler believes Goshen deserves plenty of credit for the way he has acquitted himself, despite being yet to race on his favoured ground.

“He’s had a brilliant year. He’s done really well and on not one day has he had the ground in his favour yet,” said Moore.

“The trip will be fine for him. It’s the wrong way round, but there’s just not that many options for him. He’s in the long-distance hurdle race at Cheltenham, but I feel that’s a waste of time.

“There’s no point leaving him in the stable and there’s not that many runners either so he has got to take his chance.”

Knappers Hill, here winning at Sandown, attempts to get back to winning ways in the Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle
Knappers Hill, here winning at Sandown, attempts to get back to winning ways in the Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle (Nigel French/PA)

Sceau Royal returns to hurdles having failed to feature in the Dublin Chase earlier this month and he will be looking to reverse Elite Hurdle form with Knappers Hill, who was two and a half lengths clear of Alan King’s consistent veteran when they met at Wincanton earlier in the campaign.

Paul Nicholls’ charge has seen his form slightly tail off since his early-season heroics, but is proven over this trip and hails from a yard that is always well represented in this £80,000 contest.

Brewin’upastorm won this in 2021 before going down by just a head when defending his crown last year and Olly Murphy will be hoping his 10-year-old enjoys the tight turns of the Sussex track for a third time.

“He’s come back from a severe wind operation but seems in good form and galloped well this week,” said the Warren Chase handler.

“He will just improve for whatever he does at Fontwell as it’s been a bit of a tight squeeze to get him ready for this race, but we’re looking forward to running him and if he comes back to his old self, there’s no reason why he can’t run really well.

“He probably should be two from two in the race, he was unlucky in it last year and we’re looking forward to running him in the race again.”

The select quintet going to post is rounded off by Dan Skelton’s Proschema, who was a clear-cut winner of the West Yorkshire Hurdle in the autumn, but was pulled up on his next start in Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle.

Lingfield defeat spells end of Goshen’s chasing hopes

/by

There was no joy for Goshen at Lingfield on Tuesday as his second run over fences ended in disappointment.

One of only three runners going to post for the At The Races App Market Movers Beginners’ Chase, Gary Moore’s seven-year-old was the first beat and trailed home 22-legths adrift of Paul Nicholls’ Quel Destin (8-1), who edged out Venetia Williams’ Christopher Wood in the hands of Bryony Frost.

It was a similar story to his chasing debut at Ascot for the 4-6 favourite, who failed to warm to the task of jumping fences while his cause was not helped by racing on ground quicker than his optimum.

Racing left-handed was also not in Goshen’s favour as his two rivals set out to claim the scalp of the popular son of Authorised and his handler confirmed the defeat would probably signal the end of the chasing experiment.

“The ground was too quick and they went out to get him beat,” said Moore.

“They got him beat because they went quite hard and round here today, you needed to be on the front end because the ground is pretty quick.

“I would say that’s probably it now (for fences). At least I know now that we don’t really think he’s a chaser, so we’ll stick to hurdles.”

There was better luck for the Moore family when Teddy Blue survived flattening the final flight to get on the scoresheet in the Download The At The Races App Maiden Hurdle.

Third in the Gerry Feilden behind First Street at Newbury previously, a return to the Berkshire track could now be on the cards for the Betfair Hurdle on February 11.

“What he beat I don’t know, but he’s done it and done it all right,” continued Moore.

“He needed to win to get in the Betfair Hurdle and hopefully that gets him in – but he will have to improve on what he did today.”

Issar D’Airy then made it a double on the day for Jamie and Gary Moore when taking the At The Races App Expert Tips Handicap Hurdle as the 9-4 favourite.

Goshen back for second try over the larger obstacles at Lingfield

/by

The multi-dimensional Goshen has another chance to tackle the larger obstacles when he lines up at Gary Moore’s local track Lingfield on Tuesday.

