Tag Archive for: Haydock

Angel delight at Haydock for Beckett and Crouch

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Angel Bleu returned to the winner’s enclosure with victory in the Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes at Haydock.

Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old was a top-class juvenile but was winless last term in three starts.

He made his all-weather debut earlier in the year, finishing second to Berkshire Shadow in the Lady Wulfruna, and then headed to the Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud where he came home sixth over a mile.

At Listed level over seven furlongs at Haydock he was sent off at 3-1 under Hector Crouch and took up the lead in the final furlong.

He traded blows with Andrew Balding’s Holguin but rallied to succeed by a neck, with the stewards leaving the placings unaltered after an inquiry into possible interreference.

Crouch said: “He was very tough, that was probably a furlong short of his best here today.

“He’s won Group Ones at a mile, I was really pleased to get him back on track.

“He’s had a tough couple of years since his very busy and successful juvenile career, it’s a step back to where we know he can be.

“He’s a funny horse, he can take a bit of winding up sometimes. He needed that today, it was just nice to get him back in front.”

Of the inquiry involving the runner-up, Crouch added: “He had every chance for a solid furlong and just wasn’t good enough on the day.”

Angel Bleu after Vintage Stakes success at Goodwood in 2021
Angel Bleu after Vintage Stakes success at Goodwood in 2021 (John Walton/PA)

Creative Force made light work of the Pertemps Network Conditions Stakes for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle.

The chestnut was third on seasonal debut in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket and has a smart back catalogue of form with Group One successes to his name.

He has a particular liking for Ascot having won the Jersey Stakes and the Champions Sprint there, and is likely to be heading back to the Royal meeting come June.

At Haydock he was the 4-6 favourite and produced a pleasing run to cross the line three lengths ahead of his nearest rival.

Doyle said: “I’m really pleased with him. He’s a bonny horse and he’s been a real flag-bearer for us over the years. He usually comes to the fore when you need him and hopefully this is just a little stepping stone to better things.

“Obviously he does enjoy getting his toe in but he’s still effective on quicker ground and he should be in for a good campaign, he certainly hasn’t lost his enthusiasm over the years anyway.

“I was kind of looking at it and I thought it would be a bit tactical. There were no certain leaders in the race and he’s a pretty chilled out character. I didn’t think we’d be going that quick so I said to Charlie perhaps to let him pop out and prick his ears in front and I can go whenever.

“With the ground drying all the time and it being over six furlongs it’s probably his minimum trip nowadays.

“I thought he just got done for a bit of speed at Newmarket, they went really slow and dashed into the dip and kind of got in a bit of a tangle out the other side so I was keen to just let him balance up and go for home.

“He’s done plenty of winning at Ascot and did me a big favour in the Jersey Stakes a couple of years ago. When the rain comes for him it’s a big plus, so we’ll just have to see, but even on quick ground he runs his race.”

Black Poppy blossoms for Kerry Lee in Swinton Hurdle

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Kerry Lee’s Black Poppy defied a career-high mark to gallop to a tough success in the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.

The seven-year-old has posted two good runs this year, finishing third in a Newbury handicap and then winning a similar Cheltenham contest last time out, for which he went up 5lb.

But that proved no barrier to success, as under Adam Wedge the 10-1 chance fought hard on the run to the line, capitalising on a last-flight error from Teddy Blue to pull clear and prevail by a length and a quarter.

“He’s run a super race, going into it I was concerned it might all be a bit quick for him given Cheltenham and Haydock are nothing alike,” said Lee, whose runner picked up just short of £57,000 for first place.

“We decided that he was very well, the plan was actually to go novice chasing with him but there were no sensible novice chases around so we thought we’d have a go at this. He’s come up trumps and I thought it was a cracking ride from Adam.

“I’ll have to have a think about what to do with him now, I’ll talk to the lads!

“I was going to find a chase for him but now he’s run like that over hurdles, I’m sort of wondering why you’d want to.

“Until the tables turned for him at Cheltenham he had had a pretty miserable season and his owners have been very patient and very loyal, it’s great to be able to reward that.”

Wedge added: “It’s great for me to able to get the season off to a good start with a nice race like that.

“It’s panned out pretty well for me to be fair, he’s jumped the first couple a bit big.

“Kerry said he’s been schooling fences at home, once he’s got into his rhythm down the back he was very good, very quick. He’s got me into the race nicely.

“They were keen to be a bit handier on a flat course today and it’s all worked out very well.”

