Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is targeting further top-level success next year with the brilliant Inspiral following her last-gasp success at the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday.
A homebred daughter of Frankel, the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly headed for Santa Anita in search of a sixth Group or Grade One victory in the hands of Frankie Dettori.
Stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Inspiral was still well back in the field rounding the home turn, but her trademark acceleration soon kicked in as she fairly rocketed home under an inspired ride to get up and beat Warm Heart by a neck.
Cheveley Park has enjoyed huge success on the Flat over the past three decades and more recently taken the National Hunt game by storm – but Thompson admits the the team’s triumph in the Californian sunshine may have been the biggest highlight of his racing life.
“It’s hard to put into words, it really is. I’ve seen some big moments on the racecourse over the years, but that’s got to be right up there,” he said.
“Inspiral is a homebred filly, it was her sixth Group One and as well as that it’s the way the race unfolded – it’s California, it’s Santa Anita.
“My legs had gone after the last furlong!”
With Inspiral having now proven her stamina over the longer distance, there is every chance she will bid for further riches over 10 furlongs on home soil next summer.
Thompson added: “She obviously stayed the mile and a quarter. She probably needs the right ground and the right track, but she needed every inch on Saturday, didn’t she?
“That home straight at Santa Anita is a bit short, but she needed every inch of that particular straight and she was running on at the end, which is a good sign.
“You’d like to think she’ll run in another handful of Group Ones next year and let’s see what she can do. As long as she’s enjoying her racing and John and Thady tell us that she’s in great form and wants to race, she’s carrying on, which is great for us and everybody.”
Considering possible plans for 2024, Thompson said: “I guess you might see her over the stiff mile in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, but we’ll give give 10 furlongs a shot at some stage during the summer, absolutely.
“You could potentially see her in the Nassau at Goodwood or the Juddmonte International at York. I wouldn’t have thought she’d run in both of those as they’d probably be too close together, but certainly one of those could come into play.
“We can look at anything from eight to 10 furlongs, depending on the track and the ground, and hopefully we’ll have another couple of great days with her. That’s the objective.”
Reigning champions Jamaica College revived their chances of a successful title defence, while Kingston College made a big statement, as both registered victories in their respective ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup quarterfinal encounters at Stadium East field on Tuesday.
Davion Ferguson’s Jamaica College, who lost their first contest to Hydel High, returned to winning ways with a 2-1 win over reigning Walker Cup champions Tivoli High in Group Two.
Elsewhere in the group, many-time champions St George’s College came from behind to secure a 1-1 stalemate with Hydel at the Ashenheim Stadium.
With those results, St George’s College remain atop the group on four points, same as Hydel but with a slightly better goal difference. Jamaica College occupies third position on three points, with Tivoli Gardens now out of contention for a semi-final berth.
In Group Two, Jaheim McLean’s all-important goal lifted Kingston College to a 1-0 win over perennial rivals St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in a clash which was a repeat of last year’s semi-finals.
It was another lively clash between the two that could have gone either way, but Mclean’s 18th-minute strike proved the difference, as Mona High and St Catherine high played out a 1-1 stalemate in the other group fixture.
The win saw the North Street-based Kingston College to the summit of the group on four points, one ahead of STATHS, while Mona (two points) and St Catherine (one point), remain in contention heading into Friday’s final round of games.
In the feature contest at Stadium East, Kingston College fired the first warning shot through Demario Dailey, who attempted an acrobatic finish that just went wide of the target.
STATHS settled into their rhythm and controlled the tempo of the game from there on, as they created a few half chances of their own which they failed to make count.
The Bumper Hall-based team was caught napping when a quickly taken freekick found McLean open and the player sporting the number 10 jersey had a decent first touch and an even better finish to send the North Street fans into a frenzy.
Though Kingston College led the contest, STATHS looked the more dominant outfit and the Phillip Williams-coached team almost pulled level on the stroke of halftime. A delightful strike from Alexavier Gooden from about 40 yards out rattled the underside of the crossbar and bounced on the goal line.
