Tag Archive for: Thady Gosden

Theoryofeverything options to be considered after Greenham effort

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Connections of Theoryofeverything will wait before deciding whether he will be handed the chance to run in another Classic trial following his effort in the Greenham at Newbury on Saturday.

A son of Frankel, the Prince Faisal-owned colt looked well above average when making light work of his 12 rivals in a seven-furlong Doncaster novice on his racecourse debut earlier this month.

Having powered to six-length victory over Godolphin’s Striking Star, he was handed a berth in the Greenham, and in very soft ground finished eight and a half lengths third to Isaac Shelby in the Group Three contest.

Thady Gosden, who trains in partnership with his father, John, said: “It was very specialist ground and the winner looked very smart.

“This was only the second run of his life and he was up against some more serious horses. He ran a pleasing race, all things considered.

“He’s fine. He is in the Dante, but we will see how he comes out of the race before making any decisions.”

Classic contender Epictetus goes on trial at Epsom

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Epictetus bids to stamp himself as a live Derby prospect when he tackles five opponents in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Kingman colt was last seen chasing home Classic favourite Auguste Rodin in the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October.

Though beaten three and a half lengths on heavy ground over the mile trip, Thady Gosden feels both the step up to 10 furlongs and better ground on the Downs will play to his strengths.

“He ran well to be second in the Vertem Futurity at the back end of last year,” he said of the George Strawbridge-owned colt, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

“Obviously, he is a well-bred colt and I don’t think the step up to a mile and two (furlongs) should be a problem for him.

“He won his maiden on the July course at Newmarket nicely and then was a little unlucky not to win the Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile, when he was beaten a neck (to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Silver Knott), and the deep ground was not in his favour at Doncaster.

“While Epsom is a totally different track to Doncaster, he is a well-balanced colt.

“He has been pleasing at home, but obviously this is his first run of the year, so he will come on for it.”

Jeff Smith’s famous purple silks will be carried by Oisin Murphy aboard Stormbuster, who beat Godolphin’s Highbank by five lengths at Newbury, before racing alone and finishing last of eight in the Futurity.

Trainer Andrew Balding was not about to make any excuses for the Dubawi colt’s surprising reverse.

He said: “I don’t know whether it was the ground. It was a funny race. We were over the far side racing on our own and obviously it was a disappointing run and he was beaten a long way.

“He has got to step up on that to get back to his best, but he is a horse we have always liked and the extra distance should be to his liking, hopefully.

“He’s been working nicely and looks a nice horse for the year. Obviously, the horse that was second that day (Epictetus), looks potentially a very smart horse, so sets a high level to aim at, but we are fit and well, and hopefully he’ll run well.

“He ran well at Newbury previously and he’s an able horse. If you can forget the last run, we’d be hoping he’d go close.

“He seems well balanced. You never know how he will handle the track until you try.”

Intricacy, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, was declared a non-runner on Tuesday morning on account of the testing ground.

Laurel headlines high-class Kempton treble for Gosdens

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Laurel underlined her Classic potential with an authoritative success in the Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes, completing an Easter Monday Kempton treble for co-trainers John and Thady Gosden.

The daughter of Kingman had looked the part when making a winning debut at Newmarket in July.

She followed up in a mile novice at Kempton and was only beaten three-quarters of a length by Fonteyn when trying Group One company in the Sun Chariot on the Rowley Mile.

Having her first start since that October reverse, and partnered by Ryan Moore for the first time, she easily put her eight rivals to the sword in the Racing TV-sponsored Listed contest.

Though the early pace was pedestrian, Moore sat just on the withers of early pace-setter Abhayaa, before gradually winding the Juddmonte-owned filly up.

Having asked her for a response, she quickly lengthened with a furlong and a half to run and strode clear with ease under hands and heels for a three-and-a-half-length success from the staying-on Lightship, who was rated 29lb inferior on official ratings.

Laurel was cut to 5-1 (from 6-1) by Betfair for the Lockinge at Newbury and 7-1 (from 8s) for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Thady Gosden said: “It was her first run of the year and she ran a little fresh early, but she did it nicely.

