Part-owner Michael Tabor is anticipating a “fascinating duel” should Paddington take on Emily Upjohn in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
The three-year-old would be stepping up to 10 furlongs for the first time in Esher following his Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes wins, while the year older Emily Upjohn will be dropping back from a mile and a half after landing the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month.
Paddington, who has won five of his six starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien, would be getting 7lb from Emily Upjohn, and Tabor thinks that could prove crucial.
He said: “I think we have Paddington in the Eclipse at the weekend.
“He is up against a very, very good mare, Emily Upjohn. It will be a fascinating duel. What can you say? We are getting 7lb weight for age, I suppose.
“It makes a difference, but don’t forget we are only a three-year-old and Emily is a four-year-old.
“She should be that much stronger, so it is all compensation, but we have to respect her.”
Tabor owns Paddington in partnership with John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Peter Brant, with all but the latter also involved in Luxembourg, who is also entered in the Eclipse.
Winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup before having to settle for second in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, he is a best-priced 20-1 for the Sandown contest, although Tabor is unsure on his running plans.
He added: “I haven’t even asked Aidan if Luxembourg is running, or with Derrick or John, because we have been focussing on Paddington running, because he’s our number one.
“Luxembourg is a good horse. He will have his day in the sun soon. We always discuss it with Aidan – he would never say I’m running him in this race or whatever.”
Jamaica, Barbados and the Windward Islands all got wins in round one of the 2023 CWI Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 50-over Championship in St. Vincent on Tuesday.
Jamaica were the most dominant team on the day, securing an eight-wicket win over Guyana at the Cumberland Playing Field.
In a game reduced to 30 overs-per side after a rain delay, the Guyanese were first skittled out for just 78 in 23.4 overs.
Michael Clarke led the Jamaicans with the ball with 3-13 from four overs while Reon Edwards took 3-18 from 4.4 overs. Deshawn James and Tamarie Redwood also took a pair of wickets, each.
Jamaica, then, needed just 14.5 overs to reach their target. Jordan Johnson finished 28* while Adrian Weir earlier made 19.
At the Sion Hill playing field, a match reduced to 39-overs per side saw defending champions Barbados beat Trinidad & Tobago by 37 runs.
Barbados posted 152 all out from their 39 overs batting first thanks to a top score of 35 from Nathan Sealy and solid contributions from Isaiah Folkes (25*) and Joshua Dorne (24).
Andrew Rambaran took 3-20 from his eight overs for T&T while Jacen Agard took 3-41 from seven.
Barbados then produced an excellent bowling display to reduce their opponents to 115 all out from 34 overs.
Rajeev Ramnath made a fighting 35 for T&T as pacers Renecio Smith and Dre Springer took seven wickets from 10 overs between them. Smith took 4-24 while Springer took 3-36.
The Windward Islands secured a 42-run win over the Leeward Islands at Arnos Vale in the day’s other game.
The Windwards posted 200-8 from their 50 overs batting first thanks to 35 from Tarrique Edward and 32 from Ackeem Auguste. Kimani Nisbett took 3-27 from six overs for the Leewards.
Then, despite contributions from Michael Palmer (31), Jewel Andrew (31) and Michael Greaves (28), the Leewards were dismissed for 158 in 45.4 overs.
Tarrique Edward completed a fine all-round effort with 3-23 from 10 overs for the Windwards.
Sir Michael Stoute has confirmed he will wait for easier ground before unleashing Bay Bridge.
The master trainer has also not ruled out a possible tilt at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Derby winner Desert Crown.
Bay Bridge was fourth to Vadeni when favourite for last season’s Coral-Eclipse and while he held an entry for Saturday’s renewal, connections decided to forgo the opportunity.
The son of New Bay earned top-class honours when taking the scalps of both 2021 Derby victor Adayar and the previously unbeaten multiple Group One winner Baaeed in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.