Sandy Lane option open for Commonwealth contender Cold Case

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Cold Case will be handed a Commonwealth Cup berth by Karl Burke after his scintillating victory at Ascot on Wednesday.

The three-year-old son of Showcasing took the Group Three British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes by a length and a half on his seasonal debut.

Clifford Lee’s mount was always to the fore in the six-furlong event and completed a hat-trick, having already landed two valuable prizes at Doncaster and Redcar at the back-end of last season.

Cold Case could now have a run in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock on May 26 – a race the Leyburn yard won last year with El Caballo – before his Group One engagement at Royal Ascot.

Burke said: “We were delighted with that. He is a lovely horse and hopefully we can get him to win at a higher grade as well and get him a stallion’s job with a bit of luck.

“He is a lovely stamp of a horse. I would imagine he will go for the Sandy Lane, then the Commonwealth. If for any reason he doesn’t make the Sandy Lane, he will go straight to the Commonwealth.

“Ascot is not an easy track to make all, but he’s a horse who will stay further and stay seven (furlongs), I think. Certainly he’ll get another 100 yards and he’s an exciting horse for the future.”

Varian looking at starting options for The Platinum Queen

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Roger Varian has identified races at York and Haydock as potential starting points for The Platinum Queen ahead of a crack at the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Cotai Glory filly was one of the stars of the 2022 Flat season when trained by Richard Fahey, justifying ambitious campaigning from previous owners Middleham Park Racing by picking up a silver medal in the Nunthorpe and plundering the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp in October.

She was sold to Katsumi Yoshida for 1.2million guineas at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale and she will now sport the colours previously worn in the UK by Flotus when she makes her first start for Varian, having also swapped the northern racing hotspot of Malton for Newmarket in the close season.

The Platinum Queen will be trained by Roger Varian this season
The Platinum Queen will be trained by Roger Varian this season (Mike Egerton/PA)

Her new trainer has nominated the five-furlong King’s Stand Stakes as the three-year-old’s Royal Ascot target and is considering either York’s Westow Stakes (May 18) or the Temple Stakes at Haydock (May 27) as options to first blow away the cobwebs.

“I think there’s the Listed race for three-year-olds at York or there’s the Temple Stakes and we would like to run her before Ascot,” said the Carlburg Stables handler.

“We would like to run her in the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot, but it would be nice to get a run into her beforehand and those would be the two options I think.”

Haydock hero Richmond Lake stakes Aintree claim

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Richmond Lake may have earned himself a place on Donald McCain’s squad for Aintree next month following a dominant front-running display at Haydock.

The seven-year-old carried the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings to a couple of victories over hurdles last season and was runner-up to the top-class Jonbon in a Grade Two at Haydock in January.

His chasing career got off to a fairly inauspicious start at Carlisle in the autumn, but he had since won at Wetherby and finished second at Ayr and he was a 5-2 shot for his return to Merseyside in the Bob ‘Few Scoops’ Kerslake’s 70th Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Theo Gillard, deputising for suspended champion jockey Brian Hughes, Richmond Lake was sent to the lead from the start of the two-and-a-half-mile contest – and while he showed a marked tendency to jump left, he was accurate enough at his obstacles to keep the pressure on the chasing pack.

Ned Tanner attempted to make a race of it in the straight, but McCain’s charge ultimately had far too many guns and was good value for the winning margin of four lengths.

“That is just him (jumping left). We went to Carlisle for his first run over fences and it was a bit of a horror show to be honest because he does go that way, but he is a talented horse,” said the Grand National-winning trainer.

“I know he went that way again today, but he jumped like a buck and picked up really well.

“He’s got an engine and it’ll be Aintree or Ayr for him now. We’ll get him home and see, but I would have thought it’ll be one or the other.”

Fourofakind provided fledgling trainer Harry Derham with the 10th winner of his debut season in the Haydock Park Welcomes Racing To School Maiden Hurdle.

Fourofakind with connections after winning at Haydock
Fourofakind with connections after winning at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Previously placed at Taunton and Newbury, the four-year-old was the 4-5 favourite to make it third time lucky on Merseyside and readily pulled 12 lengths clear of his rivals in the hands of Paul O’Brien.

Derham said: “I’m very pleased with how the season is going and I’m extremely pleased for this horse and the group of owners.

