Tag Archive for: Remarquee

Remarquee bidding to uphold family honour for Richmond-Watson

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Julian Richmond-Watson provided Ralph Beckett with the first Classic winner of his career when Look Here won the Oaks in 2008 and now 15 years on, trainer and owner will combine once more when Remarquee lines-up in the Qipco 1000 Guineas.

The daughter of Kingman impressed on her debut at Salisbury as a two-year-old and was a springer in the market for the Newmarket Classic prior to running at Newbury on her reappearance.

That support was justified in style as she accounted for a talented cast of fillies in the Fred Darling and she now heads to the Rowley Mile looking to provide both Beckett and Richmond-Watson with a first Guineas of either description.

“It’s very exciting to have a filly as good as this,” said the owner, who also bred Remarquee at his Northamptonshire-based Lawn Stud.

“I’ve obviously had a couple of nice fillies before and a couple of very good colts, but never one running over a mile.

“I’ve been with Ralph since he started, we get on very well and we’ve enjoyed great success together. It’s very exciting and lets hope she runs well.”

The last of Richmond-Watson’s string to begin her career by beating the colts at Salisbury was Look Here in October 2007, a relative of Remarquee, and he is hoping that proves a good omen following her strong start at the Wiltshire track last autumn.

Remarquee before winning the Fred Darling at Newbury
Remarquee before winning the Fred Darling at Newbury (PA)

“Once she won at Salisbury (beating the Juddmonte-owned Bresson) we were always very hopeful she was well above average,” continued Richmond-Watson.

“The last time I had a two-year-old filly winning a Salisbury maiden and beating a colt was Look Here. And interestingly enough she beat a Juddmonte horse (Doctor Fremantle) as well, so that was all rather auspicious I would say, so lets keep our fingers crossed.”

Although hoping the stars will align once again in Sunday’s Classic, Richmond-Watson – who currently serves as Chairman of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association – says there will be no nerves in the build-up to the big race and simply hopes his filly can do herself credit on the big stage.

“Luckily I don’t get too nervous,” he added. “If you live with them and breed them from our small stud you get used to it. It’s mostly disappointments, so it is also exciting when a good one comes along, but I don’t get too nervous anymore.

“Good fillies are the lifeblood of our industry and if you get a good filly you bring them home and hopefully breed another one.”

Lezoo and Juliet Sierra set to enhance Beckett’s Guineas bid

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Saturday’s Newbury heroine Remarquee is set to be joined by stablemates Lezoo and Juliet Sierra in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket next month.

Successful in a Salisbury novice event on her sole start at two, Remarquee confirmed herself a major contender for the first fillies’ Classic of the season with an impressive comeback victory in the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Stakes – better known as the Fred Darling.

And while trainer Ralph Beckett is looking forward to seeing the daughter of Kingman line up on the Rowley Mile, he also feels it would be dangerous to overlook two other fillies trained at Kimpton Down Stables who will also line up at Newmarket in a fortnight’s time.

Winning connections with Remarquee
Winning connections with Remarquee (PA)

“We’ve still got five in it (1000 Guineas). Bluestocking won’t run, she’ll go for an Oaks trial, but Juliet Sierra will go straight for the Guineas and Lezoo will go straight there as well. Lose Yourself won’t as she’s not quite ready,” Beckett told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme.

Lezoo is set for a step up in trip after striking Group One gold over six furlongs in last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Her stablemate Juliet Sierra, previously successful in the Dick Poole at Salisbury, could finish only fifth in the Cheveley Park, but Beckett feels she is overpriced for the Guineas.

He added: “It’s a leap of faith on pedigree whether Lezoo will get a mile, but she’s a very relaxed filly, does nothing at home and she loves the Rowley Mile. It’s a shot to nothing. If she doesn’t stay, we’ll just go back sprinting.

“I never felt Juliet Sierra was a six-furlong filly – I always felt she won the Dick Poole against the curve in that sense.

“She was quite a free-running filly and we were always trying to get her to settle, which is why I didn’t step her up in trip, and I felt she got a bit lost two down in the Cheveley Park and then galloped out really well.

“I think she’s a big price for the Guineas at 50-1.”

While hopeful for his two bigger-priced runners, Remarquee has undoubtedly established herself as the trainer’s chief contender for Guineas glory, with Beckett anticipating further improvement.

He said: “I think she’ll have learnt a lot yesterday and I’ll probably put a sheepskin noseband on her next time, just to help her rider out.”

Remarquee makes all the right moves in Fred Darling

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Ralph Beckett once again looks to have found a classy filly as Remarquee booked her ticket to the 1000 Guineas with a taking success in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury.

The Classic takes place in just over two weeks and Beckett will no doubt have left plenty to work on, which bodes especially well for her supporters having watched her take the trial better known as the Fred Darling.

Dropped out in the rear by Rob Hornby, the once-raced daughter of Kingman – from the family of Beckett’s Oaks winner Look Here – had plenty going on in front of her as Cheveley Park fourth Swingalong showed them all a clean pair of heels.

It was Hugo Palmer’s Stenton Glider who first broke rank to come out of the pack to chase, but Hornby could be spotted picking his way through stealthily.

Despite carrying her head high Remarquee (7-2) displayed a smart turn of foot to glide by Magical Sunset, with Hornby only needing hands and heels to ride her out for a neck success.

Paddy Power, Betfair and Coral were all impressed and cut the winner to 6-1 for Newmarket.

Beckett – winning the race for the fifth time – said: “It’s great – everything I’d hoped for and more. She was green and running away and Rob dropped his stick by the time she was running away from the crowd.

Remarquee with groom Charlotte White
Remarquee with groom Charlotte White (PA)

“Richard Hannon’s filly (Magical Sunset) leant on her a bit, so she had Kevin’s (Stott’s) stick in her face there for a couple of strides.

“She doesn’t know very much, but she will know more after today and we will certainly go to Newmarket.

“Her mother wanted fast ground and maybe she handles this ground, but I don’t see fast ground being a problem.

“I think she is very good and she has got to go there on the back of that.”

Remarquee looks very smart
Remarquee looks very smart (PA)

Hornby said: “She seems a good mover and she has a high head carriage, which is a bit like Kingman. They tend to be a bit like that, but it doesn’t stop her – she was still running true all the way to the line. It is probably what she finds comfortable.

“She will definitely stay further and while you don’t know until you’ve tried it, I’m sure she will act well on the course at Newmarket. This time of year is exciting, because at this time of year you are running horses in trials and even if they run well, you can still have hopes. So to go and win one like that is very exciting.

“She is a Classic filly. She is not short of speed and I think a mile will be right for her.”