Hot Fuss will head to the Acomb Stakes at York after breaking his maiden in style at Salisbury on Saturday.
Owned by Keith, David and Stephen Trowbridge and trained by Tom Dascombe, the son of Calyx made it third time lucky when scoring by five and a half lengths in the seven-furlong Byerley Stud British EBF Novice stakes under Liam Keniry.
Victory was compensation for a narrow defeat at 50-1 in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot under Richard Kingscote, a loss that Dascombe largely blames on himself.
“I sort of slightly kicked myself,” he said. “Our horses were not running great when Ascot was on and I suggested to Richard to ride the horse and try to finish placed. We got beat a length and a quarter.
“I said to Liam the other day, ‘boot him out the gates and this will not get beat’. I wish I’d done the same at Ascot!”
The shrewd Upper Lambourn handler will now head to the Group Three contest on the Knavesmire on August 23. Last year’s renewal went the way of subsequent Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean.
“The plan was to wait for him until Salisbury, because if he’d won by July 13, he wouldn’t be qualified for the Acomb, but (winning on July 15) now he is,” Dascombe added. “He will go there. We think he is a proper horse. Honestly, his mind is so good. He has breezed, he has run three times and he doesn’t give a monkey’s.
“From day one, I think we knew he was a good horse, but when they come from the breeze-ups you don’t really want to rev them.
“We got beat in the maiden, but I still ran him in the Chesham as I knew he was a good horse. I didn’t have the confidence in myself, rather than confidence in the horse.”
Dascombe is picking up the pieces of his training career after leaving Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire following a 12-year stint, a move that came as a “complete shock” to him.
Fortunately, the future is brighter and he said: “I hope we’re getting there. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it has been bloody hard. We have got some nice horses, though.”
Misty Grey, like Dascombe, is on the comeback trail. The six-year-old ran some fine races in defeat in Group company last season and having his first run since being injured at Meydan in January, was beaten a length and a half in a Listed seven-furlong contest at Chester on Saturday.
“Misty Grey’s comeback run the other day was… honestly, I nearly cried,” admitted Dascombe.
“I love that horse. I can’t explain, I absolutely adore him. He had an injury in Dubai in the winter and basically I have been too soft on him, because I didn’t want to hurt him.
“He has come out of the race great and he’s a superstar. If everybody in life tried as hard as he does, there wouldn’t be any problems in the world. If I could let him live in my house I would.”
Barbara and Alec Richmond’s gelding will now head to Newbury on August 19 for a seven-furlong Group Two contest.
“I think we will probably give him a go in the Hungerford Stakes,” said Dascombe. “He wants a flat, galloping track. On his day, he is good enough to finish in the first three.
“It will suit him and I really do think it is horses for courses.”
Dascombe is already looking ahead to next season with two promising juveniles, Bigbertiebassett and Odonnell’s Orchard.
The trainer holds the former in high regard, although admits talk of running in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket last Saturday, following an easy win in a seven-furlong Doncaster novice on his second start, was a little far-fetched.
“Bigbertiebassett is a very nice horse,” said Dascombe of the David Foy-owned colt. “He doesn’t even know he’s born. He is absolutely clueless about life.
“He is going to go for a seven-furlong Listed race at Ascot next weekend (Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes). He is so simple, that’s the thing about him. It is like pushing a button and he’s off.
“I don’t think an Almanzor should be running over six furlongs by now, but he just finds life so easy. He is a bit like Hot Fuss. You put him in his bed and he eats, you take him up the gallop and he gallops. He’d never be your best mate, like Misty Grey, because he has got little character, apart from saying ‘let’s get on with it’.
“I was thinking about the Superlative. That was my initial reaction, but I was probably being a little bit stupid and I’m pleased we didn’t run him as I’m not sure we’d have beaten the winner (City Of Troy).
“He will go to Ascot and that just gives us another week. I just think I’m asking the horse to be doing things he shouldn’t be doing right now, but he is doing them.
“He is 100 per cent a horse for next year. We will see how he gets on at Ascot, then leave him for the autumn and see what he wants, which is probably a mile on soft ground.”
