Gavin Cromwell has the chance to go back-to-back in the Pertemps Network Lady Protectress Mares’ Chase when he saddles the hat-trick-seeking Brides Hill at Huntingdon on Thursday.
The Irish handler made a successful raid on the two-and-a-half-mile Listed event with Jeremys Flame 12 months ago and now attempts to repeat the dose with the in-form seven-year-old who is unbeaten this term.
A winner at Listowel in September, she showed plenty of guts to oblige favourite-backers at Fairyhouse last month and now crosses the Irish Sea looking to continue on her upward curve.
Cromwell said: “She’s really suited to the race, conditions should suit and she’s going there fresh. She hasn’t run since the Winter Festival meeting at Fairyhouse in December and I’m looking forward to her running.
“It would be great to win it again. This has always been the plan after Fairyhouse to come here.”
Cromwell is no stranger to plundering these mares events and as well as winning this in 2023, his Limerick Lace landed a blow at Doncaster in the Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares’ Chase over the Christmas period.
Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s La Renommee (second), Amy Murphy’s Carole’s Pass (third) and Venetia Williams’ Pink Legend (fourth) were left to fight it out for minor honours on that occasion and will be hoping for a better result this time, while Syd Hosie’s Plenty Of Time arrives off the back of a wide-margin victory at Wincanton.
Dan Skelton has got his hands on this prize twice in the last 10 years and entrusts the versatile Sacre Coeur with providing him with another success.
The eight-year-old’s victory at Ludlow last month was her fifth in 10 chasing appearances and having struck up a useful partnership with conditional jockey Tristan Durrell, could now provide the 22-year-old with the first Listed triumph of his career.
Durrell said: “This is a step back in trip and grade for her, but she was really good at Ludlow last time out. She always runs her race and she has had a bit of a freshen up since the last day.
“I won on her over an extended two miles five (furlongs) earlier in the season at Fontwell and that is a stiff enough finish there up that hill so going back up in trip should be no problem at all.
“I thought she ran a good race at Aintree as she was keener than usual, but she kept going on ground that was really testing.
“I think when you have ridden a horse a few times on the track it does mean that bit more when you win on them and we will be doing our best to go for it here.”
Elsewhere on the card, the Nicky Henderson-trained Steal A March bids to make up for lost time in the Pertemps qualifier and move a step closer to giving the King and Queen a runner at the Cheltenham Festival.
The nine-year-old – who has the distinction of being a winner for the late Queen on Platinum Jubilee weekend – had been in line to become the royal couple’s first runner at the showpiece meeting last year after winning a qualifier for the Pertemps Final at Wincanton on Boxing Day in 2022.
However, a late setback meant those plans had to be shelved and while he was only fifth of six on his return at Newbury in December, Henderson is expecting a step forward back up in trip.
“Steal A March was going to the Cheltenham Festival last year, and he was all ready for it, but he had a little issue three weeks before which was real bad luck,” said the Seven Barrows handler, who also runs Chantry House.
“He has got a run under his belt, which is a help, as he needs a huge amount of work. He is a horse that takes plenty of getting ready.
“I hope he is more ready than the first time as he definitely needed it, but that is him. The step back up in trip to three-miles-one (furlong) will suit him as well.
“That was the plan, to have Steal A March run at the Cheltenham Festival last year, so let’s hope we can do it this year.”
He added: “This is a good race for Chantry House as it has been a long-term project for him back over hurdles. That ground at Sandown last time was desperate so you have got to excuse him that run.
“I need them both in this race as I want them both qualified for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham so we will be trying to win it, don’t you worry.”
No changes are imminent to the handicap system in Britain in relation to capping the number of runners a trainer can have in a race, the British Horseracing Authority has said.
As had been suggested in reports at the time, the ruling body consulted stakeholders to garner their views regarding the possibility of limiting the amount of runners a trainer could declare in Class 1 or Class 2 handicaps to four.
If such a rule change was introduced, it would clearly have a major impact on the Randox Grand National at Aintree, as well as several handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival.
Gordon Elliott made headlines when saddling the vast majority of the field in the Troytown Chase at Navan in November, winning it with Coko Beach.
BHA chief operating officer Richard Wayman said: “As we said at the time, on occasion the BHA will seek views of industry participants on a range of issues.