Already proven on the Flat and over hurdles, the seven-year-old made an eagerly-awaited chasing debut at Ascot on his seasonal bow – but struggled on ground quicker than ideal to trail home well beaten in third.

Since then he has thrived over hurdles in his two most recent outings, winning the Ascot Hurdle before finishing a brave second on a first try at three miles in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle on Boxing Day.

But with an engagement during Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend lost to the weather and Moore searching for suitable options before Wincanton’s Kingwell Hurdle on February 18, Goshen has a second bite of the chasing cherry in the At The Races App Market Movers Beginners’ Chase that only has a maximum field of three.

“It will be a bit of fun won’t it,” said Moore.

“It’s such a great track for a novice and is just down the road – we thought why not? The next race over hurdles he can run in is at Wincanton, otherwise it is the stayers’ route and he isn’t going to win a Stayers’ Hurdle.”

Goshen is rated 18lb higher than both Christopher Wood and Quel Destin that stand in opposition, and Moore hopes the race will give a good indication of whether the seven-time hurdles winner has a future over fences.

“We shouldn’t really be trying to win a novice chase this year should we,” he continued. “But it will tell me if he’s good enough to go back over fences next year or not.

“We could have done with some rain really for him, it’s not really soft enough for him. But listen, if he can’t jump round there (Lingfield), he won’t jump round anywhere.

Goshen ridden by jockey Jamie Moore goes onto win the Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle at Sandown Park racecourse last year
Goshen ridden by jockey Jamie Moore goes onto win the Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle at Sandown Park racecourse last year (Steven Paston/PA)

“It’s not the way round he likes going but with only three runners he has to take his chance. The cheekpieces are on just to keep him a bit more focussed.

“If it was the other way round he would take a lot of beating, but left-handed and the ground being on the good to soft side might not be a help to him, he would be better on softer going.”

Gary Moore eyeing Lingfield date for Goshen

/by

Gary Moore is tempted to try running Goshen left-handed again, with Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival on the radar following the popular six-year-old’s brave second in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton.

The seven-time hurdles winner was trying three miles for the first time when lining up at the Sunbury track on Boxing Day and showed the distance was well within range as he was part of a fantastic battle up the home straight with veterans of the staying hurdling division, Paisley Park and Champ.

That now opens up more doors for Moore moving forward, but despite the pick of his form coming when racing clockwise, the handler is eyeing up an outing in the Weatherbys Hurdle (January 22), in which Goshen was beaten just over a length despite hanging badly for big-race pilot Jamie Moore last season.

“He ran well (at Kempton), I was very pleased with him,” said Moore. “Obviously I’m a little disappointed he didn’t run a little bit better and win, but it was his first go at the trip. Whether we can improve on that I don’t know, but at least it gives me a few more options of where to go.

“I think he proved he stayed, but he just got outstayed by the winner who is a strong stayer. I thought the only chance we had of beating him was on a pan-flat track because for me, Paisley Park needs all of three miles and Kempton is an easy three miles. They didn’t really go that fast and it’s a tough one to call, but Goshen certainly ran as well as he could anyway.”

On the immediate future he added: “My hands are tied slightly and he can’t really go left handed, but I think I might give Lingfield’s Million Weekend another go, because Jamie said when he dropped him in he was so settled and giving him no aggravation whatsoever.

Trainer Gary Moore is keen to run Goshen at Lingfield on January 22
Trainer Gary Moore is keen to run Goshen at Lingfield on January 22 (Nigel French/PA)

“So we might just give it a go and he’ll go in the ground – he’ll get his ground there. That will probably be his next objective.”

However, it does appear that fences are off the agenda for the time being.

Goshen struggled in his sole chasing appearance at Ascot earlier in the season and Moore feels there is no point trying the larger obstacles again this term – although he has not completely ruled it out for the future.

He added: “I won’t go over fences again now this far into the season. Whether we go over fences again next year, maybe. But it would have to be on very soft ground, not quick ground.”

