It has been a learning experience for the Young Sugar Girlz thus far as they continue to participate in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U 14 Challenge Series tournament in Antigua and Barbuda.
Though they lost the matches they played in thus far and another match unfinished due to weather, the girls’ coaches were full of praise for what they have been able to achieve. The team is being coached by Jaheida Lewis and Kaneisa Byron. Coach Lewis emphasized how the tournament has been a learning experience for the coaches and players.
“This is a big learning experience for both the coaches and the players. For the players, especially, this tournament was much more serious and required them to be a bit more focused, and they were given more responsibilities as players. It's an honor for them to be playing for their country, respecting their country, and doing the best that they can to make their country proud,” she said.
Coach Byron noted that the players have come a long way. “They are aware of their shortcomings, both staff and players. And so we're just trying to see how best we can correct our mistakes and try to see, going forward how much we can use the lessons learned to put it in play and help us to come out with hopefully a better game," Byron said. "It's a learning process for us all, and I do believe if we continue, both players and coaches (as well as) parents and everyone; if we continue to encourage the girls, and help them to prepare for the game both mentally and physically, they'll be a lot better and ready for their next tournament, whenever that may be."
The Young Sugar girls ended their CFU campaign with a 2-0 loss to Curacao on Wednesday. Up to the time of publication, they were expected to complete their unfinished match against Martinique at 7 p.m. Wednesday. That match was unfinished on Sunday due to rain.
Gary Moore has paid tribute to Sire De Grugy following the 2014 Champion Chase hero’s death at the age of 17.
He won 17 of his 42 starts, scoring at the highest level on five occasions in a career that spanned seven seasons and saw him become a popular figure on the National Hunt stage.
His finest hour came during 2013-14 where he took both Moore and his son Jamie to Group One stardom and the Cheltenham Festival winner’s enclosure, registering an emphatic six-length triumph over Somersby in that season’s Champion Chase.
Owned during his racing career by the Preston family, Sire De Grugy’s final victory would be an Ascot handicap in November 2016, with his farewell appearance coming at the scene of his greatest triumph, Cheltenham, just over a year later in December 2017.
He remained close to the Moores in retirement, spending his time in a stable especially made for his flagship horse by Jamie.
“He meant the world and he was a very good racehorse, but also a very good friend,” said Moore.
“In his later part of life he was fantastic with the grandchildren and Jamie’s wife in particular. He was an amazing horse.
“Jamie built a yard for him and some paddocks and he’s been well looked after since he retired. We did all we could to try to help him recover, but sadly it didn’t work.
“He did things that I haven’t been lucky enough to train another horse to do like him. Steve Preston was his owner and we had some great fun with him as there’s not many horses like him.”
At the peak of his powers during the 2013-14 campaign, Sire De Grugy won five-straight Graded chases in a row and as well as striking big-race glory at Prestbury Park, also scored in the Tingle Creek and Celebration Chase, both at Sandown, as well as registering an emphatic 11-length victory in Ascot’s Clarence House Chase.
Moore holds fond memories of those halcyon days and although Sire De Grugy’s Champion Chase success remains the biggest victory of the handler’s career, it is his Sandown demolition of Somersby in the first of two Tingle Creek triumphs which the Lower Beeding trainer picks out when asked for his favourite Sire De Grugy highlight.
He added: “Obviously Cheltenham was a very special day with everybody there and you have to savour them because there are not many days like it. But it would have to be the Tingle Creek for me and the way he did it.
“When he won the Celebration Chase after winning the Champion Chase that was some performance as well because he was well over the top but still managed to win.
“Every day was very special in that season. There’s not many horses that can do what he did.”
James Doyle was thrilled to ride a rare winner for the opposition after steering Warm Heart to top-level success in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks.
Having been retained by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation for the past eight years, opportunities to don the silks of a major rivals in Coolmore have unsurprisingly been few and far between.
But with Ryan Moore opting to partner Irish Oaks heroine Savethelastdance on the Knavesmire, Doyle got the call for Warm Heart, who impressed in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June but was beaten five and a half lengths into fifth place by her stablemate at the Curragh last month.
The Cambridge-born jockey, trading his usual royal blue colours for pink, was keen to make the most of the opportunity.
“They’re two great teams and there’s been some immense battles over the years,” said Doyle.
“I grew up watching those titanic battles with horses like Fantastic Light (beating Galileo) in the Irish Champion Stakes. They were great races to watch and it really means a lot.
