Tag Archive for: Missed The Cut

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.”