“In this case, prompted in part by the situation where one trainer saddled 14 of the 20 runners in the Troytown Chase in Ireland, we gathered opinions on a topic which is sometimes debated across the sport, regarding potentially imposing a limit on the number of runners one trainer can run in a major handicap. The issue was discussed in the context of sustaining the sport’s ongoing appeal to customers.
“Having considered the feedback and discussed the matter at the sport’s commercial committee and BHA board it has been agreed not to take any immediate action in regards to this matter, but to keep the issue under review.”
Few outside of athletics' circle had heard of teenage sensation Roshawn Clarke before his World Athletics Championships exploits in Budapest last year. But if all goes according to plan in this, his first full season in the senior ranks, then the budding 400m hurdler could have more tongues wagging leading up to, and after the Paris Olympic Games.
Clarke's performance and, by extension, rise to prominence at the World Championships was extraordinary given that he had only recently transitioned from junior competition, a testament to not only his grit, but also his immense potential.
The 19-year-old first gave a glimpse of his form when he won the event at Jamaica's National Championships in 47.85s, a time which tied with Sean Burrell for the world junior record set in 2021. With that win, Clarke also became only the second Jamaican to run under 48 seconds for the event, and the time placed him fourth-fastest in the world for the year, at that time.
However, Clarke later claimed the World Under-20 record for himself when he lowered the time to 47.34s on an even bigger stage in Budapest, when he placed fourth in the final behind Norway's World record holder Karsten Warholm and company.
Having digested the piquancy of competition against some of the world's best athletes, Clarke is now left hungry for more, and like any ambitious athlete, his next target is a podium finish at the Paris Olympic Games.
"The feeling to finish fourth at a World Championships at 19 years old is always crazy. Of course, when something like that happens you have to let it sink in, but at the same time, I am also thinking about striving for more, so the mindset going forward now is to get on the podium in Paris," Clarke declared.
With his best only good enough for fourth in Budapest, Clarke knows very well that significant improvement is required in order to make the step up. In fact, he would readily tell you that success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, sacrifice and most of all, love for what you are doing.
“Physically, I'm stronger than last season for sure, so that's a good thing, but I still think I need to grow strength wise. At the World Championships, I learnt how to be consistent at running fast through the rounds because you have to run fast times to get to the finals and to challenge for a medal. My takeaway from that championship is that I have to be consistent at running fast, so I have to be strong, which means I have to keep training hard and keep pushing,” Clarke shared.
“Mentally, I'm prepared to face the challenges because I've been there. I know what it takes to get there. I know what it takes to be in that final and I know what it is like to miss out on a medal, so the mindset is definitely stronger than last season and I am more determined to be successful,” he added.
Unflinching in his desire, Clarke, a Swept Track Club representative, is resolute in his press toward the goal to not only make it big for the country, but also to use his journey to inspire others and, of course, make his parents Etheleta Williams and Michael Clarke even more proud.
“Yes, definitely. My goal going forward is to win the national trials, get to the Olympic Games, give it my best shot and hopefully challenge for a medal. You won't be happy in a final without a medal, but I am not really stressing it right now, I just want to take things in stride and keep pushing to be the best that I can be,” the Camperdown alumnus ended.
Military Order and The Foxes – both Classic trial winners from last year – meet for a second time as they headline a quality field for the BetUK Winter Derby Trial at Southwell on Thursday.
Both the trial and the Winter Derby itself were previously contested over a mile and a quarter at Lingfield, but have been switched to the Nottinghamshire track and edged up to 11 furlongs in distance.
The Charlie Appleby-trained Military Order and Andrew Balding’s The Foxes both won significant Derby trials last year, with the Godolphin runner taking the Lingfield Trial while the King Power Racing-owned The Foxes won the Dante.
However, neither could get close to Auguste Rodin in the Derby itself, with The Foxes in fifth and Military Order trailing home last of the 14 Epsom runners.
While The Foxes went on to finish second in the Belmont Derby, Appleby’s runner was then off the track until September, when he registered another disappointing effort when last upped to 14 furlongs at Chester and the full-brother to Derby winner Adayar was subsequently gelded.
Appleby said: “This will be Military Order’s first start since being gelded and I have been pleased with his preparation.
