Tag Archive for: Ian Hamilton

Maximilian promises plenty in the long term with Doncaster triumph

/in /by

Graded winners are a little rarer these days for Donald McCain since the glory years of Peddlers Cross and Overturn, so he was cherishing the success of Maximilian in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

Having lost his unbeaten record at Sandown last time out, McCain gave the seven-year-old a wind operation but openly admitted he thought it was going to be a big ask for his charge a long way from home on Town Moor.

Champion jockey Brian Hughes is that for a reason, though, and nursed the 13-2 chance into contention approaching the second-last in the Grade Two affair.

Hurricane Bay and Stay Away Fay were tough competition, but Maximilian stuck gamely to his task and prevailed by a length.

He was roared back into the paddock by scores of members of his Owners Group syndicate, a group who have supported McCain well.

McCain is not struck on a Cheltenham bid, however, and Aintree seems more likely.

“I nearly walked away with a circuit to run. He’s got that in him, he can switch off,” said McCain.

“He’s one of those staying hurdlers who races off the bridle and saves plenty for himself.

“If he’d gone clear he’d have probably pulled up, like those good staying hurdlers when he hits the front he thinks he’s done enough.”

Maximilian and jockey Brian Hughes with winning owners
Maximilian and jockey Brian Hughes with winning owners (Ricard Sellers/PA)

He went on: “He hated the ground at Sandown, he wasn’t right afterwards but he was still third in a Grade Two, we’ve always had a lot of faith in him but he’ll never be flash.

“We’ll go for a big novice, but I’m not a massive Cheltenham fan. He’s a long-term horse and I’ve not got hundreds of these. Aintree would be first choice, I think.

“He jumps like he’ll jump a fence, but I just wonder if he’s one of those real staying hurdlers.

“The Owners Group are great, I’m lucky to have a few for them. It’s the same wherever they run. It just works.”

Tommy’s Oscar with Ann and Ian Hamilton
Tommy’s Oscar with Ann and Ian Hamilton (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Tommy’s Oscar stamped his class on the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase with a smooth performance.

A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was just below the very best last season but promised to take high rank over fences.

A win at Carlisle and a second in a hot event at Cheltenham to Banbridge offered plenty of encouragement on that front, but reverting to hurdles for the Fighting Fifth did not quite work out.

Due to a lack of opportunities he was in a limited handicap at Newcastle most recently, conceding lumps of weight to Since Day One, who took him on at levels on this occasion and the tables were well and truly turned.

Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last
Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Harry Fry’s favourite Boothill loomed to the front early in the straight but Danny McMenamin was full on confidence on Tommy’s Oscar (7-4) and came between horses pulling double.

Two good leaps at the last two fences sealed the deal by five and a half lengths for Ann and Ian Hamilton’s star.

“He wants better ground and a flat track. He wasn’t giving away loads of weight today, either,” said Ian Hamilton.

“He tends to jump right, but didn’t do that until the last today when he was in the clear.

“I don’t know what we do now, we may have to wait until Aintree. He’s not a Cheltenham horse. There’s nothing I can see that we can run him in, it’s been the case all season which was why he ran at Newcastle giving all that weight.

“Ann and I are getting on, we don’t want to be travelling with him to the other end of the country.

“We haven’t had a great season, our horses are badly handicapped, but this lad is good.”

Tommy’s Oscar delight for Ann and Ian Hamilton at Doncaster

/in /by

Tommy’s Oscar stamped his class on the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster with a smooth performance.

A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was just below the very best last season but promised to take high rank over fences.

A win at Carlisle and a second in a hot event at Cheltenham to Banbridge offered plenty of encouragement on that front, but reverting to hurdles for the Fighting Fifth did not quite work out.

Due to a lack of opportunities he was in a limited handicap at Newcastle most recently, conceding lumps of weight to Since Day One, who took him on at levels on this occasion and the tables were well and truly turned.

Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last
Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Harry Fry’s favourite Boothill loomed to the front early in the straight but Danny McMenamin was full on confidence on Tommy’s Oscar (7-4) and came between horses pulling double.

Two good leaps at the last two fences sealed the deal by five and a half lengths for Ann and Ian Hamilton’s star.

“He wants better ground and a flat track. He wasn’t giving away loads of weight today, either,” said Ian Hamilton.

“He tends to jump right, but didn’t do that until the last today when he was in the clear.

“I don’t know what we do now, we may have to wait until Aintree. He’s not a Cheltenham horse. There’s nothing I can see that we can run him in, it’s been the case all season which was why he ran at Newcastle giving all that weight.

“Ann and I are getting on, we don’t want to be travelling with him to the other end of the country.

“We haven’t had a great season, our horses are badly handicapped, but this lad is good.”

Tommy’s Oscar skips Haydock with Doncaster on agenda

/in /by

Connections of the versatile Tommy’s Oscar have decided to bypass a defence of his New One Unibet Hurdle title at Haydock on Saturday, but he could head to Doncaster next weekend for the Watch Off The Fence On attheraces.com Lightning Novices’ Chase

However, trainer Ann Hamilton and her husband Ian have decided to rule out the Cheltenham Festival.

The eight-year-old has won eight of his 15 starts over hurdles and has won one and been runner-up in two of his three starts over fences.

Tommy’s Oscar has shown plenty of aptitude for chasing, despite being held by Banbridge in a Grade Two at Cheltenham in November, and narrowly failing to concede weight to Since Day One on his last outing at Newcastle.

In between those outings, he was back over hurdles, though no match for Constitution Hill when last of five in the Fighting Fifth at his local track.

The Hamiltons, who also own Tommy’s Oscar, have ruled out a crack at the Arkle, however.

Ian Hamilton said: “We are not going to Cheltenham, no way. If we were going anywhere, we’d go Aintree on a flatter track. The undulating track at Cheltenham wouldn’t suit him and it is going to be a hot Arkle.

“I just think Aintree would suit him better. He’s in fine fettle now, but we’re definitely not going to the Arkle.”

Tommy’s Oscar won three handicap hurdles last winter before completing a four-timer in the Grade Two at Haydock.

With a cold snap forecast this week and the possibility of jumps racing facing another hiatus, Hamilton will enter Tommy’s Oscar over fences, with the Lightning Novices’ Chase on the agenda.

Hamilton added: “We are not sure if it is the right thing to do, but we will stay chasing with him and while we looked at the Haydock race, we decided we will go chasing at Doncaster next week for that £50,000 race.

“He has to go where he has the best chance of picking up some prize money.”

Hamilton, a farmer by trade, feels Tommy’s Oscar is more likely to race nearer to their Northumberland yard in future, and added: “There would be more opportunities for Tommy if we travelled south all the time, but it is just a hassle to get down south for us. We are farmers and we have plenty of jobs to do here and there is the issue of getting staff as well.

“The travelling takes a lot out of them, too. There are not many big prizes up north. Doncaster, Haydock and Aintree are not too bad, but that’s about all.”