Odonnell’s Orchard was an unfancied 33-1 chance in a decent Newbury six-furlong novice earlier this month, where he finished fourth to Starlust.
However, Dascombe is expecting big things from the Caroline Ingram and partners-owned son of Invincible Army.
“He is really nice horse and he’s going for a Listed six-furlong race at Newbury on Friday (the IRE-Incentive – It Pays To Buy Irish Rose Bowl Stakes), he’s good.
“He’s proper and he’ll be all right. We’ll probably get beat, but I think he’s a nice horse and deserves the opportunity to run in a nice race, even though he is a maiden,” he added.
Alflaila will make his belated return from injury at York on Saturday week in the Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes.
The Shadwell-owned colt won four times from six starts as a three-year-old last term before sustaining an injury ahead of a run in Bahrain in November.
Trainer Owen Burrows feels he has had plenty of time to recuperate and thinks an outing on the Knavesmire, where he won the Strensall Stakes last August, will bring him on.
Though not having raced since defeating Ottoman Fleet in the Group Three Darley Stakes at Newmarket in October, he is entered in the Group One Juddmonte International.
Connections are keen to see if he will cope with 10 furlongs for the first time in his career, in preparation for a possible run at the top level in the August 23 contest at York.
Burrows said: “He will run in the Group Two at York on Saturday week. He was injured in Bahrain a few days before he was due to run.
“He has had his rehab back at Shadwell and touch wood it has all gone well.
“We have had plenty of time to prepare him and there was the Listed race at Newbury on Saturday or this race, and we’d have had a penalty in the Listed race, so we thought we’d have a punt and see how he fared in the Group Two.
“He won the Strensall at York, so he is a track winner and it would be nice to get him back on the track.”
Hukum, who made a winning return following a long injury lay-off in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, heads to Ascot for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the same day.
However, Prix d’Ispahan winner Anmaat is set to take his place on the sidelines due to a foot problem that ruled him out of the Eclipse.
“Losing good horses (through injury) is what I think they call ‘character-building’,” quipped Burrows. “With Anmaat now likely sidelined for the rest of the season, I think I’ve done enough character-building for now.
“Hukum is in good form, though. It will be a big weekend for us, that’s for sure.”
Shadwell decided not to supplement Al Asifah into Saturday’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh, with no imminent plans.
The three-year-old daughter of Frankel, trained by John and Thady Gosden, was a runaway winner of a Goodwood Listed heat in June, before finishing a lacklustre sixth to Warm Heart in the Ribblesdale Stake at Royal Ascot 11 days later.
Angus Gold, racing manager to Shadwell, said: “We have left her alone since Ascot. We will just give her a little bit of time and will bring her back gently later in the season.”
Savethelastdance could have stablemate Warm Heart among eight rivals when she has another crack at Classic honours in Saturday’s Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge was sent off favourite for the Betfred Oaks at Epsom after a 22-length demolition job in the Cheshire Oaks, but she could not quite catch Soul Sister and was beaten a length and three-quarters.
Fellow Ballydoyle runner Warm Heart appears to be her chief threat, with that filly stepping up from a Newbury Listed win to claim the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. O’Brien also has Be Happy, Lambada and Library in the field, while his son Joseph can call on Ribblesdale runner-up Lumiere Rock.
The Ralph Beckett-trained Bluestocking is familiar with Warm Heart, having been beaten a head at Newbury and just under four lengths when third at Ascot.
Dermot Weld’s Azazat and the Jim Bolger-trained Comhra complete the list of possibles.
Art Power has won each of his three starts at the Curragh and Tim Easterby’s charge leads 11 contenders for the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes after finishing a fair fourth in the July Cup last weekend.
Karl Burke’s ParisLongchamp Group Three winner White Lavender has been supplemented for the five-furlong contest, which also features Ladies Church, Go Athletico and Moss Tucker.
Emily Dickinson could drop back to a mile and six furlongs in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup after coming home fourth over two and a half miles in the Gold Cup at Ascot.