“He has been running over further, but I feel that dropping back in trip is going to suit. He won over 10 furlongs at Newbury at the start of last season and then over a sharp mile and a half around Lingfield in the Derby Trial.
“This looks a decent race, with The Foxes probably bringing the strongest form into it. If we can be competitive against horses like him, it should hopefully steer us in the right direction for the coming months.”
Claymore won the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2022 but has been unable to add to that Group Three success in five subsequent runs, although trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam is taking plenty of heart from a recent Listed second at Deauville.
She said: “Claymore has been in good shape since Deauville and is ready to go with a view to coming back for the Winter Derby.
“It was really good to see him bounce back last time, although this looks a tough little race. I suspect with a furlong to go that it will be wide open!
“I think a mile and three furlongs will be fine for him. If you look at his Deauville run, he was really finishing, so I don’t have any concerns.
“I already have Blanchland pencilled in for (All-Weather) Finals Day and Claymore could join him. We will see how things go between now and then.”
Following Oh So Grand’s success in the Winter Oaks last weekend, Simon and Ed Crisford field Base Note, while Group Two winner Sir Busker and Ian Williams’ Enemy complete the six-strong line up.
In-form Harry Derham is targeting the Betfair Hurdle with former smart Flat performer Brentford Hope.
Third in the Gerry Feilden to Hansard last time out, Derham has kept his powder dry, resisting the temptation to run the seven-year-old at Christmas.
Brentford Hope is one of 33 left in contention for the valuable contest, for which the sponsors make Nicky Henderson’s Luccia their 7-1 favourite with Brentford Hope a 10-1 chance.
“The Betfair Hurdle is very much the plan for Brentford Hope, we’ve had it in the back of our minds all season,” said Derham.
“Obviously, he has run very well around Newbury previously, we were thinking about running him at Christmas, but we decided to keep him fresh.
“These big handicaps take a lot of winning, we wanted to have him as fresh and well and in as good a form as possible going into a race like this.
“He’s training well, he’s got a few strong pieces of work to go between now and then, but we are very much planning to go and very much looking forward to it.”
Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion is at the head of the weights, while Willie Mullins has left in Ocastle des Mottes, Alvaniy and Onlyamatteroftime.
Kemar Roach has encouraged Shamar Joseph to "build his own legacy" after bursting onto the Test scene last week in Adelaide but knows there will be distractions for him along the way.
Joseph struck with his first ball in Test cricket when he removed Steven Smith, then finished with 5 for 94 and also showed his prowess with the bat with scores of 36 and 15.
His rise to Test cricket has been remarkable on the back of just five first-class games, having grown up in the village of Baracara in Guyana, which could only be reached by boat.
He has now shot to global prominence and is being talked about as part of West Indies' future as they look to rebuild their Test cricket, but Joseph already has an ILT20 deal and more such offers are unlikely to be far away.
"The best advice I can give him is to build his own legacy," Roach said.
"Understand what you want from cricket. That's up to him to determine, if it's monetary, or if it's just stats and statistics or whatever. There's going to be a lot of distractions… he's a hot commodity right now so he needs to choose what he really wants and what he thinks is best for his career going forward. So, it's up to him as a young man, but I definitely give him that advice."
Roach, the senior figure in West Indies' attack with 80 caps to his name, is happy to take on a mentor role having had similar players to feed off early in his career.
"I had that when I started. Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards [were] some guys around to help me when I started my career," he said.
"I took knowledge and learning from it. So obviously for me now, it's all about passing on the mantle now to the youngsters. He's got a very good career ahead of him. At this stage, he's willing to learn. We have a lot of conversations. So, I think once he keeps doing that, not just coming from me but anyone who he thinks can help him in his career, he can take a lot of knowledge on board and become a better cricketer."
Roach himself is towards the latter stages of his career but has put no end point on his Test career.
"Day by day," he said with a smile, "let's see how it goes."
He made a big impression on his first tour of Australia in 2009 when he forced Ricky Ponting to retire hurt in Perth but has found the country the toughest place to take wickets with 10 at 77.90 from eight matches.
"As a bowler coming to Australia you are bowling against some of the best batters in the world so there is always a good challenge," he said.