However, he has run three times this term at the top level and fallen short, although he was a half-length runner-up to Luxembourg in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, before finishing seven lengths behind runaway winner Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Stoute will pick his moment for the James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud-owned Bay Bridge, once there is sufficient cut underfoot.
He said: “There are no plans for Bay Bridge, we want some nice in the juice in the ground for him.”
Meanwhile, Desert Crown is cantering again ahead of a possible run in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Last year’s impressive winner of Epsom’s blue riband suffered a minor ankle injury thereafter and missed the remainder of the season.
On his belated return, following a 355-day lay-off, he was touched off by Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
He looked impressive in his work a few days before his intended run in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but following a routine piece of work, he was scratched from the race after he was found to be lame.
“The hitch he had was very minor and when they investigated there was nothing,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Saeed Suhail, who owns the colt.
“He missed a few days, unfortunately at the wrong time. He was just a bit lame, they go lame, don’t they?
“I just know that he is cantering and in full exercise. I would be hopeful, but can’t tell you when he’ll run, as I don’t know. I would be hopeful it would be the King George, but that decision will be up to Sir Michael.
“I very much like what I’ve been seeing from him when cantering. He looked a bigger, stronger horse at Sandown. I don’t think there is anything to worry about at all.”
Stoute remains non-committal about Desert Crown’s next target, although he holds engagements in the Ascot middle-distance showpiece – for which he is a best-priced 10-1 chance – York’s Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes.
Stoute added: “No, we haven’t got any plans for him yet. He is back cantering. He is on the move again.
“We are not going to make any plans yet. We’re not going to do anything yet, we’ll wait until we get him in strong work, but I don’t know yet when that will be.”
West Indies Men will tour England in the summer of 2024 where they will play three Test matches. The series will bowl off at Lord’s on 10-14 July, followed by the second Test at Trent Bridge on 18-22 July and final contest at Edgbaston on 26-30 July.
The tour will mark the second occasion that the two teams will compete for the Richards-Botham Trophy – named in honor of cricket icons Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham. West Indies are the current holders having won the inaugural series which was played in the Caribbean in March 2022. The series will also form part of the ICC’s World Test Championship 2023 to 2025.
Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies said: “West Indies and England have had many enthralling duels on the field over the last 95 years and we expect another great series in 2024– which will mark the 40th anniversary of the famous tour of 1984, when West Indies won 5-0. This series next year will see us defending the Richards-Botham Trophy, as we continue to celebrate the relationship of the teams and honor the legacy of two of the game’s greatest players.”
West Indies played their first Test matches against England at Lord’s in June 1928. Since them the two teams have met on 163 occasions – West Indies won 59, England won 51 with 53 drawn.
MATCH SCHEDULE
10-14 July: 1st Test at Lord’s, London
18-22 July: 2nd Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
26-30: July 3rd Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham
Tom Marquand is looking forward to being reunited with Dubai Honour for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown this weekend.
The duo are well acquainted and teamed up in Australia in the spring for the second leg of the gelding’s Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes double.
Both of those races were Group Ones and Dubai Honour will now look to win a domestic contest at the same level as he represents trainer William Haggas in a small field on Saturday.
“Dubai Honour is all set to go at the weekend,” said Marquand.
“He had a fantastic time in Australia. He got his maiden Group One on the board then his second one in quick succession. He had to beat some good horses in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“He then went to Hong Kong and he ran a very respectable race on ground that was probably just too sharp (third in the QEII Cup).
“He has had a freshen up since he has come back and I’m looking forward to seeing him back on a British racecourse.
“He doesn’t have as much to find as it might initially look, and he would be a horse that would be well capable of finding any flaws in any of their armour.”
While Dubai Honour is yet to make an impression at the highest level in Britain, Marquand hopes he can take inspiration from former stablemate Addeybb, who successfully transferred his impressive international form back on home territory.
Marquand added: “Going abroad proved pivotal in getting Dubai Honour’s head over the line in a big one.
“As we saw with Addeybb, he won his first Group One races down there then he came back and went and won a Champion Stakes later in his career back here.