Fellow Aidan O’Brien contenders include Broome and Gooloogong, winner of a Navan maiden, with Joseph O’Brien’s Duke of Edinburgh Stakes winner Okita Soushi a possible for the Group Two affair.
Valiant King, who was just touched off by Desert Hero in the King George V Stakes at the Royal meeting, is another to note for O’Brien junior, as is Rosscarbery for Paddy Twomey after her luckless Pretty Polly Stakes run.
The Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes has a rich history and after saddling Little Big Bear to win 12 months ago, Aidan O’Brien has five to pick from, headlined by narrow Chesham second Pearls And Rubies.
Twomey houses one of the key performers for Sunday’s Romanised Minstrel Stakes in Just Beautiful, winner of a Curragh Group Two when last seen in May.
Jumbly finished second on that occasion and could try her luck again, while Ger Lyons has three contenders, including recent Group Three scores Zarinsk and Power Under Me.
Coronation Stakes third Sounds Of Heaven is the star name in the Michael John Kennedy Memorial Stakes as she drops back to Group Three level and inches up to nine furlongs for Jessica Harrington.
Nymphadora could have another opportunity to create some York magic with the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes in her sights following her impressive success in the City Walls Stakes.
Trained by Andrew Balding, the four-year-old showcased her love for the Knavesmire as a juvenile when winning the Marygate and although unsuccessful in the Lowther Stakes later that year, she made a winning return to the course on Saturday when casting a spell on her rivals to scoop Listed honours.
The daughter of No Nay Never looks to have earned herself a shot at a major sprinting prize later in the season and a return to York for the Nunthorpe on August 25 appears the obvious spot if conditions are suitable, with the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp (October 1) also on the radar considering Nymphadora’s love of soft ground.
“She definitely enjoys getting her toe in and loves York,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock Limited.
“She’s a multiple stakes winner and I love the way she can get to the front. In a Group One she is not going to get an easy lead but she has a lot of pace, she can get to the front and sustain, and we know she handles soft ground.
“I have not spoken to Andrew yet because we wanted to enjoy the victory, but I suppose, in my mind, I would have one eye on the Nunthorpe because she loves the track and five furlongs.
“She won the Marygate there and when she won there on Saturday she showed a lot of speed and she won pretty well in the end – she’s a quick filly. I would say we will definitely have one eye on it at least.”
Brown went on: “I think cut in the ground is important to her, so an Abbaye might also come into the thinking.
“We are going to have a crack at something and the great thing with a filly is even if she was fourth in one of those races, you can catalogue it and it’s an important thing to get on the page.”
Saturday’s City Walls triumph for Nymphadora was her second win from her four starts this term and the victory was one half of a fine weekend for owner Andrew Stone of St Albans Bloodstock, who also owns a share of Henry Candy’s Araminta who claimed the Group Three Prix Chloe at Chantilly.
Brown added: “It was a great weekend because Andrew also has a share in the filly that won the Group Three in France on Sunday. So he had two stakes winners in one weekend and he’s a very happy man at the moment.
“I’m delighted for him because he puts a lot in and it’s fantastic to see him getting these results.”
Hristo Stoichkov is reluctant to compare Lionel Messi's arrival in MLS with that of David Beckham, as he hailed the Argentine's "spectacular" impending impact.
Messi was officially unveiled as a new Inter Miami player on Sunday, having confirmed his intention to join the MLS side as a free agent in June, following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.
He will be joined by ex-Barcelona team-mate Sergio Busquets, while Jordi Alba could yet follow the duo to Florida.
Miami are part-owned by Beckham, who himself made the switch from Europe to MLS back in 2003, when he joined LA Galaxy from Real Madrid.
Former Barcelona star Stoichkov, who also spent time in MLS with Chicago Fire and D.C. United, does not believe the two transfers can be compared, however.
He told Stats Perform: "They cannot be compared. I never liked doing it, because those are different times.
"Since 1996, when players began to arrive [in MLS], like Marco Etcheverry, Carlos Valderrama, Lothar Matthaus, later Jorge Campos, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and many Mexicans like Pavel Pardo.
"Then came [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, David Villa and David Beckham.