"I love a good challenge. I have lived for that my whole career so for me coming here is just about expressing yourself, enjoying and relishing the moment and giving it a good go. Be confident in yourself and your skills and let's see how the day goes for you."
Roach only briefly dipped his toe into the franchise world of T20 - his last game in the format was in 2018 - although that did include a stint with Brisbane Heat, who will play the BBL final against Sydney Sixers on Wednesday.
The last time Heat won the BBL was in 2012-13, when Roach claimed 3 for 18 against Perth Scorchers at the WACA. "I saw my picture on the wall, so good memories," he said of his return to the Gabba, the home ground of Heat.
Test cricket, where he ranks fifth among West Indies' all-time wicket-takers, has remained his No. 1 priority and Roach firmly believes that is the case among many young players in the Caribbean.
"I love Test cricket," he said.
"Honestly, I love the red-ball format. I've played one-dayers and the T20 format as well but I think my heart was always a part of the red ball. I just wanted to be a part of those mega cricketers back in the days. The Joel Garners, the Malcolm Marshalls, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, I just want to be a part of those names.
"And I think for me, obviously, I didn't grow up much in the franchise era. So I had Test cricket at heart, and it has stuck with me throughout. I just think it is different times now. So for me, it's just about these youngsters, what they want to achieve from it. And they make the right decisions and they go forward [in their] careers.
"The franchises are a big distraction," he added. "But guys still want to relish red-ball cricket. Test cricket is still at the hearts of West Indian cricketers at home. It's just about us to provide support around it. To keep those guys interested in red-ball cricket. Discussions will be had. I'm not part of it. They take Tests very seriously still. They are very proud to be a part of the red-ball team for the West Indies."
Some famous colours were carried to victory at Newbury on Tuesday when Gaye Legacy came with a late run to win the Ray Dalfsen Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
Gaye Legacy’s dam Gaye Memories was out of a half-sister to Gaye Brief and Gaye Chance, the former famously winning a Champion Hurdle and the latter a Stayers’ Hurdle for Mercy Rimell, who took over at the famous Kinnersley yard that was put on the map by her husband, Fred.
Upon her retirement Rimell still owned horses, arguably the most famous of which was Simon, brother of Gaye Memories, trained by John Spearing, and it was those claret with blue spots silks that were on show at Newbury.
Gaye Legacy is owned by the Chase The Dream partnership and Mrs Robin Knipe, otherwise known as Scarlett Knipe, daughter of Fred and Mercy.
Scarlett’s late husband Robin also bred the likes of Master Oats and Thistlecrack so it is a family steeped in racing history, which winning trainer Tom Symonds was well aware of.
“It’s wonderful and the mare was really tough today under a good ride by Ben (Poste), I thought she was unlucky at Kempton last time and she proved that today,” said Symonds after the 11-2 success.
“Given there is stamina in abundance like it is in her pedigree you have lots of options. She’s still a novice and there’s the Listed race at Doncaster on March 2, so depending how she rates after today we’ll see. Three miles is easy enough for her. She’s not very big, but I think she will jump fences.”
He added: “It’s thrilling for Scarlett to keep her eponymous family going. When Scarlett lost Gaye Memories, the sister to Simon and Gaye Legacy’s mother, her own mother Mercy not long after died so she bought this mare in her memory, hence the name.”
The card began with two divisions of a two-mile maiden hurdle, sponsored by BetVictor.
The opener saw a very nice performance from Dan Skelton’s Be Aware (11-1), who was making his debut but looked the part under Harry Skelton.
“That was a lovely performance, he’s a horse we’ve liked since we got him but to be honest we’ve been trying to keep the lid on him as he’s by Martaline and he can be immature a bit at home,” the jockey told Sky Sports Racing
“We’ll see how we go. You do try to turn them into chasers and he’s got size and scope. We’ve just got to look after him, he’s got a lot of talent.”
The second division went to Into The Park (9-4 favourite), trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White.
Warren Greatrex’s Abuffalosoldier (10-1) defied top-weight in the Remembering Bob Olney Novices’ Handicap Chase, while Gary Moore’s Issar d’Airy (11-10 favourite) followed up a recent win at the track but found life tougher under 8lb more, beating I’d Like To Know by a short head.
