Trainer Lady Herries Dies Aged 76

Wednesday, 26 November 2014 06:54

Lady Herries, the trainer of the first international Caulfield Cup winner Taufan's Melody, has died aged 76.

Lady Herries, renowned as a fine judge of equine talent, was married to the late England cricket star Colin Cowdrey, who died in 2000.

Her success with outsider Taufan's Melody in the 1998 Caulfield Cup came a year after she prepared Harbour Dues to run a close fourth in the Melbourne Cup won by Might And Power.

Taufan's Melody.

Taufan's Melody's win was surrounded by controversy after Ray Cochrane caused severe interference in the straight and was subsequently outed for two months for his actions.

Lady Herries will, however, perhaps be best remembered by the exploits of Celtic Swing, the sire of champion Australian sprinter Takeover Target.

Owned by Peter Savill, Celtic Swing was a devastating winner of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in 1994, slamming Annus Mirabilis by 12 lengths in what remains one of the great performances by a two-year-old.

On just his second start as a youngster he was eight lengths too good for Singspiel at Ascot.

"She was a wonderful lady and I spent many happy days with her and Colin Cowdrey," Savill said.

"He (Celtic Swing) was obviously an exceptional horse, but I'm sure he wouldn't have achieved all he had done without Lady Herries.

"He didn't have the best conformation and she nursed him along extremely well, always looking after the best interests of the horse.

"I always had total confidence in her as a trainer."

Trainer William Knight, whose stables are close by the estate where Lady Herries operated, said she had been ill for some time.

"She had been poorly for a while and had been in and out of hospital," he said.

"She was a very kind and generous lady, who welcomed me to Angmering Park when I came down to start training nine years ago.

"She was always there for a bit of advice when needed.

"She was a shrewd trainer and loved her horses and all her animals."

Gordon Lord Byron Wins Champions Sprint

Sunday, 19 October 2014 07:37

Globetrotting Irish sprinter Gordon Lord Byron has claimed another big win in the Group Two Champions Sprint at Ascot.

The winner of the George Ryder Stakes in Sydney earlier this year, Gordon Lord Byron burst through a narrow gap to beat Tropics by 1-1/4 lengths.

"He's a super horse, it's a pleasure to train him," Tom Hogan said.

"It's the stuff of dreams to have a horse like him.

"We'll probably go to Hong Kong with him now."

Hogan would also like to convince American officials to give Gordon Lord Byron an invitation to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.

"He's not Breeders' Cup eligible, but I'm sure a deal could be made with the Breeders' Cup committee," he said.

"We'll continue on travelling. There's plenty of invitations for him."

Trainer Dean Ivory was proud of Tropics, saying he could also race overseas.

"I'd like to go to Hong Kong, but we'll just work our way through the calendar," Ivory said.

"We'll probably have a word with Tom (Hogan) and follow Gordon Lord Byron around!"

Jim Goldie plans to stay much closer to home with third-placed Jack Dexter.

"Gordon Lord Byron must be the toughest horse around," he said.

"We might go on to the Wentworth at Doncaster again and do the same thing next year."

Gordon Lord Byron On Target For Hong Kong

Sunday, 23 November 2014 07:19

Gordon Lord Byron has shown his fitness for his upcoming Hong Kong trip with a racecourse gallop at Dundalk.

The much travelled six-year-old, a Group One winner in Australia in March, will be running at the Hong Kong International meeting on December 14 for the third time.

He has finished fourth in the past two Hong Kong Miles at Sha Tin but this time he will tackle the six-furlong (1200m) Sprint.

Trainer Tom Hogan feels the gelding deserves a crack at the shorter event after he won the George Ryder Stakes in Sydney over 1500m before a close-up sixth behind top sprinter Lankan Rupee in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.

Gordon Lord Byron was last seen winning the British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot last month.

"It all went perfectly at Dundalk. He loves it there, he strode out well and had a little blow afterwards," Hogan said.

"We might go back there again next Friday just to get him spot on for Hong Kong.

"We've decided we will take our chances on the draw and go for the Sprint. His runs in Australia show he is good enough to go for the race.

"The milers in Hong Kong are exceptionally good. We've had a couple of goes at the race before and we've not had much luck in running and still finished two lengths off the winner.

"We think he's capable of running a good race in the Sprint and deserves his chance."

Dual Arc Winner Treve To Stay In Training

Sunday, 12 October 2014 07:34

In a surprise change of plans, Treve will stay in training next season to aim for an unprecedented third victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Trained by Criquette Head-Maarek, Treve was earmarked for retirement after her second consecutive Arc last Sunday.

But the four-year-old's owner, Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, has undergone a dramatic about-face with Treve to continue racing in 2015 with a view to an historic tilt at winning Europe's premier race a third time.

"The Sheikh will keep Treve in training next year to try to go for a third Arc," Harry Herbert, racing manager for the Sheikh's Al Shaqab racing operation, said.

"She has come out of the race brilliantly. She is moving great, kicking and bucking and looking really well.