"But they are all different, I don't like to compare because each one lived their moment.
"It was incredible that despite the rain there were 25 thousand people waiting to see that moment, the arrival of Leo Messi and Sergio Busquets and [it is incredible] that we are going to see them playing in Florida."
Stoichkov is sure Messi will have a huge impact in MLS.
"It's a big thing," he added. "Since I played in MLS, it has always grown and moved forward.
"Don Garber has done an excellent job since 1999 when he became the commissioner of MLS and he continues to give everything to this great league.
"I remember when I was unveiled in 2000, with Matthaus, and it was amazing that we came from Europe and many years later players continue to arrive.
"Before it had been [Johan] Cruyff, [Franz] Beckenbauer, George Best, Pele and from there MLS began to grow."
While Miami are struggling in MLS this season, the city itself has enjoyed a fine year from a sporting perspective, with the Miami Heat making the NBA Finals and the Florida Panthers reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.
"Before, Miami was a tourist city and everyone wanted to come and see it, but that [sporting recognition] is more the case now," Stoichkov continued.
"I believe that with the arrival of Messi, Busquets, Jordi Alba and other important players, this city will be much more recognised around the world.
"This is a path that has been thought through a lot and I am very grateful for the efforts of Beckham and [Miami managing owner] Jorge Mas, who have promoted this project for Inter Miami.
"Many people who have come on vacation will now return to see if they can find Messi in a restaurant, in a supermarket or having a coffee.
"I have known Leo for a long time, since he was 12 or 13 years old and I was at Barcelona, and nothing has changed.
"He continues to be humble, affectionate and has returned that affection to children by taking photos and signing autographs. This adds a lot to MLS and Inter Miami.
"The impact will be spectacular, just by seeing that the tickets for the games where Messi will play are already sold out. This is because a legend has come, someone who has won everything in his sports career.
"Despite all this, the most important thing is his humility."
Amo Racing’s Persian Dreamer will have Group One aspirations when she returns in the autumn following her game success in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last week.
Trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis, the two-year-old highlighted her potential when storming to success over five furlongs on debut, but failed to add to her tally in both the Marygate Stakes at York and the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, she looked much more at home when upped to six furlongs at the Royal meeting and built on that fourth-placed effort to thrive on the July Course, benefitting from rain-eased ground to strike at Group Two level.
Having got not only herself, but also her handler off the mark in Group company, connections are now eyeing top-table competition later in the year.
“It was a fabulous day for all concerned,” said Ffrench Davis.
“She’s great and we’re very happy with her and we’re now looking forward to having a crack at a Group One with her.
“It may be a little later on and she has come out of her race very well. She appreciates a bit of cut in the ground and when she does get it, her returns from her races are much better.”
Persian Dreamer is as short as 16-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas but she is likely to leave trying a mile until her three-year-old campaign with Ffrench Davis highlighting Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes – back on the Rowley Mile where she excelled on debut – as a potential end-of-season target.
He added: “I’m not ruling out staying at six furlongs and she’s got plenty of speed and I think six or seven for now will be the plan and we will leave going a mile to next year.
“However, you can’t make snap decisions and you have to let the horse tell you what to do and we will be guided by her.
“Obviously she has a liking for Newmarket, so you would like to think the Cheveley Park might be the end of season target. But she also has an entry in the Moyglare at the Curragh and the world is her oyster really. It might just be a case of choosing somewhere where the ground is right.”
However, one place Persian Dreamer will not be seen is Santa Anita, with the handler keen to rule out a trip to the Breeders’ Cup.
“I don’t think she would be the right sort of filly to take to America,” continued Ffrench Davis.
“Kia (Joorabchian) is keen on America and if we had the right article he would be very keen to go. But I think she is unlikely to get her ground out there at that time of year. It wouldn’t be her cup of tea.”
While efforts have been made to arrive at a resolution and, by extension, ensure a speedy return of live racing at Caymanas Park, the purse standoff between promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) and horsemen remains at a deadlock and threatens the cancellation of another race meet.