Goshen heading into the unknown for Long Walk assignment

/by

Gary Moore will be an intrigued onlooker when Goshen tackles three miles for the first time in the Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The one-time Champion Hurdle hope embarked on a novice chasing campaign at the start of the season, but a disappointing first effort over fences meant that plan was swiftly aborted.

Goshen may not always be the easiest to predict, but he is a force to be reckoned with on a going day, as he proved when winning the two-and-a-half-mile Coral Hurdle at Ascot last month.

The cancellation of Ascot’s Long Walk card and the subsequent switch to Sunbury means the six-year-old will visit Kempton for the first time since running on the all-weather four years ago. But Moore does not expect the change of venue to be a problem.

He said: “We’re looking forward to it to a certain extent, it’ll be interesting.

“I don’t see any reason why he won’t stay – he’s a pretty relaxed horse. He’ll need to stay in that company, so we’ll see.

“It wasn’t until he ran at Ascot last month that we thought about it (stepping up in trip) as he didn’t really get going until he turned into the straight that day.

“He’s so limited as to what races he can run in as he has to go right-handed and can’t really run in handicaps, so it was either run over two miles in the Christmas Hurdle or over three in the Long Walk.

“They’re getting a nice drop of rain, which is good for us, and if he does stay the trip it will give us a few more options.”

Two horses who have been there and very much done it over three miles are familiar foes Champ and Paisley Park.

The 10-year-olds treated Newbury racegoers to a humdinger in their latest clash in last month’s Long Distance Hurdle, with Nicky Henderson’s Champ repelling the late thrust of Paisley Park by a neck.

“It was disappointing Ascot was off but it is good they keep the Grade Ones, which is important,” Henderson told Unibet ahead of the rematch.

“It hasn’t inconvenienced Champ. I’m not sure Kempton is a great track for him as he tends to go a little left, mind you Ascot is right-handed as well and he’s won there.

“Kempton is a little tighter and it possibly won’t suit Paisley Park either, so we’re probably both in the same boat and something else might come and beat them!”

Paisley Park’s trainer Emma Lavelle has similar thoughts to Henderson on the suitability of Kempton for her stable star, but is nevertheless happy to roll the dice.

She said: “He’s unbelievable, he really he is. He seems to be absolutely flying in himself and came out of Newbury really well.

“I have to say I was kind of surprised at just how well he did run at Newbury, with it being his first run of the season on ground that would have put the emphasis on speed rather than stamina. I was absolutely thrilled with how he ran – thrilled and gutted at the same time.

“But the fact that he is still prepared to put that much into his races and run to that level just shows what an extraordinary horse he is.

“The track is clearly not ideal and he’s going to have to run to his absolute best to win a race like that on a track like that, but who knows?”

Miranda has won at Kempton before
Miranda has won at Kempton before (Steven Paston/PA)

The small but select field is completed by the Paul Nicholls-trained Miranda, who won a Listed prize over the course and distance a month ago but faces a significant step up in grade, and Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy.

Nicholls told Betfair: “She returns to Kempton in top form after a career best at this track last time in a Listed mares’ race, which she won decisively on her first attempt at three miles.

“She ran very well on the Flat before that, wants this trip now and the rain they have had at Kempton should have helped her cause.

“I suspect that the track at Kempton might not be ideal for Champ and Paisley Park, while it is perfect for Miranda.

“I’m glad this race is at Kempton not Ascot and Miranda must have a great chance in receipt of 7lb from the boys.”

Monday Musings: The New Abnormal

/by

Just nine days ago my over-riding thought as I contemplated the very strong card at Kempton was still how awful it was that Goshen had been cruelly robbed of his rightful crowning as the best four-year-old hurdler in memory, writes Tony Stafford. Sympathies for Gary and all the Moore family and the owners were intruding ahead of the general feeling that I’d witnessed one of the great four days of Cheltenham.

Just over a week later, along with everyone in the country, if not the world, apart of course from China where it started and where they now claim there have been no new cases for several days - sure! – even Goshen has been put at the back of the brain.