“I’ve ridden for Aidan (O’Brien) for a few years now and have not quite got the results I hoped. When you ride one of his you know you’ve got a squeak.”
Although passed over by Moore, Doyle was confident his mount was lining up with major claims.
He said: “I was thrilled to pick up this ride. I was quietly hoping I could and I was praying I did as I thought back on fast ground and this track would definitely suit her.
“I was praying we got a tiny bit of rain so the other one (Savethelastdance) would run, but anyway it all worked out and I can’t be more thankful to the team for entrusting me with a ride like this.”
With conditions far less demanding, Moore was in no mood to hang around, sending Savethelastdance straight to the lead in an attempt to grind his rivals into submission.
Doyle, though, cut a confident figure in Moore’s wing mirrors for the full length of the straight and played his cards as late as he dared.
After kicking a couple of lengths clear, Warm Heart had to contend with the late lunge of Free Wind and Frankie Dettori, but gritted her teeth to cling on by a head.
“I was thinking it would be quite tricky early on as even over a mile and a half being drawn nine of 10 is not ideal, but it just worked out perfectly,” Doyle added.
“Suddenly I was one off the rail after a furlong and was able to bring her back and relax as I did have to ask her to jump quite sharp.
“I was able to save all the way round. There was a moment Bluestocking came to me and I just had to wake her up and she really came alive for me.
“Before the race Aidan said ‘try to be the last one to challenge inside the furlong pole’, but she took me down through the two and nothing could take me any further. I was just praying for the furlong pole to come and I had to go a little bit earlier, just to really focus her up.
“When Frankie came at me I thought ‘here we go again’, but she was very brave, which is a quality Aidan O’Brien really trains in these horses – when you get in the guts of a battle, you like to be on them.”
O’Brien was fulsome in his praise of Doyle’s talent.
“We always go through who is available and we always use James when he’s available, obviously he’s not available that much,” he said.
“He’s a gentleman, a very classy rider and very determined and very strong. He has all the qualities and always had.
“I knew he was doing his best whatever way it was going to fall. They’re not easy instructions and I don’t think he could have played it much later as Frankie was forcing him to go. I thought he gave her a brilliant ride really.
“It looked like Frankie was going to come by her, but she found again. James was very strong on her.”
William Haggas’ Sea Theme was a determined winner of the Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes at York.
The Sea The Stars filly, who was the 5-2 favourite, won a Doncaster novice by a good margin last time out and showed plenty of tenacity to follow that win up with another when coming home a head to the good.
Ridden by Tom Marquand, she chased down the leading horse, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Climate Friendly, and held off some fast finishers to take the valuable Knavesmire prize.
Haggas said: “Tom said she doesn’t know what she’s doing yet. A horse got away and he was just trying to gather her up so it’s very good she’s won
“She’s a tough filly, she’s done well to win as she’s pretty inexperienced. She battled hard and she’s clearly got ability.”
There are Group-race options under consideration now, with the filly proven on conditions near both ends of the spectrum.
“She’s had a race today, there were no prisoners taken there. It could possibly be Park Hill (Doncaster) if she’s all right. Champions Day? I don’t know, that’s a big step up.
“I always felt she wanted top of the ground as she’s such a fluent mover – she won on the soft at Doncaster when I wanted to pull her out, but the owner said to let her take her chance, I’m glad we did.
“She seems to go on most ground, so I suppose she’s going to be pretty good.”
Frankie Dettori was denied a Group One Knavesmire double by the narrowest of margins, as Free Wind just failed to reel in Warm Heart in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks.
Just 24 hours on from his heroics aboard Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International, Dettori was beaten a head by James Doyle on the Aidan O’Brien-trained apparent second-string.
A multiple winner at Group Two level, John and Thady Gosden’s Free Wind was aiming to break her Group One duck at the first attempt and just came up short.
Dettori said: “She’s run a super race. I couldn’t get out when I wanted to so I had to wait an extra half a furlong. That meant James had all the momentum.
“I got to him but I just wish I’d been able to get my filly rolling beforehand, that 9lb (weight for age concession) just took its toll in the end.
“I just think the pocket I got stuck in cost me.”
John Gosden said: “She ran great but it just took her a little time to get out and that meant the winner got first run on us.
“That’s life, but she ran a super race and I’m really happy with her.
“We’ll see what comes next, but Champions Day would be an obvious target for her.”
Bluestocking, who finished fourth, and who had run so well in the Irish Oaks, did not quite reproduce that form and her trainer Ralph Beckett put that down to the faster ground.