This, as United Racehorse Trainers' Association of Jamaica (URTAJ) president Patrick Smellie and his counterparts declared intentions to again withhold nominations, if SVREL doesn’t offer a more attractive purse increase instead of the $27 million that was already rejected and resulted in the cancellation of races on July 15 and 16.
“We the trainers have decided that we are still not accepting the $27 million increase in purse money from SVREL because there is an anomaly in the numbers based on why we signed for 49 per cent. So, we are still questioning why that has happened and the trainers have decided that they will not run races for $27 million and so no nomination tomorrow [Tuesday],” the URTAJ president declared.
Though Smellie and members of his group had discussions among themselves, their decision stems from a meeting between representatives of the promoting company, including chairman Solomon Sharpe, and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) of Jamaica on Monday, where the horsemen maintained their stance against the inadequate amount.
In fact, TOBA, represented by directors Andrew Azar, Garwin Tulloch and vice-president Desmond Lewis, accompanied by Chief Executive Officer, Ainsley Walters, made a few recommendations, as they sought to have SVREL consider increasing its offer.
Despite the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) confirming SVREL’s income as $5.3 billion and not the $6.2 billion which sparked the standoff, TOBA in a release on Monday, pointed out that it laid down a few terms as a possible way forward.
The owners group recommended that SVREL’s overpayment of taxes on $6.2 billion in sales initially reported, amounting to what should be approximately $41.7 million in rebates, be put to purse money for 2023, along with the $18 million Quarterly Incentive payments to owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms.
Additionally, TOBA believes a three per cent commission earned from inter-tote wagering on local racing, could also be allotted to purses and they also required a full disclosure of SVREL’s arrangement with BetMakers as it relates to fixed-odds betting, with a view that a percentage of those profits should also put to purses going forward.
Meanwhile, TOBA said it acknowledges SVREL’s request for time to analyze and consider the recommendations tabled.
“Though SVREL acknowledged TOBA’s recommendations, committing to re-engage the association, the promoting company cited circumstances beyond their control as external factors to be considered ahead of resuming discussions. TOBA awaits SVREL’s return to dialogue in order to hasten the resumption of local racing as the hub of the thoroughbred industry,” the release stated.
“SVREL added to the discourse by pointing to funds taken from the racing industry unclaimed winnings, which it believes should be returned to purses annually, suggesting TOBA could lead the lobby for racing’s monies to remain in the industry,” it noted, adding that owners were advised to continue paying the expenses for keep and care of horses.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today announced the squad for the second Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match powered by YES BANK against India. The Panel named 13 squad members and two traveling reserve players for the match which will be played at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad from 20 to 24 July.
Kevin Sinclair, the off-spinning allrounder has replaced Raymon Reifer in the squad. Reifer will however travel to Trinidad as cover in case of injury. Sinclair was among the leading players in the West Indies Championship four-day first-class competition earlier this year. He also played a significant role with bat and ball in the recent West Indies “A” Team series win in Bangladesh.
Overall, he has so far played 18 first-class matches with 54 wickets including three five-wicket hauls at an average of 23.98 each. With the bat he has scored 756 runs at an average of 29, including six half centuries.
The upcoming second Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match powered by YES BANK will be historic – marking the 100th Test Match between West Indies and India, since the two teams first met at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in 1948. Play starts daily at 10am (9am Jamaica/7:30pm India).
Fans can purchase tickets in their preferred viewing locations from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard, at tickets.windiescricket.com – where they will be able to download tickets securely to their mobile device, or print out their ticket to present for scanning at the entrance point.
FULL SQUAD
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)
Alick Athanaze
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Rahkeem Cornwall
Joshua Da Silva
Shannon Gabriel
Jason Holder
Alzarri Joseph
Kirk McKenzie
Kemar Roach
Kevin Sinclair
Jomel Warrican
Traveling Reserves:
Tevin Imlach
Akeem Jordan
FULL MATCH SCHEDULE – Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Series powered by YES BANK
12-16 July: 1st Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test powered by YES BANK, Windsor Park, Dominica – India won by an innings and 141 runs
20-24 July: 2nd Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test powered by YES BANK, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
Jamaican Romaine Beckford, a double 2023 NCAA champion in the high jump with South Florida, has signed with Arkansas and will be part of the Razorback squad for the 2023-24 season.