Looking back, there we were, between 53,000 on the first day and 65,000 on Friday talking, greeting and breathing on each other. A good proportion of racegoers at any time are in the older age group. Now 1.5 million of us senior citizens around the country are to receive letters telling us to stay at home for three months to help “damp down” in Boris’s words, the dreaded Coronavirus.

I’ve already effectively remained in the house under instruction from my wife, who will not be receiving such a letter. My only relief from the embargo has been three short taxi-service one-way trips to drop her at shops that have been denuded of fresh meat and fish, bread, pasta, toilet and kitchen rolls and household products. She did yesterday, though, and much to my amazement, come home triumphantly brandishing a copy of the Racing Post, cost £3.90. I wonder what the publication’s 110 journalistic employees are doing to keep that listing vessel above water?

Every day for the past week I’ve been pondering whether I’ve had it, got it or am incubating it ready to transmit to anyone I meet – which pretty much begins and ends with Mrs S. Yesterday she started a daily exercise session, prompted by my difficulty with putting on my socks without sitting down. It couldn’t have been too taxing, but today and on subsequent days it will be ramped up. Whatever you can say about people born and brought up in the old USSR, especially in Siberia, they can be pretty relentless!

I was thinking last Tuesday that the UK racing no-spectator model might work, but that stopped after one day. Then on Wednesday the Irish decided to race on crowd-free, so on Saturday we had Thurles on Racing TV and South Africa’s two meetings on Sky Sports Racing. Somehow, my copy of the Racing Post arrived in time to have a look at the 4.10 from Thurles in which a horse I’d seen run well recently over two miles, stepped up in trip and class for a beginners’ chase.

He’d previously won a hurdle over three miles and was trained by Joseph O’Brien, so more than enough reason to have a good look. I thought he would be around 6-1, checked and found he was double those odds, and had a tiny tickle. Backed down to 9-1, Thermistocles proved once again that young Mr O’Brien can win any race over any discipline at any level and sound jumping and stamina enabled this eight-year-old to beat a strong field with some comfort.

Sky Sports Racing also had yesterday’s Sha Tin card which started at 5 a.m. and featured, almost four hours later, the Hong Kong Derby with its £1 million-plus first prize. Local jockey C Y Ho was entrusted with the ride on the 3-4 favourite Golden Sixty and as he brought him towards the straight he was right at the back of the 14-strong field; meanwhile Aussie rider Blake Shinn sent the 290-1 shot Playa Del Puente into a long lead on the inside. Ho and Golden Sixty came wide, gradually gained ground, but still had at least three lengths to find a furlong out.

Instead of the frenzied tumult had the Sha Tin stands been as usual full of punters, there must have been almost an eerie silence that accompanied the favourite’s continued run which bore fruit three strides from the finish.  The Australian-bred Golden Sixty, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, has now won ten of 11 career starts, and never had a winning margin more than just over two lengths in any of them.

While everything is on hold here – I can imagine just how frustrated the few UK trainers nowadays that concentrate on early juveniles must be feeling – Ireland actually stages its first turf Flat meeting of the year today at Naas. Joseph and his father Aidan both had entries in the first two-year-old race of 2020 in Europe but Aidan’s runner, Lipizzaner, participates.

In between the sparse live fare available, there have been some interesting offerings on the specialist channels and one commentator for whom my regard has grown greatly in recent months has been Mick Fitzgerald. I confess it took ages to get past that gratingly-harsh accent but in a long discussion with John Hunt on Sky Sports Racing the other day he spoke very intelligently on the challenges facing trainers and jockeys, not to mention owners. His thoughts, not least his compassion, equated to the attitude of the Prime Minister and Chancellor as they announced the tightening up of measures to stop the virus.

But now I must return to Goshen. Anyone who saw the Triumph Hurdle on Friday the 13th of March will have been convinced that the margin – some say a dozen lengths – that he held over his toiling rivals coming to the last where he made his calamitous, race-ending mistake, would have been considerably extended by the line.