Ben Pauling’s Roysse (6-1) looks to have a future given how strongly he travelled in the concluding bumper before tiring a little late on, beating previous winner Jurancon by two and a half lengths.
One-time Derby hope Reach For The Moon could yet have a starring role for the royal family after being entered for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The five-year-old had been viewed as a potential Classic contender for the late Queen in 2022 after winning the Group Three Solario Stakes as a juvenile, but an injury dashed those hopes and the son of Sea The Stars struggled to regain his form.
Out of luck in five subsequent starts, Reach For The Moon was last seen when beating just three horses in last year’s Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot, on what transpired to be his final start for John and Thady Gosden.
Now with Jamie Snowden, Reach For The Moon has yet to jump a hurdle in public, but his trainer feels his Flat rating of 105 merits at least having the Festival option, should things fall into place ahead of the March 12 feature.
Snowden said: “He was obviously a very good horse for John and Thady Gosden and he was a leading contender at one stage for the 2022 Derby.
“He had a few little issues on the Flat hence the reason why he has ended up jumping with us as opposed to doing anything else.
“With a horse that has that kind of rating on the Flat, we have to give him an entry in the Supreme, but we will see how he takes to everything over the next month to six weeks.
“Racing is steeped in the tradition of the royal family. The Queen Mother loved it, and the late Queen was a big supporter of the sport.
“It is wonderful that the King and the Queen are supporting racing as much as ever before.
“They have got a nice team on the Flat, and it was great to see them have a Royal Ascot winner last year in Desert Hero, who won the King George V Stakes.
“We have got some nice horses for them and hopefully Reach For The Moon can fly the flag high. We are lucky to have a horse of his talent and hopefully we can do him justice.”
Snowden has been satisfied with Reach For The Moon’s recent progress but has yet to decide on a starting point over obstacles for the gelding, who is owned by the Queen and former Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick.
Snowden added: “He is a very talented individual and has taken well to his jumping. He did a lot of jumping when he came in off the Flat and then he went for a bit of a break back at Sandringham.
“He worked around the bowl (a gallop in Lambourn) nicely and his jumping is great. Hopefully he will be ready to run mid-February.
“We will see how he progresses and runs first time out over hurdles and then we will make a decision.
“We don’t need to make any big decisions just yet, but we have stuck the Supreme entry in as if you aren’t entered, you can’t run.
“He is a very exciting horse to have in the yard and it is great to have the support of the royal family.”
Para swimmer Tully Kearney has been commended for speaking out over her concerns about the process which led to her being reclassified last year.
The BBC has reported that Kearney, who won S5 100 metres freestyle gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021, has raised a formal complaint over how she felt she was treated during the classification process administered by World Para Swimming (WPS).
Kearney described the process which led to her being reclassified as “inappropriate, insulting and at times humiliating”.
The British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA), the independent representative body for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, praised Kearney for raising her concerns.
“Confidentiality is vital in our work for elite athletes, so while we won’t comment on whether an individual has used our support or not, we commend athletes’ decisions to speak out about their experiences,” a BEAA spokesperson told the PA news agency.
“While we recognise the complexities of the classification process, athlete welfare should remain paramount throughout, as at all times in their careers.
“Our support remains available for all World Class Programme athletes undergoing classification, including for their mental health, and we encourage them to reach out when they need to.”
Kearney, who was born with cerebral palsy and has developed generalised dystonia, had been classified as S5 since 2018 but said the review in 2023 led to her classification being “unexpectedly changed” to S6.
The intention of classification in Paralympic sport is to ensure fair competition, but Kearney’s complaint, as reported by the BBC, said the change to S6 meant she was now required to compete against athletes with a much lower degree of impairment.
“As I have two neurological conditions, one stable and one progressive, it is irrational and unreasonable to reach a conclusion on my classification status that states my disabilities have actually ‘improved’. This is a medical impossibility,” Kearney said.
Kearney also highlighted other examples of the process being “inherently flawed”, claiming the classifiers’ paperwork stated she walked with crutches. Kearney says she has been a wheelchair user since 2016.
The BBC reports that she also made the classification team aware at the time of the review that she was recovering from a concussion, but that they failed to take this into account.