“Hopefully this lad can take another step forward for getting his head in front down there and can crack on as a Group One horse.
“He had to bridge the class gap realistically in Australia, but he is an older horse and he is coming together now.”
Fedrick Dacres is never one that lacks motivation or energy which are both emotional and mental responses some professional athletes display in times of difficulties. If you ask him, he would readily tell you that it's through his numerous battles with injuries that he discovered the fighter inside him is even greater.
The lengthy and difficult recovery process from those injury setbacks over the last few seasons, brought Dacres's stubborn determination to the fore and helped the national men’s discus throw record holder, gain new perspective on a sport he fell in love with from the junior level.
"I've had a few years where I had to deal with injuries before so at this point, it (being injured or feeling a niggle) is like clockwork, so I've never majored in the minor so to speak. As an athlete, if you pay attention to the days when you get up feeling a little pain you will feel discouraged," Dacres told SportsMax.tv.
"So, it is just about taking it a day at a time and just looking to the future. Right now, I can move, once I can move that means I can do the work and once I can do the work then the performance will come and I will get better, so it's just one step at a time," he added.
The 29-year-old's revelation came, as he shared that though a bit sore, he is currently in the best shape of his life with his mind firmly set on making Jamaica's team to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary scheduled for August 19-27.
To get there, Dacres, who achieved the national record of 70.78m in 2019, will first have to navigate the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Championships, where he is expecting fierce competition from a number of the country's rising prospects.
In fact, it is United States-based college senior Roje Stona that is currently the top-ranked Jamaican man with 68.64m, for sixth place on the World Championships ranking system, just ahead of Dacres, whose lone throw of the season, 68.57m, is seventh.
Traves Smikle is in ninth place with 68.14m, with the likes of Brandon Lloyd who threw 65.32m this year, Olympic finalist Chad Wright, Kai Chang, as well as Ralford Mullings, also showing great promise, which should make this event one of great entertainment value at the four-day Championships, scheduled to start on Thursday at the National Stadium.
Still, Dacres is no strangers to tough competition, having had success at both the Commonwealth Games and World Championships where he won gold and silver in 2018 and 2019 respectively, and he is no doubt aiming to put himself into medal contention in Budapest, next month.
"I think this will be the best National Championships in a while with good competition, so I can't complain. I'm feeling great, my preparation has been a bit slow based on a small groin injury, but it hasn't really stopped me. I just take it a step at a time, so just pacing myself and getting better for the trials and hopefully World Championships," he declared.
Throughout the conversation Dacres's body language and a wry smile every now and again, exuded immense confidence, which he said comes from the fact that he has recovered well and has also glimpsed a few of his national rivals in competition.
"The confidence comes from preparation time because as I said, I am feeling good so I can't complain, I went and competed overseas and I also saw my competitors, so I guess that's why I am oozing confidence. So again, I feel good, I am doing what I am supposed to and, all in all, it’s just about keeping it up and executing on the day," he ended.
Oisin Murphy will partner Chaldean as he heads to France this weekend for the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville.
The Andrew Balding-trained Frankel colt was last seen finishing second to Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, prior to which he was an impressive winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in early May.
Paddington is now the Coral-Eclipse favourite and could step up to a mile and a quarter Sandown on Saturday, whereas Chaldean will return to a seven-furlong trip in the Deauville Group One on Sunday.
Frankie Dettori, who has been aboard for Chaldean’s last five starts, is unable to take to take the ride as he is serving a suspension for careless riding at the Royal meeting.
Murphy, who is Balding’s principal rider, will therefore take the reins at the weekend having ridden the Juddmonte-owned three-year-old several times before at home.
Barry Mahon, racing manager to Juddmonte, said: “Obviously Frankie is not around this weekend, which is unfortunate, but what can we do?
“It’s disappointing, but we’re in good shape and Andrew is happy with him.
“We’ll kick on and if he’s happy with him tomorrow morning after he does a little bit of work, he’ll be on track for Sunday.