David Dickinson, the BHA handicapper responsible for two-mile hurdle assessments, had the job of putting the race on a numerical footing. We don’t see the Irish ratings, so the two horses that finished first and second under sufferance, Burning Victory and Aspire Tower, the latter who had a 152 mark pre-race, do not appear on the BHA ratings list.

But Allmankind, Navajo Pass and Sir Psycho, who finished third, fourth and fifth, went into Cheltenham on ratings respectively of 148, 139 and 147 and finished within a couple of lengths, close behind the second who was almost three lengths adrift of the winning Willie Mullins-trained filly.

Dickinson has left Allmankind and Sir Psycho on their existing marks, choosing to raise Navajo Pass to 147, which neatly makes this race a true ratings barometer. If Allmankind is 148 then presumably Aspire Tower could be dropped to 149 from 152 in Ireland and then the winner 152 (less the 7lb filly allowance she benefited from) thus around 145. Of the others Solo, rated 157 after his Kempton Adonis Hurdle romp, ran a stinker and has dropped to 152.

So what to do with Goshen? He was 151 going into the race and on the way he just scooted away from as we have seen some already decent opposition into an overwhelming last-flight superiority, I thought it the best performance (until he exited of course) ever by a four-year-old. I think it was probably only challenged by Our Conor’s 15-length victory seven years earlier which brought a 161 rating.

If the eventual winner had been male, the rating would be 152 and she was hardly going to reduce the margin, yet Dickinson has bottled it! He has chosen to raise Goshen to only 158, in other words suggesting he would have beaten the runner-up by six lengths. Ridiculous, indeed shameful! Not only have Goshen’s connections been robbed of a massive prize and well-earned recognition, the performance has been dimmed for no other reason than small-mindedness.

Goshen should have got at least 165 as I suggested here last week, and that would only have reflected his maintaining the margin to the line, when that seemed a conservative prospect. It’s not an easy job, I realise that, but when it hits you between the eyes, have the decency to admit it!

- TS

Monday Musings: Triskaidekaphilia?

/by

The number 13 is supposed to have unlucky connotations, writes Tony Stafford. Events thirteen years ago next weekend were the reverse for me. As the tall, mid-European said having approached me with a yellowish-coloured ring between his fingers all those years ago: “It’s your lucky day!”

He could hardly have imagined that his theatrical display of stooping down a few yards in front of me as we progressed in opposite directions along Finchley Road near St John’s Wood Station and brandishing the item triumphantly would have such lasting repercussions.

Or indeed just how lucky it was to prove.
It led to my being introduced a few hours later at Kempton Park to Raymond Tooth by his friend Derek Hatter, who’d been asked to verify the authenticity of the ring as we bumped into each other at the track. Derek revealed a few days later that the jeweller tasked with that professional action declared the fact it went green very quickly was not encouraging.

Entirely encouraging was the meeting with Punjabi’s owner, after his Nicky Henderson-trained gelding had romped to a 19-length triumph in the Adonis Hurdle booking his place in the Triumph at the Cheltenham Festival the following month.

We hit it off and then another chance encounter with my good friend Tony Mullins, outside the Victor Chandler tent where we had all been based that Gold Cup day, led to a going-home 12-1 winner, Pedrobob, in the County Hurdle, which clearly sealed the deal as Raymond’s racing manager.

Now on Saturday, again a consequence of unlikely events, the Tooth colours of grey and pink will be in action in the same Kempton race with Waterproof. We had formulated a plan to try to get him qualified for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle next month. That needed him to have had three runs over jumps and the third was to be either at Haydock in last Saturday’s Victor Ludorum or the back-up race suggested by Shaun Keightley at Market Rasen yesterday.

We didn’t fancy the heavy ground at Haydock, or the likelihood of having to face Goshen, pencilled in by Gary Moore for that race. A hard race on heavy would probably have caused his 127 rating to be vulnerable had Goshen run riot, but in the end he didn’t run at all. Nor did we as Storm Dennis washed out Market Rasen and most of the countryside everywhere else.