A British Swimming spokesperson said: “British Swimming have provided full support and advice to Tully throughout this process as one of our World Class Programme athletes, and will continue to do so.”
The BBC has reported that Kearney has asked WPS to permit an appeal, even though the two-week window to do so has elapsed.
PA has contacted WPS for comment.
Equinox has been crowned the world’s best racehorse of 2023 – and with it the highest-rated Japanese horse of all time.
A year that started with a brilliant three-and-a-half-length beating of Westover in the Dubai Sheema Classic featured another three Group Ones, culminating in his farewell to the track in the Japan Cup.
Trained by Tetsuya Kimura, Equinox was only beaten twice in his 10-race career, winning six Group Ones in total.
He was given a rating of 135 in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.
His figure is 5lb below the 140 awarded to Flightline 12 months ago, which equalled the benchmark under the current system set by Frankel in 2012, but he sits 7lb ahead of last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact and dual Group One victor Mostahdaf, who were both rated 128.
Christophe Lemaire rode Equinox in every start and he attended a glittering ceremony in London on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the son of Kitasan Black’s achievement.
Asked what it was like to ride Equinox, Lemaire joked: “To be honest it was quite enjoyable!
“Each time he ran there were big expectations, but I had so much confidence in the horse that I had no fear. To ride him, it was just a pleasure to be on a galloping horse.
“The way he ran was just amazing. Of course, I tried to do my job as well as possible and it was a great journey – I will miss him a lot.
“As have most top athletes, he had a combination of physical strength and mental strength. His physical allowed him to run fast and further using his beautiful stride, very well balanced and also he was very clever, so he understood very quickly what he had to do to win the race.
“My job was just to take a good start and put him in the right position to let him express his talent.
“He was nearly the perfect racehorse and we have to congratulate the breeder (Northern Farm) who could produce such a beautiful horse and the trainer for getting him mature to compete at the best level.
“Just after his debut, I could feel he was special, the way he moved, his acceleration, his attitude on the track – I could feel very quickly he would become a very good horse. Most other people discovered him in Dubai, but in Japan he was already a rising star.”
Equinox officially retired at the end of November, with thousands of people attending a ceremony for the horse in mid-December before he headed to his new role at Shadai Stallion Station, where he will stand for ¥20 million – just over £106,000.
Speaking through a translator, Kimura said: “I wasn’t prepared for it all (the praise he received after Dubai), I feel like I’ve still been in a dream since then.
“The expectations were very high (before the Japan Cup) and it was very difficult to stay calm, but Equinox showed an amazing start and he has the most beautiful stride in the world and he managed to beat all his rivals with his amazing stamina, so I have nothing else that I wanted from him at all.”
To add to the Japanese laurels, the Japan Cup was named the best race in the world for the first time, with a rating assigned on the first four finishers.
Paisley Park is in rude health as he prepares to go in search of an unprecedented fourth success in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Emma Lavelle’s veteran 12-year-old has won the Grade Two three times, just like Lady Rebecca at the turn of the century.
Third behind the French Raider Gold Tweet last season, Paisley Park has run two huge races in defeat already this campaign when just touched off at Newbury and Ascot, most recently in the Long Walk.
When asked if Paisley Park was in the same form as for his two meritorious runs this season, Lavelle told Sky Sports Racing: “I think so.
“He seems very well at home, he schooled this morning. He’s jumped more hurdles than I’ve had hot dinners at home so he’s in great order.
“He’s his own man so it’s fingers crossed he brings to the table what he has in both races so far this season.
“He loves Cheltenham, he’s got a great record there and we’ve just got to keep everything crossed.”
Paisley Park’s old adversaries Champ and Dashel Drasher are likely to take him on again, with 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats and Marie’s Rock other notable entries.
New ground will be broken in this year's Concacaf Champions Cup when Jamaica's Cavalier Football Club square off against Major League Soccer's (MLS) FC Cincinnati in Round One action next month.
Not only will it be the first time that both teams will parade their skills in the tournament, but it will also be the first time that a Jamaican club will lock horns with an MLS outfit that is not DC United.
This two-legged encounter, like others in the first round, is possible due to the tournament's expanded format to accommodate 27 teams.