“Oisin has ridden him at home plenty. He’ll sit on him again tomorrow. I know he’s never ridden him on the track, but he knows the horse well and he’s an integral part of Andrew’s team, so it is nice that he can get aboard on Sunday.
“He is a Dewhurst winner and not short of speed and Frankie’s first words when he got off him at Ascot were, ‘jeez, he has got lots of speed’, and we threw the July Cup out there for a while and we didn’t think that was the right thing to do.
“Seven furlongs looks a good spot for him and he is in good shape and hopefully it will work out.
“He’s versatile. His pedigree is all speed, his two-year-old form is all seven furlongs, so I think trip-wise he is fine, seven to a mile. I thought after the Guineas he’d stretch out a little bit, but I’m not so sure now. We’ll have to see how the year progresses.”
Also heading for Deauville for the same race is Kevin Ryan’s Hi Royal, second behind Chaldean in the Guineas and third behind Paddington and his stablemate Cairo in the Irish equivalent of the race at the Curragh.
His Newmarket run came at a huge price of 125-1, but he was an 11-2 chance in Ireland once his ability had been proven in a Classic.
Adam Ryan, the trainer’s son and his assistant, said: “Hi Royal will go to the Prix Jean Prat on Sunday. He is in great order. He was never in at Ascot, so he is nice and freshened up since his run in the Irish Guineas.
“Obviously that form has worked out extremely well, because Paddington has probably announced himself as the leading three-year-old. I think we would have been second to him, had he not received a bump.
“His form is rock solid and it will be nice to hope that he can have his day in the sun.
“I think he is pretty versatile ground-wise. He seems to act on anything and is a fine-moving horse. You probably don’t want extremes with him, but I don’t think he’d shy away from very much either.
“I believe James Doyle will be riding him. He has ridden Group One winners for us and Mr (Jaber) Abdullah (owner).”
Beyond Deauville, there will be some consideration as to which path Hi Royal takes throughout the rest of the season, with the horse a year younger than stablemate and fellow miler Triple Time.
“It is quite difficult to say what plans will be for Hi Royal, as he is in the same mile division as Triple Time and you get to that point where the three-year-olds have to take on the older horses,” Ryan said.
“Again, it is something you have to sit down and discuss with connections and make the best plan possible.
“It is hard enough to win these races, you don’t want to be taking each other on for the same yard as well. We’ll look forward to Sunday first and take things from there.”
Jack Kennedy registered his first victory since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off aboard I A Connect in the equuip – A Leg Up For Thoroughbred People Beginners Chase at Tipperary.
Kennedy broke his leg for a fifth time in a fall at Naas back in January, with the 24-year-old only returning to action at Cartmel on Sunday.
With Davy Russell’s retirement, Kennedy had not long assumed the role as clear number one for Gordon Elliott before sustaining the injury, which forced him to miss the Dublin Racing Festival in February as well as Cheltenham, Aintree, Fairyhouse and Punchestown in the spring.
Teaming up with the Elliott-trained I A Connect (4-1), Kennedy and his mount survived a bit of a sticky jump at the penultimate obstacle before eventually fending off Walnut Beach by a head in a thrilling finish.
Kennedy said: “That was brilliant and I’m delighted. He pecked a bit at the back of second-last, but he stays and probably wants further than that.
“I sent him on early as all he does is stay and to be fair to him he stuck his head out and battled.”
Kennedy admitted he had been unsure how he would feel on his second day back, but is now eagerly awaiting the Galway Festival at the end of the month.
He added: “I’m better today than I thought and had a good blowout at Cartmel on Sunday.
“I started back riding out six weeks ago, had three rides at Cartmel and have three today. Touch wood, the leg feels good.
“I didn’t put myself under any pressure to be back for the spring festivals, gave it more time then and I’m looking forward to Galway now.”
Jamaican triple jump World Junior record holder, Jaydon Hibbert, has signed a NIL deal with Puma.