It’s doubtful that running this weekend will constitute qualification. Entries for the Boodles close tomorrow and at that stage he does not have the necessary three runs. The handicap is fixed next week but I fear it is probably too late, so we’re going to check. David Dickinson gave Waterproof 127 after his wide-margin Fakenham win, but he probably wouldn’t have won at all had Bran, who’d just taken it up, not fallen heavily at the last flight.
It had been a plan for some time, immediately after his promising debut third at Huntingdon, to get two placed runs into him and then run against older handicappers, taking advantage of the big age allowance for juveniles. The number 127 certainly didn’t enter calculations at that stage. Now the best way of dealing with it is to get the third run in so that entry in future valuable handicaps can be made. If he’s not good enough for the Goshens of this world – and no doubt he’ll be in the line-up at Kempton – then so be it.

Goshen’s latest win, by 11 lengths in a small field at Ascot, had the experienced Nordano in a respectful second. That Neil King-trained gelding had run six times before Saturday with a couple of wins in acquiring the same rating as Waterproof. I remember writing in this column that I thought Goshen could give twice the 17lb he’s officially rated above Waterproof and still beat him half the track, so not much confidence there for Saturday!

But when Nordano turned out back at Ascot in the mud last Saturday off 127 which translated to 10st bottom weight against his elders, I think my opinion of Goshen’s rating was borne out. Nordano and Aidan Coleman set off in front and, jumping fluently, strolled away in the straight to win the near two and a half miler by 16 lengths. Mr Dickinson will exact his revenge: I wonder if he might act retrospectively on Goshen’s mark?

A couple of the sport’s icons returned to action over the weekend. First Cyrname, reappearing after his King George blow-out and back on the scene of his earlier explosion of Altior’s unbeaten record, looked a much less formidable chaser than hitherto, already consigned to last of four in the attempt at a repeat in the Ascot Chase. Riders Onthe Storm also looked sure to be denied as long-absent Traffic Fluide loomed up dangerously.
His capsize, which was spectacular enough, did not carry anything like as much public concern as Cyrname’s and when the latter eventually rose, it was to a massive cheer of relief.

Even though Cyrname was a 4-11 shot, I didn’t fancy him one jot, unlike Nordano earlier. His defeat of Altior over a trip beyond anything previously attempted by the champ, would have taken a toll on both horses. While Nicky Henderson gave Altior until Newbury nine days ago for his comeback, Cyrname was asked to battle with stable-mate Clan Des Obeaux, again over a longer distance than he’d ever previously attempted.

I was told that Nicholls excused the defeat saying that Kempton was a stiff track, exactly contradicting anything he and many others including Nicky Henderson always say about it being “sharp”. The way Cyrname stopped almost to a walk in the King George could hardly have been encouragement for his winning a top-class race only five weeks later and so it proved, hopefully with no lasting after-effects.

A similar situation occurred two decades earlier when I was involved with the Thoroughbred Corporation whose Royal Anthem had just won the Group 1 Juddmonte International by eight lengths from a top-class field of 12. Just over three weeks later he went on to the Irish Champion Stakes, with the general in-house attitude: “He never had a race at York!” Winning a Group 1 race of that quality? Not much he did, and it showed with a 13-length fifth to Daylami at Leopardstown. Neither trainer, owner, US racing manager and UK manager were there. Just me, and it befell me on Dick Mulhall’s irate say-so from California to check with the racecourse vet whether he’d been got at! The answer was easy enough. He was knackered. It cost him Horse of the Year honours, too.

The second icon to appear this weekend was dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll, only fifth but far from disgraced in a  Boyne Hurdle run in appalling ground at Navan. He’d won the race the previous year as a 25-1 shot building up to the Cheltenham Cross-Country and second Aintree triumph. He’d run the previous November but this time after much-publicised training issues and even more public attempts to intimidate handicapper Martin Greenwood into handing him a penalty kick of a handicap mark for the hat-trick attempt, it’s now down to business.