By virtue of winning the MLS Supporters Shield for the 2023 season, in which they had the league’s best record during the regular season, FC Cincinnati qualified for their first Champions Cup, while Cavalier qualified by way of their runner-up finish in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup.
This means that two teams making their Champions Cup debut will meet in the first round of action, for the first time since the 2020 edition when New York City FC faced Costa Rica's San Carlos in the Round of 16.
In all four previous instances when Jamaican teams drew an MLS opponent in the Champions Cup, all were somehow pitted against DC United. This started in the 2005 quarterfinals, where DC United eliminated Harbour View 4-2 on aggregate with a pair of 2-1 victories.
Three years later in 2008, those same two sides met again in the quarterfinal round. Harbour View earned a 1-1 draw at home, but succumbed 5-0 away loss, as DC United won 6-1 on aggregate.
In the 2014-15 Champions Cup, Waterhouse was the Jamaican opponent for DC United in the group stage. DC United narrowly won that encounter 1-0 at home and then 2-1 in Jamaica on their way to group honours.
The following season in the 2015-16 group stage, DC United faced Montego Bay United, and again came out tops. DC United collected a 3-0 win at home and then rallied from a three-goal deficit to claim a 3-3 draw in Jamaica.
Thanks to DC United’s prowess, MLS teams have six wins and two draws against Jamaican opposition in the Champions Cup, a mark that will be put to the test by Cavalier against FC Cincinnati in next month’s fixture.
In what might be an ominous portent of what is to come, City Of Troy “should have no problem over a range of distances” this season, according to Aidan O’Brien.
The unbeaten Justify colt enters his Classic year with a sky-high reputation and ranked second only to Johannesburg – a four-time Group One-winning juvenile – among O’Brien’s 13 champion two-year-olds to date with a rating of 125 following the unveiling of the European classifications.
“He looks very exciting, obviously, and he looks like he’ll have no problem going up in distance,” said O’Brien of the Dewhurst winner, who is favourite for the 2000 Guineas and Derby and has even been talked of as a potential Triple Crown horse.
“I suppose from the first time he ran he looked something different and we always felt that he was a horse who should go forward from two to three, so he’s very exciting from that point of view.
“Johannesburg was more of a two-year-old, he was a small horse. This horse has a massive big, long stride, a bigger horse and obviously he looks very exciting.
“He’s made good physical progress, we’re very happy with him. He’s not too big a horse, he’s not too small, he’s medium-sized and a lovely, well-balanced horse, he’s got a lovely mind. He’s moving very well and he looks like a horse who should have no problem over a range of distances.
“I suppose what makes him different is the tempo he goes in a race and then he just kicks into another gear at halfway, really.
“We didn’t have a horse as exciting ever as City Of Troy as a two-year-old, probably.”
O’Brien enjoyed notable success from a relatively small sample with offspring of American Triple Crown hero Justify, and he floated the idea of taking some of them out to the States to race on dirt.
“We will definitely consider taking the Justifys to America. I would imagine they will be made for the dirt, Justify was a big dirt sprinter who got a mile and a half, but that is why he’s so exciting, they are as good on turf as dirt,” said O’Brien.
“The Kentucky Derby is unlikely as we might not have anything forward enough for that, but after that, once the Classics are out of the way, there’s every chance we could travel over with some of them.”
City Of Troy was rated 5lb clear of Bucanero Fuerte, trained by Adrian Murray, while just 1lb behind him was another O’Brien inmate, Henry Longfellow, also unbeaten in three races.
“We always thought they were two very good colts but we never put them together,” said O’Brien.
“Both travel very well and quicken very well. City Of Troy has a lower action, while Henry Longfellow bends his knee a little bit.
“Henry Longfellow was impressive in his three runs but what City Of Troy did, he always looked different.
“We were thinking at the moment, although obviously it can change, of starting City Of Troy at Newmarket and we’re thinking of maybe starting Henry Longfellow in France.”
The leading two-year-old filly for 2023 was another Ballydoyle inmate, Opera Singer, a five-length winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac.
“I think we’ll probably start her in the English Guineas. Physically she’s done very well, she’s at the same stage as City Of Troy at the moment,” said O’Brien.
“We’ll probably split them up, one might go to France and one might go to England, her and Ylang Ylang (Fillies’ Mile winner), that’s what we’re thinking at the moment.