"Initially, we thought that the Arc would have drawn her career to a close, and maybe she would go to see Dubawi (at stud).

"But, on reflection, and following discussions with the Sheikh and Criquette, we are all keen to carry on, so long as the filly herself is absolutely fine."

Treve will not run again this season and will spend the winter at the Head family's stud, Haras du Quesnay, in Normandy.

She will then head back to her Chantilly stables in February, with a view to returning to the track early next summer.

"Her well-being is of paramount importance to all of us," Herbert said.

"She will have a very limited five-year-old year, trained specifically for the Arc.

"She will probably not run until June or July time, but only on suitable ground.

"If it doesn't work, then obviously we will draw stumps and she will have missed one year of breeding.

"But she is a remarkable mare, and the Sheikh likes the fact that racing fans worldwide can enjoy her for another year."

Modest Moore Strives For Racing Perfection

Wednesday, 19 November 2014 07:27

Ryan Moore admits it is flattering to be hailed as the best rider in the world, but is not letting such praise go to his head.

Moore has enjoyed another stellar year, with Protectionist's Melbourne Cup win filling another rare blank on his packed CV.

His perfectly timed delivery of the German-trained runner attracted plenty of plaudits, but he is not getting carried away by those who have widely named him as the greatest on the planet.

"It's very flattering. Racing, like most sport, is part opinion and some people will have that opinion and others won't," he told BBC 5 Live.

"Some days someone's going to get the better of me and some days I'll get the better of them.

"You need the right horse, first of all, and it depends how the race shapes.

"Sometimes you can control it, but sometimes it shapes differently and you can't control it but you get lucky, and other days you might not.

"It's one of those things you won't ever prove.

"There are people riding all over the world, people I've never seen ride, so it's hard to say. It's very flattering but probably untrue."

Moore also claimed a landmark success aboard Aidan O'Brien's Adelaide in the Cox Plate, adding to the likes of Hillstar's Canadian International victory and The Grey Gatsby's success in the Irish Champion Stakes.

"I take every day as it comes," he said. You don't really have any sort of thoughts at the start of the year about how it will go, really.

"Just every day you go out there and try to do as good a job as you can and see where it takes you.

"You just keep looking forwards, racing moves quite fast and there's always another race upcoming."

Japanese Assault On Europe's Greatest Race

Friday, 03 October 2014 08:19

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is regarded as the greatest prize in racing by the Japanese and champion jockey Yuichi Fukunaga hopes he finally delivers it on Just A Way at Longchamp.

The 37-year-old partnered Just A Way to a devastating six length victory in the Group One Dubai Duty Free in March.

While it was an eye-catching performance, doubts persist as to whether the five-year-old trained by Naosuke Sugai, who also saddles another five-year-old in Gold Ship, will stay over a distance that is three furlongs (600m) longer than he won over in Dubai.

However, Fukunaga is adamant he would not be in France unless he felt the horse had a genuine chance of ending Japan's frustrating 45 year-quest to win the Arc on Sunday.

Japanese horses have run second four times, including the past two editions with Orfevre.

"For the Japanese there are many big race possibilities abroad but for us as a nation the Arc is the greatest race, the top of the tops," Fukunaga said after partnering Just A Way in his final gallop at Chantilly on Wednesday.

"I waited a long time to have a ride that is good enough to race in the Arc and now I have struck lucky and I hope to seize this opportunity for the Japanese people."

Sugai, who consulted Orfevre's trainer Yasutoshi Ikee about preparing a horse for the Arc but opted to do things completely differently, said he had not really considered it as an option.

"Just A Way is usually much better after a long rest so I decided to leave him be after his last race in June, and I thought running him in the Foy would have been too risky as it was so close to the Arc," Sugai said.

"Gold Ship also ran a super prep race before coming here and I didn't want to separate them by sending one over earlier than the other as they have grown up together, they have been stabled beside each other since they were two and have undergone the same training regime."

Matsuda, who has won Japan's most prestigious turf race, the Japan Cup, twice with Admire Moon and Buena Vista in 2007 and 2011 respectively, only arrived in France on Monday but was happy with what he saw.

"As everything is going so well I am just waiting for the applause on Sunday," he said.

Jockey Tom Queally Banned From Driving

Tuesday, 18 November 2014 06:52

Frankel's jockey Tom Queally has been banned from driving for 22 months after a court rejected his claim he was sleep walking while drink driving.

Queally, who rode the unbeaten Frankel to all his 14 wins, was more than twice over the limit after being found asleep behind the wheel of his BMW.

He claimed he had not been drinking, then "rolled" out of a police car and lay down on the ground after being arrested, Crewe Magistrates' Court heard.

But his lawyer Nick Freeman claimed the 30-year-old, was "morally totally innocent" as he was "sleep driving" at the time and claimed the law needed to be changed.

The celebrity lawyer claimed Queally was forced to admit the charge of drink driving because the law had not caught up with medical science in recognising sleep walking as a legal defence for drink driving.