Fifth place here in a very strong race, won by stable and owner-mate Cracking Smart at 16-1, was creditable, especially as Magic of Light, last year’s Grand National second and already a winner over both hurdles and fences this term, was last home. The fear for the Tiger Roll team, more than the weight itself, would be if this extreme wet weather should result in testing ground at Aintree. Then, I fear, something, probably a light-weight, will come along to deny the hat-trick attempt.

- TS

Monday Musings: May Debestyman Win (Soon)

/by

It hardly beholds me to criticise a fellow member of the media, but prompted by my friend Peter Ashmore, with whom I attended Kempton Park races on Saturday, and having reviewed the film of the finish of the Lanzarote Hurdle, I have to agree with him, writes Tony Stafford. After the horse we’d mutually dug out, Debestyman had jumped the second-last flight in front and was clearly going further away, there could have been little danger.

But then, edging left as they often do approaching the last flight in hurdle races there, unlike first time round when they cluster on the far side, Debestyman, an 8-1 shot carrying a little of Peter’s hard-earned made the first semblance of any mistake. He hit the flight and, jack-knifing to an extent that made it impossible for Micheal Nolan to stay aboard, the jockey duly went out the side door.

Meanwhile the nearest challenger, Notre Pari with Barry Geraghty in the J P McManus colours, also came down, in his case with an authentic heavy fall leaving Nicky Henderson, Geraghty’s more usual employer in the UK, to benefit for another of his major owners, Michael Buckley, with Burrows Edge, ridden by Nico de Boinville.

Sometimes Peter favours watching some of the “away” races in the small William Hill betting shop and returning there we both found it pretty galling to hear the winning punters coming up to the counter behind us saying: “He probably would have won anyway.”

Debestyman had three-mile form, so this 2m5f was in no way the limit to his stamina and such comments were as ridiculous as the average betting-shop punter from the 1970’s who used to stay all day and do his cash every afternoon. “No names!” The big firms must be wishing there were a few more of us (sorry, them) around never mind the public face of the “bet responsibly” rubric.

But returning to my point, Debestyman was edging slightly leftward and as horses clearly do have peripheral vision, he could hardly have missed the sight that confronted him immediately behind the obstacle. There, standing on a step ladder, was a photographer intent on the best shot. He got one. Peter was sure in the moment of his jumping, he must have been at least a little distracted, maybe even a shade frightened by the sight of a giant human within yards of him in mid-leap. Scrutiny of the film does not entirely rule out the possibility.

I’d love to see his shot. In the old days it would have been hawked around the Fleet Street picture desks – any unusual action like the completely unbalanced attitude of Debestyman at the time of the collision with the obstacle. At Kempton just at the side as you enter the track, they have a hurdle and a fence and they are both – even the smaller hurdle – very solid and big enough.

There were many more disadvantaged people after that incident than Peter and myself, for all it had turned a nice winning day for us into a small loss. But for owners The Plumpton Party and trainer Suzy Smith it was an unmitigated disaster.

She’s gone to one of the top tracks for a featured hurdle race on the back of a season where from 30 previous runs, she’d won two races. I saw the latest at first hand at Fakenham on New Year’s Day when Clondaw Bisto collected £5,490 for winning a handicap chase in good style.

Suzy, based on the old Lewes racecourse, has also won this season with Oscarsman, who earned £4,094 for his defeat of Bean in Trouble at local course Plumpton at the beginning of December.

She had gone to Tattersalls Cheltenham sale in May 2018, returning home with Irish point winner Debestyman for £28,500 and almost to the day of Saturday’s frustrating events, “did what it said on the tin” by winning a two and a half mile novice hurdle at Plumpton. A proper Plumpton Party indeed.