Short for Name, Image, and Likeness, an “NIL” refers to the way college athletes can receive compensation. “Using” an athlete’s NIL would involve a brand leveraging their name, image, and/or likeness through marketing and/or promotional endeavors.
The NCAA officially made it legal for athletes to profit off of their NILs on July 1, 2021. Since this initial passing, states have begun to pass their own laws detailing the rules for athletes that attend colleges in their state. Universities have also begun to produce rules and programs for their student-athletes.
Hibbert, still only 18-years-old, is currently a finalist for the 2023 Bowerman Award after a spectacular freshman season for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
He won the SEC Indoor and Outdoor titles as well as the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor crowns. To take the SEC Outdoor title, Hibbert produced a personal best, world leading and world Under-20 record 17.87m.
Triple Time looks set to bypass the Qipco Sussex Stakes and head to France for the Prix Jacques le Marois after his impressive success in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.
A son of Frankel, the Kevin Ryan-trained colt won two of his four starts as a juvenile but was limited to two outings last year, winning the Group Three Superior Stakes in September before finishing seventh in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend.
Having been a late withdrawal from the Lockinge Stakes with a stomach cramp and having his first run since October, the 33-1 shot overcame a 262-day break to beat a strong field at Ascot, which included top-class winners Inspiral, Modern Games, Angel Bleu and Native Trail.
Under Neil Callan, the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-owned colt had a neck to spare over Inspiral, whose connections are similarly eyeing a trip to Deauville, where the filly could bid to win the race for a second year in succession.
Adam Ryan, son and assistant to the Hambleton trainer, said: “Triple Time has come out of the race absolutely fine and done very well.
“It was his first run of the year and so he’d be entitled to come on for that as well. It was impressive what he did.
“To do that after such a long time off, not only to do that against Group One horses, but horses who’d had a run under their belt, was great.”
Though Triple Time holds an entry in the Sussex Stakes and is currently the general third-favourite behind Paddington and Inspiral, connections are keen on the August 12 Group One contest over a mile at Deauville instead.
“I think we are probably leaning towards the France and the Prix Jacques le Marois,” said Ryan. “It’s nice timing between races and it will be more of a conventional track as well. He is obviously in the Sussex, as it was an early-closing race.
“It is tough because you have to make the entries, but at the same time it is never firmed up, because of ground etc. Horses map their own way out. Group One horses, we all know the races for them.”
The North Yorkshire yard is no stranger to heading abroad and Triple Time’s success earned him an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November, courtesy of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
The Ryans finished second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf with East in 2018 and gained a first success at the meeting two years later when Glass Slippers struck in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Asked of the prospect of sending Triple Time Stateside at the end of the season, Ryan added: “Through all the years we’ve sent a few runners and obviously have had some success. The thing is with Triple Time, he’ll be a stallion for the future now and it is something you have to discuss with connections.
“You have races like the QEII around the same time and is it better to go there (Ascot) on a track you know, without all the travel. Those sort of decisions are for the people above my pay grade.
“It is nice to have those sort of options to talk about. The good thing is he has that Group One win under his belt and everything is a bonus.
“You want to see him as an absolute star, but we’ve got the most important hurdle out of the way now. He’s proved he’s up to that calibre.”
Ryan also confirmed last season’s Group One Sun Chariot winner Fonteyn has been retired.
The daughter of Farhh won the Listed Michael Seely Memorial at York and ended her career in style when beating Laurel at Newmarket in October.
Ryan said: “Fonteyn retired after her last run. Going into this year there were only a couple of fillies-only Group Ones for her here and she wasn’t the best of travellers, so that scuppers any chance of going to France or Ireland.
“We were very limited, so we discussed with Sheikh Obaid and the best option was to retire her and go out on a high.”
Connections of Stay Alert have lodged an appeal against the decision of the Curragh stewards not to reverse the placings in Saturday’s Group One Pretty Polly Stakes.