“She’s just not quite as effective on that quicker ground as she is on slower ground, that’s all it is,” said Beckett.
“She’s run her race, she’s run well and she’s run through the line but she’s just not quite as good on quicker ground.
“Come the autumn I’d like to think there will be a few nice targets for her.”
Rossa Ryan said of the filly: “She’s run a blinder, but she’s probably more effective on the softer ground where she can use her turn of foot better.”
Warm Heart toughed it out to take the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks for Aidan O’Brien in a thrilling finish from Free Wind.
The James Doyle-ridden 9-1 winner was the second string for Ballydoyle, with her Irish Oaks-winning stablemate Savethelastdance the 100-30 favourite under Ryan Moore.
The latter made the running, as Warm Heart travelled patiently in mid-division, eventually making her move around the final bend and smoothly gaining all the way up the home straight.
John and Thady Gosden’s Free Wind had to wait for a gap before going with her and the two battled all the way to the line, with Warm Heart just getting the verdict by a head from Frankie Dettori’s mount.
Savethelastdance was another two lengths back in third.
The highly-popular Ropey Guest claimed a notable victory at York when taking the Clipper Handicap for George Margarson.
The gelding is great campaigner for the stable and has often come within inches of landing a big handicap prize, including second-placed finishes in the past two renewals of the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.
At one stage the highest-rated maiden in the country, he has looked like he was due a bit of luck and on the Knavesmire he finally received it under regular rider Tom Queally.
Having started at 40-1, the six-year-old ran gamely and saw off all challengers to come home a head in front of Point Lynas.
Margarson said: “Last time at Ascot he blew the start and before that in the Bunbury he was very unlucky, Sean Levey was devastated, so we knew he was in better form this year than he ever has been.
“The Guest family (owners) live near Ascot and have their business there so he tends to run there a lot and it’s good money there. There is a race at Ascot next week but I said we’d come here and go for the big one, it’s over £70,000 to the winner.
“Fair play to Tom, he said he’d ride him as a stayer, he has won over a mile at Yarmouth but you can’t really count that. He’s done most of his running in sprints. This is great for the yard, especially with the sales season coming up.
“Katie (daughter) is away in Finland competing in a triathlon, she’s devastated she can’t be here but Rosie (daughter) has been riding her out and has obviously improved him!
“That’s his fourth win and he’s won over £200,000 in prize-money. He’s six now yet he was running in the Coventry and Acomb at two so we’ve never shirked anything.”
The highly-popular Ropey Guest claimed a notable victory at York when taking the Clipper Handicap for George Margarson.
The gelding is great campaigner for the stable and has often come within inches of landing a big handicap prize, including second-placed finishes in the past two renewals of the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.
At one stage the highest-rated maiden in the country, he has looked like he was due a bit of luck and on the Knavesmire he finally received it under regular rider Tom Queally.
Having started at 40-1, the six-year-old ran gamely and saw off all challengers to come home a head in front of Point Lynas.
Margarson said: “Last time at Ascot he blew the start and before that in the Bunbury he was very unlucky, Sean Levey was devastated, so we knew he was in better form this year than he ever has been.
“The Guest family (owners) live near Ascot and have their business there so he tends to run there a lot and it’s good money there. There is a race at Ascot next week but I said we’d come here and go for the big one, it’s over £70,000 to the winner.
“Fair play to Tom, he said he’d ride him as a stayer, he has won over a mile at Yarmouth but you can’t really count that. He’s done most of his running in sprints. This is great for the yard, especially with the sales season coming up.
“Katie (daughter) is away in Finland competing in a triathlon, she’s devastated she can’t be here but Rosie (daughter) has been riding her out and has obviously improved him!
“That’s his fourth win and he’s won over £200,000 in prize-money. He’s six now yet he was running in the Coventry and Acomb at two so we’ve never shirked anything.”
Dragon Leader blew his rivals out of the water with a runaway victory in the Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes at York.
The Clive Cox-trained colt had won both career starts going into the race, taking a pair of Salisbury novices and subsequently arriving at York well-fancied as the 7-2 joint-favourite.
Under Ryan Moore he made light work of a big field, surging into an unassailable lead to score by an impressive four and a half lengths from fellow market leader Ziggy’s Condor, in scenes almost reminiscent of Mums Tipple in the 2019 renewal.
Cox said: “We liked him and that’s three from three, so it was no surprise (to see him win), but to do it quite as comfortably as he did was great.