So then it was on to Kempton and a challenge for a big one. Before the day, a season’s endeavour had yielded a total of £21,061 in win and place earnings for the Smith stable. The owners collectively would have got around 65% of that; the trainer maybe enough to pay the diesel for a few trips to the races from her couple of grand share of the riches.

Saturday’s race was worth almost five thousand more alone at £26.5k and most annoyingly of all, as the Racing Post analysis glibly observed: “…he looked unlucky and the handicapper will take note, so this may have been an opportunity missed.”  That’s right, put him up 10lb and make sure he won’t win again. You have one good horse and opportunities are few and far between. Maybe this is a time for the handicapper to show some sympathy.

What I’d like to see is for the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association to identify the snapper concerned, confiscate his step ladder and offer Miss Smith and the owners an apology. Obviously nobody can tell whether the horse was distracted but there’s a fair chance he was.

It was interesting that Suzy Smith had a welcome winner at Fakenham on New Year’s Day, just before Waterproof, also the beneficiary of a last-flight exit, the fall of Bran when almost a length to the good.

Waterproof got a 127 rating which makes him a borderline possibility for the Boodles Handicap Hurdle (Fred Winter) but Shaun Keightley thinks we might need another win and say an extra 4lb to increase the chance of his making the cut.

It wasn’t the idea to brag about Ray Tooth’s Pour Moi gelding – not this week anyway! - but another nice one for the exiled sire, Wolf Prince, won again at Fairyhouse on Saturday and also has ‘our’ race in mind. It was simply to applaud the tiny but ultra-friendly Fakenham track, run so efficiently by David Hunter, for its excellent prize money.

Kempton’s card opened with what was in effect a Triumph Hurdle / Boodles warm-up and the first three finishers would all easily make the top half of the Boodles field. The winner Goa Lil (Twiston-Davies/ Munir, Souede); Lord Lamington (King/ Netherfield House Stud) and Fraser Island (Henderson/ Spence) will all be on at least 135, yet they were running for a scandalous £4,158. Waterproof, yet to show anything like their class, collected £5,198 for his four minutes around Norfolk.

Gary Moore had juvenile hurdle races on his mind after the Friday abandonment of Huntingdon, the course suffering a creeping flooding when the neighbouring streams suddenly encroached after it rained in mid-morning.

The loss of an obvious opportunity for his Triumph 7-1 joint-favourite Goshen was an irritation but nothing like his reaction to the news that the BHA would not re-schedule the race.

They argued a four-horse field was one factor while the availability of other options made it unnecessary. Gary seems set on a juvenile race at Ascot this Saturday when the penalty scales are only slightly different. At Huntingdon Goshen would have carried an 8lb penalty, whereas at Ascot it is 10lb. The Ascot race, Gary will have noted, is worth less than half the value of the abandoned Chatteris Fen Hurdle.

Interestingly, Moore, who was a frequent in-and-out visitor to our sometime perch in the little William Hill shop, looked thunderous most of the time. Maybe he was remembering that 12 months ago, he ran the similarly-penalised Beat The Judge in the same race and he was a well-beaten third behind two unpenalised rivals.

Beat The Judge, around 20lb inferior to Goshen on the Flat, has never won since, but remains rated around 140. Goshen is on 143 and I reckon on what I’ve seen of this highly-talented stayer he’d give Waterproof at least double the official amount between them and still kick him into touch.

My favourite moment from Saturday, apart from another fantastic performance from a Hughie Morrison bumper filly, Maridadi, a five-length victress at Wetherby, was further proof that three miles around Kempton takes some getting in soft ground.

In the handicap chase, On The Blind Side ran a brave race but was anchored by 11st12lb, still gallantly running on to pinch third on the line. The winner was Miss Millie Wonnacott, claiming 7lb on the Neil Mulholland bottom-weight Fingerontheswitch. Her allowance brought the 10-year-old’s weight down to 9st8lb and therefore he was receiving 32lb from Alan Spence’s horse. Up the straight there was only one horse running!

Sharp track isn’t it?

- TS