“There’s a few professional golfers in there, headed up by Ken Comboy, who is Graeme McDowell’s caddy. I met him at a Pro-Am 10 years ago, we’ve kept him in touch, he said he’d support me when I set up and he did.

“I’m going to take this horse to Ascot on April 2 now if I can. There’s a juvenile handicap hurdle worth a few quid and I feel like a competitive handicap can improve him a bit.”

The Molson Coors Juvenile Hurdle ended up being a match, with Alan King’s Tuddenham Green (evens) readily accounting for the Venetia Williams-trained Jolly Nellerie (4-5 favourite).

Winning jockey Daryl Jacob said: “He’s not a horse for making the running really and he just had a look at the first because of the nature of the race.

“We didn’t know how good Venetia’s horse was, but our horse is a nice stayer and I thought he was good over the last four hurdles.”

Dan Skelton and conditional jockey Tristan Durrell combined to land the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle with 13-2 chance Alnadam.

Rated as high as 145 over fences at his peak, the 10-year-old made the most of a more lenient hurdles mark of 121 with a two-and-three-quarter-length success over the well-backed Hasty Brook.

Skelton’s assistant, Tom Messenger, said of the winner: “He had a bad fall last season at Perth and took a while to get going this season.

“We’ve gone back over hurdles and he ran much better last time and has done better again. He’s taken a bit of rebuilding this season and it’s nice to see it pay off. He’ll stick over hurdles.”

Equus Dreamer (6-1) galloped his rivals into submission in the Tim Molony Handicap Chase, making much of the running under David Bass and saving just enough to see off 13-8 favourite Your Own Story by half a length.

Equus Dreamer won the three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase
Equus Dreamer won the three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Kim Bailey’s assistant, Mat Nicholls, said: “He’s never run over three and a half miles before and we said to David ‘make sure he gets the trip’. He was obviously confident!

“He’s always raced behind the bridle and when the second horse came to him, you just suspected he had something up his sleeve.

“He jumps really well and ought to improve, but he does want soft ground.”

Bailey and Bass doubled up with the visored Broomfield Present (8-1) in the Old Boston Handicap Hurdle, while the concluding Haydock Park Racecourse Handicap Chase went the way of Grey Diamond (100-30).

Bristol De Mai heading for honourable retirement

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Time has been called on the glittering career of hugely-popular chaser Bristol De Mai following his run at Haydock on Saturday.

Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained grey was victorious six times at his beloved Merseyside venue, including a hat-trick of victories in the Betfair Chase between 2017 and 2020.

Bristol De Mai also won the 2016 Altcar Novices’ Chase, the 2017 Peter Marsh Chase and last year’s Grand National Trial at Haydock, but finished well beaten when bidding for back-to-back wins in the latter contest at the weekend.

Connections now feel the time has come to give him an honourable retirement.

Munir wrote on Twitter: “Team Double Green are announcing the retirement of Bristol De Mai.

“It has been a privilege to own him. Bristol has been a legend and retires 100% sound & happy. Our thanks to Nigel, Sparky (Richard Bevis), Daryl (Jacob) & all at Grange Farm.

“It has been a wonderful journey that he has taken us all on!”

It is nine years since Bristol De Mai was bought out of Guillaume Macaire’s yard in the France and he made an immediate impact by providing Munir and Souede with their first Grade One success in the 2014 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.

In all he won 12 times, with his big-race haul also including the 2016 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown and the 2017 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

The 12-year-old amassed over £900,000 in prize-money and while his owners are enjoying an excellent season, with Blue Lord and El Fabiolo both winning Grade Ones and heading to next month’s Cheltenham Festival as leading contenders, Bristol De Mai will undoubtedly always have a special place in their hearts.

Bristol De Mai on the gallops
Bristol De Mai on the gallops (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The aforementioned Jacob was a masterful partner of Bristol De Mai, being in the saddle for nine of his 12 victories – including the three Betfair Chases.

He told sportinglife.com: “What a legend of a horse Bristol has been and he’s been a pleasure to ride.

“I’ve enjoyed so many good days on him and some special days with my family too – the kids have grown to love him over the years so he’ll always be remembered fondly.

“His best performance was probably his second Betfair Chase, when he got the better of Native River, Thistlecrack, Clan Des Obeaux and Might Bite.

“The third Betfair gave me a huge amount of pleasure, but in terms of actual performance it was that second win, beating Gold Cup winners.”