Laurel pictured on her debut at Newmarket
Laurel pictured on her debut at Newmarket (Adam Morgan/PA)

“It was all very uncomplicated and she picked up well in the straight and went through the gears nicely.

“Obviously from stall nine you have to either be positive or accepting from the back, so Ryan went forward on her and she picked up well.

“She is a talented filly, as she has shown, and she is improving. We just have to find the right spot for her now. There are fillies’ races we can go for over a mile or a mile and one, then there are the open races. We’ll have to see.”

Gosden senior was quick to pay tribute to not only the ability of Moore, but also his post-race insight.

He said: “Not only is he probably the greatest international jockey, but he is also the greatest adviser after a race. What he tells me after a race is worth a great deal. He guides you well and he made a lot of sense there.

“Ryan was very happy with her and he likes her a lot. The filly was very immature as a two-year-old and then she has come through.

“Her immaturity probably cost her the Sun Chariot and I think not knowing much about it as well as she hit the front and wandered about a bit. She is learning all the time.

The Duke of Cambridge (at Royal Ascot) is an obvious target,

“She is a lovely filly. She didn’t do a lot last season. She won a novice and then won here and was second in a Group One. She is very much an improving filly. Her mother has not had a lot of luck as a broodmare, but this filly has turned it around.

An outing in Group Two company appears to be next up for Laurel with Gosden senior earmarking either the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket on May 7th or the Ridgewood Pearl Stakes at the Curragh as potential options ahead of an engagement at Royal Ascot.

Gosden added: “Ryan has given me two options so I’ll be scratching my head, but I’m clear with what I’m doing with the first one.

“The Duke of Cambridge (at Royal Ascot) is an obvious target, but talking to Ryan it is what we do between then and now.

“If it was fast ground at Newmarket (for the Dahlia Stakes) he was steering me elsewhere which is very good advice. They are on them, they feel and they know them.

“Thady has mentioned a race in Ireland (Ridgewood Pearl Stakes) so that is a possibility. He has been reading the book and I haven’t so he is ahead of me on that. He is always race planning well ahead of me.”

Coronation Cup comeback an option for Emily Upjohn

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Epsom’s Coronation Cup has been highlighted as a potential starting point for Emily Upjohn.

Narrowly denied when sent off the 6-4 favourite for the Oaks at the Surrey venue last year, the daughter of Sea The Stars then blotted her copy book in the King George at Ascot before returning to Berkshire following an 84-day break to put the record straight on British Champions Day in the Fillies & Mares Stakes.

With the decision to stay in training at four made after that taking three-length success, Emily Upjohn was pointed towards a trip to Meydan for the Dubai Sheema Classic in the early part of 2023.

Emily Upjohn, here ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori when narrowly denied in the 2022 Cazoo Oaks
Emily Upjohn, here ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori (red silks) when narrowly denied in the 2022 Cazoo Oaks (John Walton/PA)

However, having not come to hand as quickly as liked, she missed the opportunity to test her mettle against Japanese superstar Equinox and could now return to Epsom on Oaks Day looking to right last year’s wrong.

“She ran a huge race in the Oaks when just beaten there and had a nice swansong (at Ascot) at the end of last year,” said Thady Gosden – who trains in partnership with his father John – on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday.

“She was heading towards Dubai but with the cold weather in the spring, it didn’t quite work out. Obviously she would have been taking on Equinox which would have been an interesting one.

“The Coronation Cup would be a nice early one to start with if she’s ready in time, but we’ll see how she is and she’ll tell us.”

Another star filly from the Gosden string staying in training at four is Inspiral, who could head to Newbury on May 20 for the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, with all the top mile races on her radar this term.

Inspiral ridden by Frankie Dettori on their way to winning the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot
Inspiral ridden by Frankie Dettori on their way to winning the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“She’s wintered well and is in good order, enjoying her training and looks great,” continued Gosden.

“She is obviously a top-class miler and all these mile races will be the ones for her.

“She is certainly an independently-minded filly. She has plenty of character but is exceptionally talented.”

A return to Royal Ascot could be on the cards for recent World Cup night winner Lord North.

The seven-year-old won the Dubai Turf for the third year in a row last month and could now bid to repeat his Prince of Wales’s Stakes success of 2020 when running on home soil this summer.