STATHS maintained the momentum on the resumption and should have pulled level three minutes in, but Andre Salmon went for power instead of accuracy from deep inside the 18-yard box. He was left annoyed by his poor decision.
With Kingston College content on sitting back, STATHS again went close in the 70th minute. Taraine Hall found time and space inside the final third for a stinging left-footed effort that was well saved by Malique Williams diving to his left.
The famed purples, much like they did at the start, had the last attack of the game, but Dailey’s effort from a distance came off the upright.
Winning coach Vassell Reynolds praised his young charges for their execution.
“I am very proud. It was a tough game, we knew it was going to come down to the last 20 minutes, so we relied on fitness. I believe we are a lot fitter than we think, so kudos to the boys they have been working very hard and I think it was a masterful performance from them,” Reynolds said in a post-game interview.
His counterpart Williams also felt his team gave a good showing.
“It was a good performance, we turned off one time and we got punished, but apart from that, the guys displayed some good football. This is a setback because it makes the last game (against Mona) a little tougher, but we have to go and do what we have to do,” he noted.
Tuesday’s results
Group One
Mona 1, St Catherine 1
Kingston College 1, STATHS 0
Group Two
Jamaica College 2, Tivoli High 1
St George’s College 1, Hydel High 1
Friday’s fixtures
Group One
STATHS vs Mona
Kingston College vs St Catherine
Group Two
Hydel High vs Tivoli High
Jamaica College vs St George’s College
Cricket West Indies (CWI) thanked Sunil Narine for his service to West Indies cricket during his international career. The talented spin bowler announced his retirement from international and regional List A cricket on Sunday, ahead of the final preliminary match for Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the CG United Super50 Cup.
The 35-year-old made his debut for West Indies in India in 2011 and his last appearance was also against India in Guyana in 2019. He played in West Indies colours in 122 matches, which included 6 Tests, 65 appearances in One-Day International (ODI) and 51 in T20 International (T20I) cricket.
He was a member of the West Indies team which won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2012 when they beat Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. He played a crucial role with the ball in the victory, with three wickets as West Indies won by 36 runs.
Narine represented the West Indies in all three formats. He played six Tests and took 21 wickets with best bowling figures of 6-91 against New Zealand in Hamilton. In 65 One-Day Internationals he took 92 wickets including a best of 6-27 vs South Africa in Guyana in 2016. He also took 52 wickets in 51 T20 Internationals, with best returns of 4-12 against New Zealand in Fort Lauderdale in 2012 to help secure the series victory.
CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe said: “On behalf of CWI I would like to thank Sunil Narine for his contribution to West Indies during his time on the international stage. He was the kind of bowler who excited fans and brought them to the game. He was the ‘X’ factor in the West Indies bowling attack and produced some amazing spells. When at his best he ranked among the very best in the modern era. We all remember the magical bowling performance in Sri Lanka, when he helped the West Indies to their first T20 World Cup title. As he continues his playing career, we wish him more success.”
Narine is in the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force squad for the first Semi-Final of the CG United 50 Cup to be played on Wednesday 8 November at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and he may therefore make his final List A appearance on Saturday 11 November in the Final. The Semi-Finals and Final will be live on ESPN Caribbean.
Pakistan Women A and West Indies Women A are set to play the final of the T20 tri-series on 8 November at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The match will be live-streamed on PCB’s YouTube Channel.
Leading up to the final, the tri-series saw three matches played at the same venue. The three participating teams – Pakistan Women A, West Indies Women A and Thailand Women Emerging – played two matches each.
The hosts won both their games, whereas West Indies Women A defeated Thailand Women Emerging, with the latter losing both their matches.
Pakistan opener Shawaal Zulfiqar has been leading the batting charts having scored an unbeaten half-century (67 not out, 66b, 10x4s) against Thailand Women Emerging in the third match of the series.