Makin’yourmindup holds on for Prestige prize

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Jockey Lorcan Williams is confident the future is bright for Makin’yourmindup after continuing his progression with victory in the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

A £60,000 purchase from the Irish point-to-point field, the son Kayf Tara won successive novice hurdles at Chepstow earlier this season before being beaten at odds-on at Kempton last month.

The six-year-old was a 17-2 chance stepping up to Grade Two level and displayed plenty of tenacity to go with his undoubted talent to win a pulsating duel with Collectors Item by a short head.

Makin’yourmindup – providing trainer Paul Nicholls with a four-timer on the day after a treble at Wincanton – does not hold an entry in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham Festival next month, but his rider is in no doubt that there is plenty for his connections to look forward to in due course.

“The team is in great form, things are going well and this is a lovely horse – I’ve always thought a lot of him,” said Williams.

“I rode him in his first novice hurdle at Wincanton last season (finished second) and as you can see he’s a big horse who just needed a bit of time to grow into himself.

“I had the pleasure of riding him again at Chepstow and you could see how much he’s developed. After I rode him the last day, I said we should go for a Listed or Graded race.

“He should probably go chasing next year as he jumps his hurdles too well if anything, but today he was tough and galloped all the way to the line.

“Three miles is obviously his trip and his future has got to be over the big fences. There’s no need to say how good Paul is with a three-mile chaser and fingers crossed he is going to be a lovely chaser for the future.”

Quick Wave prevails in National Trial thriller

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Quick Wave strengthened her Aintree claims with victory in a thrilling renewal of the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock.

The Venetia Williams-trained mare was one of only four runners in the 14-strong field with an entry in the Randox Grand National and her odds for the world’s most famous steeplechase were unsurprisingly slashed following a tenacious display on Merseyside.

Quick Wave lined up with questions to answer after being pulled up when favourite for the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in December and was an 18-1 shot in the hands of Harry Bannister.

Her stablemate Cloudy Glen, who also holds an Aintree engagement and was making his first appearance in over a year, raced with zest on the front end for much of the three-and-a-half-mile journey, while Bannister was more patient aboard his mount.

With Cloudy Glen beginning to feel effects of his early exertions, it turned into a straight shootout from halfway up the straight, with popular mare Snow Leopardess and Quick Wave going at it.

There was little to choose between the pair jumping the final fence and both gave it their all, but it was Quick Wave who just found most for pressure to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Betfred cut the winner to 25-1 from 50s for the Grand National, while Paddy Power offer 33-1 ahead of the publication of the weights on Tuesday.

Bannister, riding his first winner since returning from a serious hip injury, said: “I can’t take too much credit, she’s a lovely mare. Credit to Venetia and the team who had her spot-on today.

“Venetia is an exceptional trainer and it means a lot to get this winner back. It’s been a long road and there’s lots of people to thank.

“I probably ended up a bit closer to the inner than I would have liked, but we saved what we could, she’s jumped really well and travels so strongly and stays well.

“She showed her staying credentials and she appreciated being back on this better ground after the Welsh National.”

Charlie Longsdon was delighted with the performance of runner-up Snow Leopardess, who will not run in this year’s Grand National after pulling up in the race last season, but she is set for an appearance at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

Snow Leopardess in action at Cheltenham
Snow Leopardess in action at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

“She’s run an absolute cracker to be honest. It’s great to get her back on the form we want her to be in and there’s no disgrace in finishing second,” he said.

“We’re gutted not to win of course, but that’s neither here nor there and that will hopefully set her up nicely for the cross-country next month.

“She gets her 7lb claim (at Cheltenham) and I’m hopeful we can sneak into the place there. She’s been a superstar mare for us and I can’t ask any more from her.”

Wakool hits new heights with Rendlesham glory

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Gallant grey Wakool admirably stuck to his guns to claim top honours in the Betfred Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock.

The seven-year-old had previously won six times for Scottish trainer Nick Alexander, steadily climbing the handicap ladder ahead of this Grade Two assignment.

Turning out less than a fortnight after finishing fourth at Musselburgh, Wakool was on and off the bridle at various stages of the extended three-mile contest and rounding the home turn looked booked for minor honours at best, with the strong-travelling Itchy Feet looking the most likely winner.

But Conor O’Farrell never gave up aboard the Alexander runner and his stamina kicked in late on, seeing him get up to beat Itchy Feet by a length and three-quarters, with possible Grand National contender Ashtown Lad best of the rest in third.