Gosden continued: “He had a slightly curtailed one last year and it was fantastic to get him back for the Dubai Turf – it was a good team effort there.

“He won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes two years ago and he is a horse you could look towards that with.”

The young handler also identified Arrest as the horse most likely to provide the Clarehaven operation with Classic success in 2023.

He added: “He was proven at Group One level last year when just beaten at Saint-Cloud. He is a talented horse and always looked like a three-year-old. He has plenty of size, scope and class about him.

“He will start off in a trial and we will go from there. Possibly Sandown, but we will see how he is.”

Lord North leading Gosden team on glittering World Cup night card

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Thady Gosden is under no illusions about the task facing Lord North in his bid for a Dubai Turf hat-trick at Meydan on Saturday.

The seven-year-old was a clear-cut winner of the nine-furlong Group One in 2021 and last year dead-heated with subsequent Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa after a thrilling duel.

The Dubai World Cup-bound Panthalassa will not be in opposition this weekend, but Lord North will nevertheless face a strong Japanese challenge, with Do Deuce and Serifos both formidable rivals.

Gosden, who trains in partnership with his father John, got the chance to cast his eye over Lord North on the Meydan training track on Tuesday morning and is looking forward to the weekend.

He said: “It was very tight last year. The form of that win was franked pretty nicely in the Middle East when Panthalassa won the Saudi Cup last month.

“The Japanese horses have been doing exceptionally well over here for the last few years and they bring their best horses over here. They’re going to be hard to take on, so we’ll see.”

Last year Lord North finished second in the Winter Derby en route to Meydan, whereas this year he ran out an impressive winner of the Lingfield Group Three.

“It’s the same route he took to Meydan as last year and he was a lot more impressive this year, winning well on the back of a long break,” Gosden added.

“It was nice to see him do that under hands and heels and do it well.”

Mostahdaf on the Meydan training track
Mostahdaf on the Meydan training track (Dubai Racing Club/Liesl King)

Lord North is one of three planned runners on World Cup night for the Gosden team, with Mostahdaf being readied for the Dubai Sheema Classic and Trawlerman poised for a tilt at the Dubai Gold Cup.

Mostahdaf was a runaway winner of the Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh last month, while Ebor victory Trawlerman finished eighth in the Red Sea Turf Handicap on the same card.

Gosden said: “This is their first day out of quarantine, so they’ve just had a nice stretch to ease them into things.

“Both Mostahdaf and Trawlerman ran in Saudi last month, but they have been back home since for a couple of weeks and then all three travelled over here on Saturday.

“For the rest of the week we’ll do a mixture between the training track and the main track and we’ll canter them on the grass to allow them to get a feel of things. Hopefully everything goes smoothly.

“All three of them have travelled before which is a plus and this is Lord North’s third season here, so he knows the place well. All three of them seem to be adapting well since arriving here.”

Gosdens looking to see Unforgotten put his name up in lights

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Unforgotten has the chance to extend his winning run when he goes for the Spreadex Sports Lincoln Trial Handicap at Wolverhampton.

Second in his first two outings, John and Thady Gosden’s son of Exceed And Excel got off the mark at at the third attempt at Newcastle in April 2021 but then had to sit out almost two years with a setback.

Returning from 659 days off the track he made up for lost time at Lingfield last month and then doubled up 14 days later at the same venue.

He now searches for the quick-fire hat-trick off a 4lb higher rating when he heads to Dunstall Park on Saturday, with a good run potentially setting up a crack at the Lincoln itself at Doncaster on the opening day of the Flat season on April 1.

“He obviously had a couple of issues and had plenty of time off, but he’s a horse we have always liked and have always known he has plenty of talent,” said joint-trainer Thady Gosden.

“He’s run a couple of nice races since coming back and hopefully he can perform to a similar level at the weekend.”

Last year’s winner Notre Belle Bete will attempt to defend his crown off an 8lb higher mark and Andrew Balding’s five-year-old is 3lb higher than when going close at Lingfield in his most recent outing.

“He won the race last year and has been pretty consistent and a decent operator on the all-weather,” said the Kingsclere handler.