Queally gave a reading of 84 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

On the night of the incident, Queally enjoyed an evening out with his friend and manager Nicholas Whittle and Freeman said the jockey's last recollection was reading Hare and Hounds on a bed at Whittle's house around 2am.

Freeman said there was a history of sleep walking in Queally's family and the defendant had sleep walked from the age of five.

After listening to the defence mitigation, the judge said previous legal authorities had ruled sleep walking was not a defence for drink driving.

Brown Panther Wins Irish St Leger

Monday, 15 September 2014 08:40

Brown Panther has annihilated his opponents in the Irish St Leger under a brilliantly-judged ride from Richard Kingscote.

The stayer, eighth in last year's Melbourne Cup, will be aimed at the Long Distance Cup at Ascot in preference to another trip to Australia.

Sent off at 14-1, Brown Panther was in second position for much of the journey, with Kingscote the only rider keen to keep pacemaker Eye Of The Storm within striking distance.

While Eye Of The Storm capitulated soon after the home turn, Brown Panther, kept up the gallop remorselessly and the chasing pack never looked like reeling him in.

The star of Manor House Stables passed the post 6-1/2 lengths clear of odds-on favourite Leading Light with Encke a close third, giving trainer Tom Dascombe his first Group One win.

"We have been having a real lean time," Dascombe said.

"We didn't manage to have a winner last week and I was close to pulling him out, but there aren't too many Irish St Legers so you have to run. The horse never lets us down.

"He won't go to Australia. He'll go for the Champions race at Ascot (Long Distance Cup).

"We are thinking about giving him a few races in Dubai. He'll probably run for one more season.

"It's my first Group One winner and couldn't have come at a better time."

His part-owner, former England international footballer Michael Owen, was moved to tears.

"He's the apple of my eye, as everyone knows, and he was pretty spectacular out there today," he said.

"He's a superstar."

Buick And Doyle Sign With Godolphin

Monday, 10 November 2014 07:39

Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation has recruited William Buick and James Doyle to ride as joint No.1 jockeys.

Buick will be first jockey to Charlie Appleby and Doyle will be retained as first choice for Saeed bin Suroor.

Buick leaves his long-standing position as stable rider for John Gosden, while Doyle moves at the end of his deal as retained rider to owner Khalid Abdullah.

In a move announced on the Godolphin website, the new contracts will not come into effect until both jockeys have fulfilled all contractual obligations to their present employers.

The jockeys will interlink with each yard and form crossover cover when commitments allow. They will ride Godolphin horses in the UK trained by Gosden and other trainers.

Horses that have raced for Gosden in the colours of Princess Haya of Jordan will now be in the royal blue of Godolphin "as an extension of the global branding of the organisation".

Both jockeys will also ride horses for Godolphin that are stabled in Ireland, France, America, Australia and Japan when required.

Their first contractual role will be to ride for their respective trainers throughout the Dubai Carnival in early 2015.

Mickael Barzalona will continue to ride for Godolphin in France, but Silvestre de Sousa - who started the year winning the Dubai World Cup on the Bin Suroor-trained African Story - has not had his contract renewed.

"Sheikh Mohammed has always respected both William and James and when their availability was confirmed at the end of this season he was keen to secure their services for the future," John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock advisor said.

"I think this is yet another clear indication of Godolphin's continued pursuit of excellence in both horses and humans."

Kingston Hill Wins Memorable St Leger

Sunday, 14 September 2014 08:45

Kingston Hill has given trainer Roger Varian and jockey Andrea Atzeni a memorable first Classic win in the St Leger.

The victory came after Varian expressed concerns leading up to Saturday's race the ground at Doncaster would be too firm and he Kingston Hill might not run.

But connections took the plunge and Kingston Hill cruised past Romsdal and Snow Sky to take the final Classic of the British racing season.

For Varian it was a huge relief as earlier in the season he pulled him out of the Irish Derby because the ground was not to his liking.

"I am so pleased for the horse," Varian said. "For him to win a Classic is brilliant."

Atzeni, who has picked up the lucrative retainer with Qatar Racing for next season, was almost incapable of speech after crossing the line.

"I don't know what to say," he said. "It's a dream, it's unbelievable.

"He is so laid back. He just switches off and goes to sleep and then when you flick the switch he comes alive and has such a burst on him."

Smith, whose father Derrick has won many Classics through his association with trainer Aidan O'Brien and won the race last year with Fantastic Light, was overwhelmed by Atzeni's cool ride.

"Andrea rode a brilliant race he just put him to sleep and then woke him up with perfect timing," Smith said.

"My dad won this last year and he came to watch today. It is a very proud moment."

His delight was in stark contrast to the connections of Odeon who was disqualified as he went down to the start with a hood over his head which was termed "unauthorised headgear", although he had been allowed to wear it in the parade.

"James Given (the trainer) said to keep it on as long as possible," jockey Graham Lee said.

"I was going to take it off before entering the stalls but the starter told me on arriving down at the stalls that it was illegal and the horse was disqualified."