“Ryan got into a really nice rhythm and to see him kick like he did was amazing, so we’re very happy.
“It means a great deal to win Harry Beeby’s race as he was a very close friend.
“Ryan is top drawer and I think our strike-rate is pretty good when he does occasionally dip in, but a lot of thanks goes to John Fahy who worked hard on this horse in the spring as well.
“He’s in the sales race at Doncaster (Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes), which is a jolly nice prize as well. His median value qualifies him really nicely for that, but we’ll just see how we go.
“That was always the intention, but we’ll be thinking about that (Group races) properly as well.”
Dragon Leader blew his rivals out of the water with a runaway victory in the Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes at York.
The Clive Cox-trained colt had won both career starts going into the race, taking a pair of Salisbury novices and subsequently arriving at York well-fancied as the 7-2 joint-favourite.
Under Ryan Moore he made light work of a big field, surging into an unassailable lead to score by an impressive four and a half lengths from fellow market leader Ziggy’s Condor, in scenes almost reminiscent of Mums Tipple in the 2019 renewal.
Cox said: “We liked him and that’s three from three, so it was no surprise (to see him win), but to do it quite as comfortably as he did was great.
“Ryan got into a really nice rhythm and to see him kick like he did was amazing, so we’re very happy.
“It means a great deal to win Harry Beeby’s race as he was a very close friend.
“Ryan is top drawer and I think our strike-rate is pretty good when he does occasionally dip in, but a lot of thanks goes to John Fahy who worked hard on this horse in the spring as well.
“He’s in the sales race at Doncaster (Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes), which is a jolly nice prize as well. His median value qualifies him really nicely for that, but we’ll just see how we go.
“That was always the intention, but we’ll be thinking about that (Group races) properly as well.”
Relief Rally flew up the stands side rail to land the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York.
William Haggas’ filly was a three-time winner coming into the Group Two contest and started as the 2-1 favourite under Tom Marquand after victory in the Super Sprint at Newbury.
Ridden patiently on her first try at six furlongs, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned bay began to make headway in the final furlong and pulled away as the line approached to prevail ahead of Aidan O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom.
Kylian takes the step up to six furlongs as he attempts to enhance his growing reputation in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York.
The colt has had a busy and successful juvenile campaign so far, running with promise in a handful of novices before winning the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown by an impressive six lengths.
He then went to the Molecomb at Goodwood and was beaten only by Mick Appleby’s Royal Ascot scorer Big Evs, who prevailed by a length and a half and was supplemented for the Nunthorpe as a result.
Kylian stays among his own age group, however, and heads the market ahead of this Group Two six-furlong assignment with connections retaining plenty of faith in the son of Invincible Spirit.
“I think he has got the speed for five, but he was just drawn out on the wing at Goodwood and by the time Ryan (Moore) managed to get him across to the stands rail he was already three or four lengths behind the front two,” explained Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for owner Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum.
“He finished very strongly and he looks like he will get the six – Ryan thinks it will be better for him. He’s favourite and I think rightly so.
“You don’t see many win as far as he did over five furlongs and I think he is a very useful horse.”
Aidan O’Brien saddles the sole Irish-trained representative in Johannes Brahms, winner of a Naas maiden and second to Big Evs in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.
Richard Hannon’s Haatem lines up after his one-length success in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, before which he was second to the highly-regarded City Of Troy in the Superlative Stakes.
Ralph Beckett has a runner in the Kingman colt King’s Gamble, winner of his only start to date when taking a Newmarket novice in early August.
That success was fairly decisive as he won by a length and a quarter, and connections were clearly convinced to supplement him for his chance at Group Two level.
“We supplemented him and his sectionals and figures looked very good at Newmarket that Friday,” said Joe Foley, racing manager for owners Clipper Logistics.
“He’s a horse that we will probably step up to seven soon, but Danny Tudhope) thought he showed a lot of speed that day and the sectionals backed that up, so we thought we would give the Gimcrack a go. There’s only one Gimcrack every year.”
Elsewhere is Archie Watson’s Action Point, well behind Big Evs in the Windsor Castle but the winner of the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury in July.
Richard Fahey’s Emperor’s Son takes his chance, as does William Haggas’ Lake Forest and Kevin Ryan’s Jehangeer.
The Alice Haynes-trained duo of Power Mode and Hala Emaraaty, fourth behind Vandeek in the Richmond Stakes, complete the field.
John and Thady Gosden’s Courage Mon Ami will look to put Goodwood defeat behind him in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York.