Sidra Nawaz also scored an undefeated half-century (54 not out, 40b, 7x4s), which came against West Indies Women A in the first match.
In their two games, West Indies off spinner Sheneta Grimmond has taken three wickets at an average of 4.33.
Fast bowlers Jannilea Glasgow, Qiana Joseph and Jahzara Claxton have accounted for three wickets each as well. Pakistan skipper Rameen Shamim, fellow off spin bowler Omaima Sohail and pacer Humna Bilal have also claimed three wickets in two games.
Rameen Shamim, Pakistan Women A captain, while speaking to PCB Digital said: “We have two consecutive wins under our belt in this T20 tri-series and are banking on the wave of momentum. The girls are really confident and we back ourselves completely to win the final as well.”
West Indies Women A captain Rashada Williams stated: “Even though we lost to Pakistan earlier in the series, it was a close encounter and we'll be confident to turn it around this time. With the win against Thailand Emerging, we are now looking to capitalize on the winning momentum and clinch the trophy.”
Gordon Elliott’s Imagine looks set to go on to bigger and better things judged on a successful start to his career over fences in the opening race at Fairyhouse on Tuesday.
The Punchestown bumper winner won only one of his six hurdling starts last season, but was placed in Graded and Listed company and was not beaten far when fifth in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
He faced a far from straightforward task in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, with Paul Nolan’s Albert Bartlett third Sandor Clegane and the talented Inothewayurthinkin from Gavin Cromwell’s yard both in opposition.
Jack Kennedy sent 9-4 favourite Imagine into the lead from the off, though, and some accurate jumping kept the pressure on his rivals in behind.
After seeing off his long-time pursuer Sandor Clegane, who can be expected to go back up in trip next time, Inothewayurthinkin charged home from an uncompromising position after the final fence, but Imagine was well on top as he passed the post with two and a half lengths in hand.
Of the winner, Elliott said: “It was a good performance, I was happy with him. I thought there would be plenty of improvement in him.
“Jack said he had a good blow going to the second-last. He jumped well and he’s not a bad horse.
“We might look at something like the Craddockstown at Punchestown. I’d say there is improvement in him.
“He ran to a good level last year and he can go up a bit in trip.”
Elliott doubled up with the Robcour-owned Absolute Notions, who landed odds of 1-12 under 5lb claimer Danny Gilligan in the Fairyhouse Membership 2024 Hurdle.
“To be honest, he’d probably have done more going around the gallop at home, but it was a nice opportunity for him,” the trainer added.
“He’ll have an entry in the Lismullen Hurdle and we’ll see what it’s like.”
An Tobar also carried the Robcour colours to victory on his rules debut for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore in the Winter Festival 2nd & 3rd December Maiden Hurdle.
A wide-margin point-to-point winner in January of last year, the six-year-old was the 8-13 favourite for his first outing since and was not hard pressed to score by four and a quarter lengths.
“He’s been doing everything nicely at home. He got a little bit of a setback last year, so we had to ease off him,” said De Bromhead’s representative Robbie Power.
“He’s a big horse and in the long run it might have been the best thing that ever happened to him, to give him a bit of time to develop and grow into himself.
“We were hoping he’d go and do that today. We’ll have a look at options but he’ll be put into the Royal Bond and there is also the two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdle at Navan.
“It’s nice to get that out of the way.”
Cheltenham Festival hero Iroko made a spectacular debut over fences in the Stan Mellor Memorial Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
The JP McManus-owned five-year-old won his first three starts last season after joining the Cheshire-based training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, with successive victories at Wetherby followed by his Festival triumph in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle.
He rounded off his campaign by finishing third in the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting and was the 11-10 favourite to make a successful reappearance and chasing bow in a race won 12 months ago by a subsequent Festival winner in the Paul Nicholls-trained Stage Star.
This season, the champion trainer saddled a 142-rated French recruit in Golden Son, who set out to make every yard of the running under Harry Cobden and jumped well throughout.