The Hughie Morrison-trained four-year-old was beaten two lengths by George Boughey’s Via Sistina in the 10-furlong contest, but the Jamie Spencer-ridden winner hampered a number of rivals in the closing stages.
The interference occurred as the field approached the final furlong when Via Sistina hung right into the path of eventual fourth Rosscarbery, with jockey Billy Lee forced to check his mount, while the Ronan Whelan-ridden Stay Alert was also tightened up by the winner.
While the Irish Horseracing Authority Regulatory Board confirmed Spencer has appealed the severity of the six-day ban for careless riding he received following the race, Morrison felt the incident had proved crucial to the result.
He said: “The connections have appealed. As he (Spencer) pulled that horse out, it was hanging right.
“He then continued to ride it for possibly a furlong and he didn’t make any correction until he’d seriously endangered two horses and two jockeys.
“If they can tell me they didn’t feel endangered, then end of story. It was hanging all the way and should have been corrected at least 100 metres before the incidents took place.
“When you get stopped in your run when you are quickening up and you have 100 yards to make up three lengths, you are lucky to make up one.
“Any other sport and you’d be thrown out, more so because the fourth horse (Rosscarbery) was prevented from coming third, which was quite significant when you are talking about a Group One.”
Stay Alert had won the Group Three Legacy Cup at Newbury in September and had dropped back in trip on her seasonal bow when fifth to Free Wind in the Middleton at York in May.
Equipped with a first-time tongue strap, she travelled well and showed marked improvement at the Curragh, and Morrison added: “It helped her, made her concentrate and did everything we expected it to do. I don’t think she has a wind issue, it just helped her concentrate on the job.
“She showed how good she is. She is in the Yorkshire Oaks and there are a couple of races in France. Those are in the middle of August – there is nothing else for her.
“She could go for a colts’ race somewhere, that might be tempting, but you never know what the ground will be like in Germany, and you’d like to win a big race before you go to France.
“This was the target for her all year, so it was frustrating. We got everything right, but hit the crossbar. We’d like to win a good one and we’d like a clean fight as well.”
Highfield Princess will head for the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood after her two valiant efforts in defeat at Royal Ascot.
While the Goodwood race is only a Group Two, it is worth £170,000 to the winner and she will not have to carry a Group One penalty.
Quinn had considered the July Cup, but decided to keep her to five furlongs for the rest of the season, which means she will not be defending her Prix Maurice de Gheest title in Deauville which she won last season.
“We decided against the July Cup and she’s going to go to Goodwood,” said Quinn.
“That’s a slight change in plan, but we’re going down the sprinting five-furlong route, that’s our thinking.
“We thought, like last year, we’d give her a bit of a break now, a bit of a midsummer break and then head to Goodwood.
“She doesn’t have a Group One penalty which is handy.
“After Goodwood, we’ll then look at two of the races she won last year (Nunthorpe Stakes at York and Flying Five at the Curragh).”
Michael Dods is planning a return trip to Ireland with Commanche Falls following his comfortable win at the Curragh on Sunday.
The dual Stewards’ Cup winner notched his first victory at Listed level by a length and a half under Connor Beasley.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, sprint king Dods is eyeing another trip over the Irish Sea for the six-year-old, for the Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint back at the Curragh next month.
“He’s won the Stewards’ Cup twice and he’s in it again, but he’s now rated 112 so he’d have a lot of weight this year,” said Dods.
“He ran really well at York against proper Group One horses (third in Duke of York Stakes). He’s Dakota Gold’s half-brother, but they are totally different because with Commanche if he is travelling well at halfway they are going too slow.
“When we saw him off the bridle on Sunday we knew he’d finish strong and he did, he grinds it out rather than quickens. He also doesn’t mind faster ground, whereas Dakota needs a bit of cut.
“He might have an entry in the Hackwood (at Newbury), but there’s the Group Three Rathasker Stud race in early August at the Curragh I think he’ll end up going for. There’s also a race at Baden-Baden we could look at.”