“She’s a Justify and they are very versatile but she’s out of a Sadler’s Wells mare (Liscanna) and we didn’t think she’d have any problems handling an ease in the ground. We were hoping good ground would bring out the best in her.”
Opera Singer is a half-sister to Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna, who both won Group Ones at two but failed to train on at three.
“I suppose she’s by Justify which is the massive thing and Justifys improve a lot a three, that’s what we’re thinking. She’s much bigger than they were, scopier, so I think the Justify factor will make a massive difference to her,” said O’Brien.
“When you look at a horse you can tell physically if they have changed from two to three, first impressions is always the thing. Some might get heavier but physically they don’t change.
“They’ve done all their strength and conditioning now and their canters are starting to build up so you want them to be looking like three-year-olds now.”
Mark Bird, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s handicapper, has spoken of a “slightly worrying trend” as the number of horses to make the juvenile classifications dropped to a new low in 2023.
Horse have to achieve a mark of at least 110 to feature on the coveted list, which was this year dominated by the 125-rated City Of Troy.
While Bird lauded the champion, he believes the fact that only 36 contenders made the cut last term is a concern, with the number of British and French-trained runners both taking a notable dip.
He said: “We have 36 horses in the classification this year, 27 colts and nine fillies. That is the lowest total there’s ever been in terms of the international classifications for two-year-olds since it began in 1978. Our previous low was 40.
“Looking at the trends going back over the years, the average even starting this century back in 2000, was about 48 and we’re down this year, so that’s a 25 per cent drop. That begs the question are the horses still around, are they not being campaigned and what is the reason behind that.
“The decline has been marked and notable, particularly in the last decade when the numbers have slipped. That’s something we noticed, certainly in the last number of years and particularly this year where it is a record low.
“In terms of identifying where the fall off has been, I think the number of Irish-trained two-year-olds largely thanks to Ballydoyle has remained relatively stable. There has been a drop off, certainly over the last 20 years in France, and more recently there has been quite a drop off in British-trained two-year-olds.”
Seeking to explain the trend, Bird highlighted the lacklustre campaign endured by Charlie Appleby’s team, with the Godolphin trainer usually a powerhouse in the division, but also highlighted the commercial opportunities for a well-regarded maiden winner on the international market.
He added: “Obviously we have a lack of Godolphin-owned horses on the classification this year, John and Thady Gosden have two horses on it but there are gaps this year that might perhaps explain why it’s so low, but in overall terms I suppose it’s a slightly worrying trend.
“We have a high-class champion this year and there are a number of good horses, particularly in terms of Ballydoyle, but the overall landscape may give some cause for concern given the low numbers.
“This century the average number of French runners to now has been about seven and it’s down to four this year, the average of British-trained runners in the classification is 24 down to 17 this year, the average Irish representation since 2000 has been about 15 and it’s 15 this year, so certainly a fall in terms of numbers in France and Britain.
“I think what is essentially keeping Ireland afloat is Coolmore and their strong representation.
“It does bring up the issue of whether the two-year-olds are there, are they not being campaigned or are they being sold to the Middle East or Hong Kong. Domestically, a maiden winner in Ireland, almost immediately you get a call asking what it’s going to be rated because somebody wants to sell it or buy it.
“Over the course of the last 20 years I think that does have an impact in terms of the number of horses we have in this classification and it’s just the reality of life really.”
Graeme Smith, the British Horseracing Authority’s handicapping team leader, is inclined to think the contraction of British-trained stars is a “blip”, pointing to wide-margin big-race winners having an impact.
He said: “I do wonder if this year is a blip for Britain because the last few years we have had 21, 26 and 25, it’s just 17 this year. The obvious absence of Godolphin two-year-olds, I think Charlie Appleby has got one on the list in Ancient Wisdom, there’s got to be a lot of talent bubbling under in that stable and the same with John and Thady Gosden.
“We have had some wide-margin winners of some of our biggest races which enables us to rate the winners high, but the placed horses, it’s difficult to get a big rating on them when they have been beaten so far.
“We have also had a lot of races with really condensed finishes as well and when you start putting elevated figures on the winner and the second, all of sudden you have the seventh and eighth rated 110 which is unrealistic.”
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