But while Golden Son still led the way rounding the home turn, Iroko soon moved powerfully into his slipstream under Jonjo O’Neill Jnr and the ultra-confident rider barely had to move a muscle on the run-in as his mount took full command and eased to a three-and-a-quarter-length success.
“That was absolutely perfect. Jonjo was thrilled with him, he said he jumped absolutely perfectly and travelled like a dream,” said Greenall.
“We thought he might be a bit outpaced over two-and-a-half (miles), but Jonjo said it was perfect, so we’ll probably stick to two-and-a-half I’d say.
“Warwick is a good test for a horse first time over fences and I was worried about the trip, but we couldn’t have asked any more from him really.”
Paddy Power cut Iroko to 10-1 from 20-1 to double his Festival tally in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Prestbury Park in March, while Coral offer slightly more generous odds of 14-1.
While hesitant to commit to future plans, Greenall revealed options will be considered over a variety of different trips.
He added: “We’ve not really made any plans, we’ll just speak to AP (McCoy) and JP and see, but I think it will be ground dependent whether we go up or down in trip.
“AP was just saying if it was soft ground at Sandown, you could even go back to two miles for the Henry VIII, you could go two-and-a-half in the Dipper (at Cheltenham), or if Kempton on Boxing Day was nice ground, you could go back up to three miles for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.
“There’s a few races for him, so we’ll just see how he is and what the ground is like nearer the time.”
Having been plagued by injuries in recent times, Trinidad and Tobago’s Levi Garcia recently made a return to competitive action for his club AEK Athens and is now eagerly looking forward to representing the Soca Warriors in their bid for Copa America qualification.
Garcia, who only featured in five previous games for reigning Greek champions AEK Athens this season, made a brief appearance in the club’s 1-1 stalemate away to AE Kifisia in the Super League on Saturday.
With that blow out run now under his belt, the 25-year-old, who assisted AEK to the Greek double last season when he scored 18 goals across all competitions, said he is working his way back to peak form, as he intends to do what he does best, give his all for both club and country.
"I have been working really hard lately to get fit so things have been going well," Garcia told T&T Newsday.
Garcia missed Trinidad and Tobago’s four group stage matches in the Concacaf Nations League, as they placed second in Group A of League A, which secured them a spot in the upcoming quarterfinals of the tournament.
The pacy attacker is hoping his Soca Warriors teammates can continue the steady work as he continues to work his way back to full fitness.
"It’s been really good to see the guys performing and hopefully we can continue to do positive things for ourselves and future players,” Garcia stated.
Angus Eve’s Trinidad and Tobago outfit are set to contest a pivotal Nations League quarterfinals encounter against the United States, the first away on November 16, with their home leg at the Hasely Crawford Stadium falling on Garcia's 26th birthday on November 20.
With the prospect of qualification for Copa America 2024 in the air, Garcia is ready for the grand occasion.
"It's a big game against the US and we're all looking forward to it. I think everyone is (optimistic about our chances of qualifying for the Copa America 2024). That will be a great platform to showcase ourselves but first we need to take it one game at a time,” he noted.
The four teams advancing from the quarterfinals will qualify for both the Nations League semi-finals and the Copa tournament. The four losing quarterfinalists will have a second opportunity to qualify for Copa 2024 through a single-match, direct elimination play-off in March next year.
Constitution Hill could face up to 12 rivals when he makes his seasonal comeback in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in December.
Nicky Henderson’s gelding is unbeaten under rules and is the undisputed star of the hurdling division, winning all seven starts and among them six Grade Ones.
He was last seen claiming back-to-back successes at the big spring festivals, winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and then the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles before heading off on a summer break.
A graduation to chasing was discussed and ultimately vetoed, meaning the six-year-old will take a familiar route through the division by starting out in the Fighting Fifth – a race he won by 12 lengths last year.
“He’ll go straight to the Fighting Fifth, that’s December 2, hopefully we’re all ready for that,” Henderson told Racing TV.