Beckford recently won the high jump title at the 2023 Jamaica Championships with a mark of 7-3.75 (2.23). He will represent Jamaica at the NACAC U23 Championships this week in Costa Rica and currently is in position to qualify for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
A double 2023 NCAA champion in the high jump with marks of 7-5.25 (2.27) outdoors and 7-4.25 (2.24) indoors, Beckford set South Florida school records with his outdoor career best at the NCAA Championships as well as his indoor best of 7-5 (2.26) to win the 2023 American Athletic Conference meet.
In the 2023 American Athletic Conference outdoor meet, Beckford won the high jump (7-1.5 | 2.17) as well as the javelin with a career best throw of 194-10 (59.38). The 2023 outdoor season included a victory at Penn Relays (7-1.75 | 2.18) as well as finishing runner-up at Mt. SAC Relays (7-2.5 | 2.20) and winning the Florida Relays (7-4.25 | 2.24).
Beckford finished as runner-up in the 2022 Penn Relays high jump with a 7-3.75 (2.23) clearance prior to claiming the AAC Outdoor title (7-1.75 | 2.18). He won the 2022 AAC Indoor high jump with a 7-2.5 (2.20) clearance. Beckford represented Jamaica in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, placing eighth.
In junior college at South Plains, Beckford won the 2021 NJCAA Outdoor high jump while also competing in discus and javelin. At NJCAA Indoor, Beckford won the high jump and finished 10th in heptathlon (4,182 points). At the 2020 NJCAA Indoor, he finished second in the high jump.
The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAA) have named the country’s teams for the NACAC under-18 and under-23 championships scheduled for July 21-23 at the San Jose National Stadium in Costa Rica.
Jamaica will be sending 35 athletes in the under-18 section and 31 in the under-23 section.
Among the selections in the Under-18 Girls section are Jamaica’s newly-crowned Under-18 and Under-20 100m champions, Abigail Wolfe and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, while Jamaica’s under-18 boys and Carifta Under-17 champion, Tramaine Todd, headlines the Boys team.
The Under-23 Girls are headlined by national junior discus record holder, Cedricka Williams, while newly crowned national Under-20 double-sprint champion, Javorne Dunkley, headlines the Under-23 Boys.
The teams are as follows:
Under-18 Girls: Briana Campbell, Sabrina Dockery, Shanoya Douglas, Canelia Hope, Chennai Jarrett, Rhianna Lewis, Able Mills, Shamoyea Morris, Jaeda Robinson, Rohanna Sudlow, Shelley Ann Taylor, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, Abigail Wolfe, Abrina Wright
Under-18 Boys: Benjamin Berry, Rashid Bowen, Kaheim Carby, Gary Card, Michael-Andre Edwards, Anthony Hall, Shavan Jarrett, Romario Jibbison, Jabari Matheson, Ainsley McGregor, Joel Morgan, Chavez Penn, Antonio Powell, Joseph Salmon, Javonte Smith, Trevoy Smith, Tramaine Todd, Omarie Williamson, Joshua Wint, Daneil Wright
Under-23 Girls: Shana Kaye Anderson, Shaquena Foote, Mickaell Moodie, Crystal Morrison, Rhianna Phipps, Joanne Reid, Danielle Sloley, Garriel White, Cedricka Williams, Damali Williams
Under-23 Boys: D’Andre Anderson, Zandrion Barnes, Romaine Beckford, Javorne Dunkley, Demar Francis, Jehlani Gordon, Jaheem Hayles, Reheem Hayles, Delano Kennedy, Adrian Kerr, Kavian Kerr, Kobe Lawrence, Bryan Levell, Alexavier Monfires, Ralford Mullings, Gregory Prince, Jordan Turner, Enrique Webster, Travis Williams, Assinie Wilson, Jordani Woodley
Relief Rally will bid to better her runner-up finish in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot when she goes for the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury.