“He was unlucky at Lingfield last time and hopefully this will give him the opportunity to be there or thereabouts.”

Outbreak got the better of Notre Belle Bete last time out and Charlie Johnston’s runner is 5lb higher for the rematch, while other notable runners include the consistent Alrehb and Mick Appleby’s track specialist War In Heaven, who has won four in a row at Dunstall Park since the start of the year.

Olly Murphy’s course and distance winner Fleurman will attempt to seal a three-timer in the SCU Selects Expert Tips At BetUK Conditions Stakes over at touch more than two miles.

The race serves as a Fast-Track Qualifier for All-Weather Championships Finals Day and the winner will earn a spot at Newcastle on Good Friday.

Earlofthecotswolds picked up that pot at Gosforth Park in 2022 and is one of five looking to book their ticket to the north east over Easter, with Roberto Escobarr another notable name amongst the quintet.

Brian Ellison’s Onesmoothoperator switches back from hurdles, with Richard Hughes’ Calling The Wind rounding off those taking part.

Unforgotten puts down Lincoln marker in Lingfield victory

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Unforgotten looks poised to run in the SBK Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster after continuing his promising comeback from a near two-year absence at Lingfield on Friday.

Having got off the mark at the third time of asking in a seven-furlong Newcastle novice, an injury subsequently prevented him from running as a four-year-old.

The lightly-raced son of Exceed And Excel had been sidelined for 659 days before making a winning return when trying a mile for the first time at Lingfield earlier this month.

He followed up with another success over the same course and distance, and looks set to make up for lost time if his victory in the Spreadex Sports 2nd To Rag Insurance Handicap is taken at face value.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Godolphin gelding was three-wide off the final bend under Robert Havlin, but the 5-6 favourite found plenty for pressure and looked better the further he went, swooping past Brunel Charm inside the final 200 yards to score by half a three-quarters of a length.

Paddy Power cut Unforgotten to 10-1 from 14-1 for the Doncaster showpiece on April 1.

Thady Gosden, speaking from Qatar, said: “He is a horse who has had a slightly unlucky career so far, but he is back on track now.

“He won his last start well and obviously won nicely today, and we will have to consider the Lincoln. We’ll see how the ground shapes up and how he’s taken it.

“He stretched out nicely over the mile and he seems to appreciate that extra distance. Let’s see how he comes out of the race and take things from there.”

Smith completed a Robert Havlin double
Smith completed a Robert Havlin double (John Walton/PA)

Smith (3-1) gave Havlin a double on the card as he guided the Lydia Richards-trained seven-year-old to a neck success in the two-mile BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap.

It was the Dawn Approach gelding’s seventh career success and sixth on the all-weather.

Godolphin similarly recorded a brace when Spring Promise (15-8) made all under Jamie Spencer in the seven-furlong talkSPORT Powered By Fans Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

The Charlie Appleby-trained Lope De Vega three-year-old was not winning out of turn, having finished a narrow runner-up on both her first two starts this term.

The winning rider said: “She put her experience to good use. The sharp seven furlongs around here was probably a little too sharp for her.

“She wasn’t able to stamp her authority in the race that she probably would have done on a more galloping track.

“The fitting of cheekpieces helped her concentrate a bit better. When she had company in the last furlong, she wasn’t going to be passed.”

Sayifyouwill (8-1) has shown plenty of verve on the all-weather and notched a sixth success on a artificial surface in the Spreadex Sports Best Premier League Odds Handicap.

Sayifyouwill gained a sixth all-weather success under Sean Levey
Sayifyouwill gained a sixth all-weather success under Sean Levey (John Walton/PA)

The Amanda Perrett-trained daughter of Sayif, dropped to a mark of 78, equalled a career-best, coming wide in the seven-furlong contest and staying on strongly under Sean Levey to defy Jilly Cooper by a short head.

Sassy Redhead (2-1 favourite) made the most of the 7lb pull with Miss Moonshine, turning the tables on her following defeat at Kempton last time in the six-furlong It’s Time To Turn To talkSPORT Handicap.

The William Stone-trained Harry Angel filly was given a fine ride by Collen Storey to score by three-quarters of a length.