There are 12 others engaged, amongst them is Jamie Snowden’s You Wear It Well, a Cheltenham Festival winner who made light work of her seasonal debut when winning Wetherby’s Listed bet365 Mares’ Hurdle by three lengths at the weekend.
There is a programme of valuable mares’ events throughout the term and that is the path the six-year-old is likely to follow, though the Fighting Fifth option remains open for now.
“She did really well, she was carrying a penalty first time out and it’s always nice to see them stepping up to the mark like that,” Snowden said of her Wetherby run.
“The mares’ route maps itself out, from Sandown to Warwick to Cheltenham in March. Sandown is in January, so the question is whether we think about getting a run into her before then.
“I have just put an entry for the Fighting Fifth this morning, I’m not sure we’d want to be taking on Constitution Hill necessarily, but it doesn’t hurt to put an entry in.”
Harry Fry’s Love Envoi is another mare entered, with Kerry Lee responsible for a duo of entrants in Black Poppy and Nemean Lion.
Sandy Thomson has put forward Benson and Phil Kirby has entered Jason The Militant, whereas Hughie Morrison could saddle the dual-purpose gelding Not So Sleepy, who dead-heated with Epatante in 2021.
Alan King’s Sceau Royal is another seasoned campaigner with an entry, alongside which Brian Ellison has entered Salsada, James Owen has Too Friendly and Iain Jardine has Voix Du Reve.
John McConnell is excited about the chances of Mahler Mission in next month’s Coral Gold Cup at Newbury following his promising comeback run at Carlisle on Sunday.
The seven-year-old looked the likely winner of the National Hunt Chase at last season’s Cheltenham Festival before crashing out two fences from home and he made his first competitive appearance since in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase in Cumbria over the weekend.
Running over an inadequate trip of two and a half miles, Mahler Mission set out to make all the running before eventually being reeled in by the classy Thunder Rock, but was 10 lengths clear of the remainder in second and McConnell could not have been happier with the performance in defeat.
He said: “We were really happy, we obviously wanted to get a clear round in after what happened in Cheltenham and he ran a really nice race over a trip that was obviously a little bit on the short side.
“He was beaten by a proper horse of Olly’s (Murphy) and overall we couldn’t be happier with him.
“He kept going to the line and will come on for the run in terms of fitness as well. He jumped really well and we think he’s probably slightly better left-handed as well, so there’s lots of positives.”
With the cobwebs blown away, McConnell is looking forward to stepping him back up in trip for one of the season’s most prestigious handicaps at Newbury on December 2.
He added: “That (Coral Gold Cup) is the plan – left-handed, nice trip for him and at the minute he’s got a nice weight (10st 10lb).
“I would imagine the weights could go up a little bit, but anything under 11st would be a lovely racing weight and it looks an obvious target for him.
“I don’t want to think about it too much as I’d get too excited, but if I was looking from the outside in I would think he’d have a right chance.”
Mahler Mission is one of 41 horses still in contention for the Coral Gold Cup following the latest acceptance stage.
The weights are headed by Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor, who could look to bounce back from a disappointing reappearance in Saturday’s Charlie Hall Chase, but would have to carry 12 stone.
The Scottish handler has also left in her Grand National hero Corach Rambler (11st 4lb), who similarly failed to fire on his return to action at Kelso last month.
Dan Skelton’s Protektorat (11st 11lb) and the Venetia Williams-trained Royale Pagaille (11st 5lb) are both still in the mix, while the race sponsors make Jonjo O’Neill’s Monbeg Genius (10st 6lb) their 7-1 favourite despite the fact he was pulled up at Ascot over the weekend.
Coral’s David Stevens said: “Following his defeat at Ascot on Saturday, we eased Monbeg Genius to 10-1 from 6-1 for the Coral Gold Cup, but punters seem willing to overlook that run, and the Cheltenham Festival third has reclaimed his place at the head of the Newbury betting.”