The William Haggas-trained filly heads 23 confirmations for Saturday’s £250,000 feature, which this year marks 30 years of Weatherbys’ sponsorship
A Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned daughter of Kodiac, should Relief Rally be successful she would be a third Haggas winner of the five-furlong showpiece, after the top-class Superstar Leo in 2000 and Jargelle eight years later.
Relief Rally made her debut at Windsor in April, before taking a conditions race at Salisbury and then heading to the Royal meeting, where only American raider Crimson Advocate was too good, by a nose.
As a 58,000 genuine yearling, carrying a small penalty, Relief Rally will have significantly more weight than Superstar Leo, who was bred in partnership by Haggas’ father-in-law Lester Piggott and Tony Hirschfeld and was bought back for a mere 3,400 guineas by his wife Maureen at the sales.
Haggas said: “Relief Rally got the entry for the Super Sprint because she was bred to be quick and cost less than the ceiling £65,000, so it’s been on our radar for a while. She got a small penalty for her Salisbury win, but it would have been a much bigger one if she had won the Queen Mary, although we would have been happy to have taken one there.
“The American filly was obviously very quick in the Queen Mary, but we were unfortunate not to win, as she was in front a stride before the line and in front again a stride after it, but not on the line.”
He added: “Unlike Superstar Leo, who had no weight despite having won the Norfolk Stakes, Relief Rally has 9st, but if she’s good enough to win on Saturday I think she’ll go for the Lowther, then the Flying Childers, which Superstar Leo also won, and then the Abbaye, where Superstar Leo was second to Namid.”
Superstar Leo ended the year the highest-rated juvenile filly on the classifications, and she has gone on to have major lasting significance for the stable.
Haggas said: “She’s been marvellous. She introduced us to the Jacksons, of Lael Stables, who have been big supporters ever since, and she bred Enticing (winner of the Molecomb and King George Stakes), who was the dam of One Master (three-time winner of the Prix de la Foret). Her sister Starship is the dam of Rivet, who won the Racing Post Trophy for us.
“It’s been a hell of a family for us and a wonderful story, and the Jacksons were so fond of Superstar Leo that when she retired they flew her back to Kentucky so that she could spend the rest of her life in their front paddock.”
Ascot Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami is likely to bypass the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, with stablemate Gregory poised to be owners Wathnan Racing’s chosen representative in the Sussex Downs marathon.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, both horses carry an unbeaten record and struck gold in the hands of Frankie Dettori for their Qatari-based owners at Royal Ascot last month.
Courage Mon Ami is disputing favouritism with Coltrane for the two-mile Group One during the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but may have to wait for his chance to confirm Ascot form over Andrew Balding’s Gold Cup runner-up, with connections keen to keep the mileage low on the new star of the staying ranks.
Therefore, it is Queen’s Vase hero Gregory who has the chance to fill the void in one of the meeting’s feature events, as he tunes up for a tilt at the St Leger in the autumn.
“They have both come out of Ascot really well, I was in there looking at them last week and I was absolutely delighted with how they look,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for the owners.
“Gregory is a big horse who is only going to get better with age and we won’t overrace him this year. We will probably only run him twice more. His main aim is the Leger and he may well take in the Goodwood Cup on the way because the three-year-old weight allowance is really significant.
“At the moment we’re training both Courage Mon Ami and Gregory for the race, but only one of them will go. We’re favouring Gregory because of the weight allowance and we want to keep the miles low on Courage Mon Ami.”
With Gregory the envisaged Wathnan Goodwood number one, sights for Courage Mon Ami are already being pointed towards a defence of his Gold Cup crown, with a return to Ascot for the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (October 21) a possible aim for the back-end of the current campaign.
“Courage Mon Ami is a four-year-old and we have seen in the past that those horses who get to the top of the staying division can go back and win at Ascot again, so his main aim already is next year’s Gold Cup,” added Brown.
“He will probably run twice more this year with obvious back-end targets being Ascot or the Cadran (ParisLongchamp, September 30) and on the way we can go to York (Lonsdale Cup, August 29) or the Doncaster Cup (September 15) if we don’t go to Goodwood.”