Classic-winning jockey Eddie Ahern, whose 10-year ban for passing on inside information and failing to ride a horse on its merits came to an end in May, is exploring all options for the future as he begins riding out for William Haggas.
The 45-year-old rode work on Saturday morning for the first time and was in situ at Somerville Lodge on Monday morning, although a serious leg injury could put paid to any thoughts of a return to race-riding for the time being.
“Ten years is a long time and it has felt like forever,” said Ahern. “I think I’m a long way from a comeback, because I had such a bad leg injury in May last year.”
A badly-broken leg twice rejected a nail incision, causing severe infections, and Ahern required a lengthy stay in hospital, diminishing hope that he could return to race-riding.
“I was in a lot of pain. I’m not in any pain now and the bone has completely healed. I have a bit of a limp and I’m still not running yet.
“I put myself on a strict diet when I was in hospital, but I weighed myself the other day and I was 10 stone.
“The leg is good and strong, but I can’t go out and put the sweatsuit on and run three miles, all the time I’m limping.
“However, I am blessed with a physique which adapts easily to the weight demands of riding on the Flat so, with the right diet and routine, making the weight would be no problem to me.”
A former Irish champion apprentice, Ahern was found guilty by a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel of conspiring to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to the laying of five horses between September 2010 and February 2011.
He was also found to have intentionally failed to ensure Judgethemoment was ridden on its merits at Lingfield in January 2011, and of passing information for reward.
Ahern, who won the Irish St Leger in 2011 for John Gosden when Duncan dead-heated with Jukebox Jury, was subsequently banned for 10 years in 2013.
“Obviously, I felt the punishment was harsh, but I have served my ban and I need to move on,” he said.
“I am allowed to ride out for trainers, and while I still haven’t fully recovered from a broken leg, I wanted to get my leg stronger, get myself fit and get back into riding racehorses.
“I have been riding showjumpers, it has really helped get me back riding and strong again, but I wanted to get back on the racehorse again. It is where my passion lies and I have really missed it. It is really nice to get on a nice three-year-old or four-year-old.”
Ahern and his partner, top showjumper Holly Smith, rent a yard in Leicestershire, where she is rebuilding her string. Ahern plans to break-in yearlings, pre-train and prepare breeze-up horses for trainers over the winter.
Though keen to build the business further, Ahern is not ruling out a return to the saddle, but admits it will be tough to do.
He said: “I am really thankful for the opportunity to ride out for Mr Haggas.
“I rode a lot of winners, including one at Royal Ascot, for him. I want to see if the bug still there, whether the fire is still in my stomach.
“I haven’t ridden racehorses in a while and when you are a work rider, it is all about educating the horses and getting the pace right, and feeding back as much information to the trainer as possible. I wanted to get back doing all that, especially with such high-class horses.
“William and (wife) Maureen know how much I admire them as people and as trainers.
“I love them, the lads in the yard, the yard itself and love the routine and the set-up. I missed seeing everyone’s faces. It is nice to see the riding-out boots and breeches.
“I know all the tracks and the gallops, I know how Mr Haggas wants his horses ridden and know how they should be ridden. I just want to get back doing all that again.
“I don’t know if I will make a comeback. What I do know is I want to get fit and get strong, and go down to ride work.
“I know the weight will fall off. I’m using all the old muscles I used to use before. My legs need to get stronger and my body to get stronger, but I’m 45. I’m under no illusions – I have a ‘Dad-bod’ at the moment!
“I feel I’m a lot older, I have other ideas in my head, breaking, pre-training, breeze-ups. Race-riding is a young man’s game. With one meeting a day and no saunas, it just makes life hard for jockeys, but I certainly wouldn’t rule it out.
“I’m happy to work hard for Mr Haggas and do as much as I can – and learn from him because, who knows, someday I might want to be a trainer.
“I’m just delighted to be given the opportunity to ride out and we’ll take things one step at a time.”
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