Adam West is already looking forward to a trip to next year’s Breeders’ Cup with Live In The Dream after his stable star rounded off a memorable campaign at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Following a narrow victory on the all-weather at Lingfield on his first start of 2023, few could have envisaged the meteoric rise the rapid chestnut would enjoy through the remainder of the year.
A shock Group One victory in the Nunthorpe at York left West and owners Steve and Jolene De’Lemos eyeing an American adventure – and having shaped well on his first start Stateside at Keeneland last month, he headed to the west coast as a major contender for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
It is testament to Live In The Dream’s eyewatering pace that even the American speedballs were unable to land a glove on him during the early stages of the five-furlong contest, but he paid for his early exertions late on and in the end was beaten just over a length into fourth place.
Both West and his pride and joy landed back on home soil on Monday evening – and while the trainer admitted to feeling the effects of the long journey home, he reports Live In The Dream to be none the worse for his experience.
“I got home late last night and so did the horse,” said the Epsom-based trainer. “He almost ran away with me this morning, so he’s obviously feeling good.
West feels the magnitude of the occasion in California may have contributed to Live In The Dream’s defeat, adding: “We put our best plan forward to give him every chance and I think we had him spot-on, but he just got a bit buzzy and ran a tiny bit free and that’s ultimately cost him.
“The day he won the Nunthorpe, there was a huge atmosphere, but Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup are even bigger. It’s a lot more intense at Santa Anita and I think that just saw him go a stride too quick into the bend and that was it really.
“As he matures next year, I think he’ll settle into those big events a bit better. He was taking on the best of the best and we look forward to working back from the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar next year.”
With a winter trip to Dubai ruled out, West will give his charge a well-earned break prior to preparing for major prizes in Europe in 2024, before ultimately heading back across the Atlantic in the autumn.
He said: “I’ve spoken to Steve about ambitions and he’ll get a nice, long holiday now and we’ll probably start off a bit later next year.
“Ultimately, the main aim will be to defend the Nunthorpe title, but we might take in some other options internationally as well.
“We’ve got this lovely horse and we want to take in as much as we can and get those experiences – and that he can provide us.”
Valiant Force is set to remain in America following his brilliant second at the Breeders’ Cup.
The son of Malibu Moon went into Amo Racing folklore earlier in the summer when his shock 150-1 Norfolk Stakes success at Royal Ascot gave Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation their first triumph at the summer showpiece.
That victory earned Valiant Force a ticket to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and after an unsuccessful foray up at six furlongs in the Prix Morny, connections bided their time in anticipation of perfect conditions in California.
Although sent off somewhat unfancied by the layers, he came within half a length of a second surprise big-race success when runner-up to Big Evs and with the pick of his form coming on fast ground, will now continue his career stateside.
“We were waiting for good ground with him He’s a very good horse and to be second was brilliant,” said trainer Adrian Murray.
“You are hopeful for these things to happen but they don’t always happen and we had a great week. I was really proud of the horse.”
He went on: “We took him over for the Prix Morny and he couldn’t get out of the soft ground at all. So we decided then we wouldn’t run him again until the Breeders’ Cup.
“At the minute he is staying in America. There is a possibility he might come back for Royal Ascot, but the ground doesn’t really suit him here, he needs fast ground.
“The plan for the last two or three months was pretty much to go to the Breeders’ Cup and probably stay there. He’s going down to Florida I think.
“He’s been brilliant and you couldn’t dream of these things to happen. To have a winner at Royal Ascot and then go to the Breeders’ Cup and be second is just class.”
The trip to the Breeders’ Cup was the culmination of a special season for Murray who not only tasted glory at the Royal meeting with Valiant Force, but also secured a first Group One triumph thanks to the exploits of Bucanero Fuerte.
“I really enjoyed it (the Breeders’ Cup) and it was some experience,” said Murray
“The season has been absolutely fantastic and could not have gone any better. We’re just very very lucky to have some right nice horses.”