The objective is to keep Courage Mon Ami and Gregory apart for as long as possible, but Brown concedes there may come a time when the talented stablemates may have to lock horns.
He continued: “We will be guided John and his team and where they want to go. We will keep them separate because at the end of the day Wathnan have only got nine horses at the moment and running them both in the same Group One is not something we want to do.
“We’re favouring Gregory at the moment for Goodwood, but they are both going to be trained for it in case Gregory couldn’t get there. Then Courage Mon Ami can drop into his spot.
“The St Leger is Gregory’s number one target and then we can worry about what we do next year.
“If we are in the fortunate position that they are both fit, sound, healthy and training well then that is when we might not be able to keep them separate. But at this stage we will try to keep them apart.”
Royal Aclaim is likely to be kept at six furlongs following her near-miss in York’s Summer Stakes.
James Tate’s filly has always been held in the highest regard by connections and last year’s City Walls Stakes winner was returning to the scene of her finest hour when trying the trip for the first time on the Knavesmire.
Unsure on whether the daughter of Aclaim would see out the extended yardage, she was ridden with restraint by PJ McDonald in the early stages before making a stylish move to challenge the winner Swingalong at the business end of the contest, failing by just a neck on rain-softened ground in the Group Three contest.
Tate was delighted with how the step up in trip panned out and feels the run signals the end of her time competing at the minimum distance.
He said: “It’s something we had been toying with for a while and we’re pleased that we did and it’s nice to see her run so well.
“We didn’t know how she was going to finish and nor did PJ, but she finished well. That would give you plenty of confidence the next day and I thought she was coping with the rain-softened ground rather than enjoying it.
“I think that is probably the end of five furlongs for her now I would have thought. We were very pleased with the performance.”
The Jamesfield Place trainer now has to decide on a next target for his stable speedster with connections mulling over a tilt at Group One options both home and abroad or whether to stay at Group Three level for the time being.
“We’ve got decisions to make now and the next race is not that obvious,” said Tate.
“If we want to fly (high) then we can talk about the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Deauville, August 6) and the Haydock Park Sprint (Betfair Sprint Cup, Haydock, September 9) probably, but there are various Group Three and Listed options around as well.
“It does look like you either go Group One or you go Group Three, there is not a lot in the middle.
“So we haven’t quite decided on her next target, but she has come out of the race well. Training-wise she had a good prep into that race at York and it is good to see she has come out of it well. We’re very pleased with her.”
Artistic Star will head to the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood next as connections keep half an eye on the St Leger later in the season.
Ralph Beckett’s charge made an impressive debut at Nottingham at the back end of last year and doubled his tally to remain unbeaten when returning in a hot Sandown novice event in May.
That victory earned the son of Galileo a crack at the Derby where he ran with credit in seventh behind Auguste Rodin and he followed that Epsom outing with another respectable display at Royal Ascot when third to King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes.
Having made three appearances in a fairly short space of time, connections made the decision to bypass the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket’s July meeting and Artistic Star will next be seen in Group Three action during the Qatar Goodwood Festival on August 3.
“He’s training very well. We were tempted to run at Newmarket, but we decided not to and we’re going to keep him for the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood,” said David Bowe, racing manager for owner Jeff Smith.
“We’re very happy with the way he’s training and as we’ve been quoted as saying before, he has a late birth date and he has had a few quick runs together, and I think he has benefitted a little bit from a longer time between races now.
“It will hopefully do him the world of good. He’s a very nice horse and well bred and we’re in it to race and have fun, but equally the horse deserves the chance to be the horse we think he could be so we will just give him a little bit of time.”
A strong showing on the Sussex Downs, a place where owner Jeff Smith has enjoyed some memorable days, could lead to a shot at the final Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 16, with Bowe indicating the team think Town Moor could be the ideal spot for Artistic Star.
He added: “That’s exactly what we think he should be (a Leger horse). He has that sort of profile and trip-wise it looks to be ideal, so who knows. We’re definitely keeping our eye on that option for sure.”
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