“He’s been a tremendous horse and he’s just kept progressing since his juvenile days and now he’s won a Grade Two race, so I’m thrilled,” said Alexander.

“He won his first race at Doncaster three years ago over two miles and that was his first handicap, so he’s moved up the ranks really nicely.

“I just thought he was never travelling to be honest with you. He had a run 13 days ago and had a hard race and this looked as though it had come too soon for him before the turn for home – when he suddenly came back on the bridle.”

Betfair cut Wakool to 16-1 from 33-1 for the Pertemps Final at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, but he appears unlikely to be in action at Prestbury Park.

Alexander added: “He’d be qualified for it, but I don’t think we’ll go. I’ll speak to the owners but now he’s won a Grade Two, we’ll try to find another Graded race for him

“It’s quite often that this race isn’t the deepest, perhaps because it’s so close to Cheltenham, so it’s been on my mind for a while and I’m delighted it worked.”

Bo Zenith cut for Triumph after Haydock strike

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Exciting French recruit Bo Zenith put a disappointing British debut behind him with a clear-cut victory in the Betfred Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle at Haydock.

The Zarak gelding was a winner at Auteuil on his racecourse introduction last spring and the form could hardly have worked out better, with the runner-up Blood Destiny now a leading contender for the Triumph Hurdle for Willie Mullins and the third-placed David Du Berlais since winning in Listed company.

On the strength of that performance Bo Zenith was a 4-11 favourite on his first start for Gary Moore at Sandown last month, but odds-on backers had their fingers burnt as he trailed home a well beaten third of four runners.

Despite that disappointment, the four-year-old once again headed the market on Merseyside at 9-4 as he aimed to provide Moore and owner Olly Harris with back-to-back Victor Ludorum victories following the success of Porticello 12 months ago.

And while he was under pressure early in the straight, Bo Zenith responded to Tom Cannon’s urgings to grab the lead and galloped clear on the run-in to score by three and a half lengths.

Porticello went on to finish sixth in the Triumph Hurdle following last year’s win and Betfair cut Bo Zenith to 16-1 from 33-1 for the juvenile championship.

Moore said: “He was so disappointing at Sandown. I thought I’d found the worst race I could possibly have found and I couldn’t believe he got beat.

“I’d hate to think he wasn’t fit enough. Maybe he just hadn’t quite come to himself and maybe the heavy ground at Sandown didn’t suit him as much as I thought it would.

“I’ve only listened to the race today on the radio and I haven’t spoken to Tom (Cannon) yet, so I wouldn’t want to comment on his performance too much, but it’s nice he’s gone and won.

“I’ll speak to the owners and make a plan from there.”

Johnson’s Blue (17-2) notched his seventh win in the past 12 months in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Mark Walford’s charge was rated just 87 when his winning spree began at Hexham in March and had to compete from a more lofty perch of 123 at Haydock.

But the six-year-old proved the handicapper has not caught up with him just yet with a tenacious display from the front end, seeing off 4-1 favourite The Changing Man by a length and a half.

“He’s a real trier, he’s genuine and he jumps. My plan wasn’t really to make the running today, but he was jumping and going forward and enjoying it, so I didn’t want to disappoint him,” said winning jockey Jamie Hamilton.

“The last furlong and a half it felt like the line was never coming, but he really stuck it out.”

Super Six in action at Hereford
Super Six in action at Hereford (David Davies/PA)

Nigel Twiston-Davies and Jordan Nailor combined to win the Betfred Play Fred’s 5 Million Handicap Chase, with 9-2 shot Super Six drawing 15 lengths clear of his rivals.

Nailor, partnering his first winner since riding out his claim, said: “I’m very grateful that Nigel is still giving me support and nice horses to ride. We’ll keep trying to go forward.

“We settled lovely and he jumped fantastic – I can’t fault him at all.”

The Famous Clermont team at Haydock
The Famous Clermont team at Haydock (PA)

Famous Clermont (4-5 favourite) could be Cheltenham bound following an easy 18-length verdict in the Betfred Steve Hope Walrus Open Hunters’ Chase for trainer Chris Barber and jockey Will Biddick.

Barber said: “That was impressive. The engine is there and now we’re sort of unlocking where we want to go.

“Potentially Cheltenham, we will have to have a chat with the team but Cheltenham is on the cards.

“Will is very keen to try to get him to Aintree maybe, but options are open and after a performance like that, you need to take stock. He’s a proper horse and I’m lucky to have him.”