Harry Cobden expects Rubaud to prove difficult to beat in Saturday’s West Country Weekend Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
The Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old had a progressive profile last season, which ended with him winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr.
He showed there could be more to come this term when winning first time out in Listed company at Kempton last month, when connections expected him to need the run, and Cobden feels that bar Constitution Hill, Rubaud could take some stopping on his side of the Irish Sea.
“Rubaud is in good form after winning at Kempton the other day. The handicapper put him up 9lb for that, but you would want a good one to get by him here I would say,” said Cobden.
“He was impressive when he won the Scottish Champion Hurdle last season, but he was only running off a mark of 135 then. Now he is up to 150 and hopefully he can run up to that mark.
“I can’t think of too many horses in this country that would beat him in this division in Britain apart from Constitution Hill.
“He would struggle to lay a glove on Constitution Hill, but someone has got to win these races and we might as well keep him in this division and win as much as we can.”
Cobden went on: “He needed his first run as he hadn’t been away for a gallop. The runner-up at Kempton (Too Friendly) was race-fit and Rubaud was fresh.
“He can take a chance at his hurdles and the only thing I would say about his Kempton run was that he was bit low at the odd one, but he got away with it.
“That run will have taken the gas out of him and he is a horse that really wants it and he will stick his head out for you. He has got a nice way of galloping, and he has a nice low head carriage.”
Willie Mullins was not ruling out a future bid for Lexus Melbourne Cup glory after watching his favourite Vauban disappoint in the Flemington highlight.
The Irish handler rated Vauban and stablemate Absurde as his best ever chance in the two-mile contest, but while the latter horse performed with credit in seventh, Vauban trailed home 14th in the hands of Ryan Moore.
The five-year-old, who is a multiple Grade One winner over hurdles, carried plenty of confidence into the race having registered a wide-margin win over Absurde at Royal Ascot before following up in a Group Three at Naas in August.
Ryan Moore appeared to have a good position on Vauban but he faded in the straight to be beaten over 13 lengths by winner Without A Fight.
“I thought Vauban was a little disappointing all round. He was beaten too far out for my liking,” Mullins told www.racing.com.
“When I saw him six furlongs out with Ryan having to give him a little niggle, I thought, ‘that’s too far out for him to be niggling him’. He just flattened out and ran very disappointing.
“But there we are. That’s the nature of this game.”
Moore said: “Obviously a disappointing run from him. Maybe he didn’t fire today, the winner was very good, and we didn’t get home today unfortunately.”
Ebor winner Absurde was well supported before the start and posted a fine effort for jockey Zac Purton, hitting the front with two furlongs to run before fading in the closing stages.
Mullins said “I thought Absurde ran a cracker. He was in a position to win at one stage coming up the straight but didn’t see it out.”
Purton added: “He travelled nicely, he presented at the right time, he just didn’t run through the line. Anyway, he ran well, but not what we wanted.”
Vauban has not won over hurdles since the 2022 Punchestown Festival but placed three times at the highest level last term, while Absurde has won one of his two runs over obstacles and Mullins will take stock before deciding on a return to the National Hunt sphere.
He said: “We will bring them back, see how they are. They are dual-purpose horses. If either of them had won they wouldn’t have jumped a hurdle again.”
Mullins has won virtually every major prize in jumps racing but his multiple Australian raids have ended in disappointment, with Max Dynamite his best performer having finished second in 2015 and third in 2017 in the colours of Vauban’s owners Susannah and Rich Ricci.
Despite leaving empty handed again, Mullins would be eager to run if the right candidate comes along.
“It’s a great prize, it’s a great day, great occasion,” he said.
“If we get one good enough, we will try again.”
Without A Fight stormed home to complete a big-race double in the Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained runner won the Caulfield Cup on his previous run and followed up in style under Mark Zahra in the two-mile Group One.
Previously trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, Without A Fight finished 13th in the Melbourne Cup last year, but 12 months on, he was a clear-cut victor.
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