The gelding was the hero of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, beating 11 rivals to score by three-quarters of a length from Andrew Balding’s Coltrane.
Both horses headed next to the South Downs for the Goodwood Cup, where Hughie Morrison’s Quickthorn galloped into an unassailable lead and prevailed by sixth lengths, with Courage Mon Ami unplaced in the trailing pack having started as the 2-1 favourite.
Despite suffering the first defeat of his career, the performance does leave the horse fresher than he would have been otherwise as he looks to get back to winning ways on the Knavesmire.
John Gosden said: “We all know the Goodwood Cup was an interestingly different sort of race and not dissimilar to the Lonsdale last year, really.
“He came out of it well. He didn’t have much of a race.
“He couldn’t get a run and then when he did get a run, the race was over. So, he had what I call a nice racecourse gallop, really!
“We’d like to run there (York) and then after that wait for the Prix du Cadran on Arc weekend.”
As referred to by Gosden, Quickthorn employed similar tactics in this race last season and was successful by 14 lengths under Tom Marquand.
The same jockey will take the ride again this time as the duo look to retain their title for owner-breeder Lady Blyth.
“He’s a fantastic horse, obviously. He’d already done it in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil in France when he did it in the Lonsdale Cup last year, but Goodwood was still a bit surreal,” Marquand said.
“In the Lonsdale he pretty much ran away with me if I’m honest. I was going to make the running, but I didn’t intend to go that fast and he was doing too much really. But he’s a lot more measured now and at Goodwood he never felt as though he was going that quick. He was always comfortable and he was able to fill up where he needed to, whereas at York he was always tanking.”
He added: “Everyone thinks they know what we are going to do and I don’t suppose we’ll stray too far away from what works, but I think it would be silly for anyone to think that it’s just a case of taking him on to get him beat, because he’s won races after taking a lead as well.
“Hughie has done an amazing job having Quickthorn right on the day so far, and he’s no one-trick pony. Far from it. He doesn’t have to make the running, so long as he finds a rhythm and is in his comfort zone, and he only has to beat horses he has beaten before.”
Marco Botti’s Giavellotto also brings course form to the race having landed the Yorkshire Cup over a lesser trip in May.
The chestnut also went for the Goodwood Cup next but he too was victim to Quickthorn’s tearaway tactics and he finished fifth, though only narrowly behind the second-placed horse as he was prominent in the chasing pack.
Botti said: “He’s in good form, the ground should be good to firm, it should be quicker than the ground he ran on at Goodwood – which was on the easy side.
“He’s well, he won at York and the main players have been declared, so it looks a tough race but he seems in good order and he’s only run three times this year so he is relatively fresh. We’re looking forward to it.
“That was a funny race to watch (Goodwood Cup), but he ran well and wasn’t beaten far where he was. The track and the ground will be more to his liking at York than they were at Goodwood.
“Hopefully this time the jockeys will be more alert and understand he’s (Quickthorn) a horse you can’t just give a big advantage to, he doesn’t stop, he just keeps going.
“There’s only seven runners, ideally we want to be somewhere in the middle and just get a lead. I will leave it to Andrea (Atzeni), he knows the horse well and gets on with him.”
Coltrane and Nate The Great represent Andrew Balding, while Aidan O’Brien’s internationally-campaigned seven-year-old, Broome also features.
The field is completed by Ralph Beckett’s River Of Stars, the only filly entered and the winner of the Bronte Cup at York earlier in the year.
Defending champion Highfield Princess faces a stern examination as she attempts to join the list of repeat Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes winners at York on Friday.
John Quinn’s stable star appears to be peaking at the right moment as she bids to replicate the brilliant performance she produced on the Knavesmire 12 months ago.
That victory came in the middle of a fantastic late-summer Group One hat-trick as she shot to the summit of the sprinting top-flight and having notched up a welcome first success of the campaign at Goodwood earlier this month, the Highfield Princess team are now ready to play their part in what is a fascinating renewal stacked with talent.
Quinn said: “We’re happy with her, it’s lovely ground and we’re drawn six of 16, which is fine.
“It’s a spicy race. I think the horse that beat her at Ascot (Bradsell) commands plenty of respect, as does the two-year-old (Big Evs) and there’s a couple of other horses there who, if they bounce back to their best, would have a chance.”
Highfield Princess will have to turn the tables with Royal Ascot conquerors Bradsell and Khaadem, who had her measure in the King’s Stand and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes respectively, to prove victorious.
When asked if he felt she will need to be better than she was 12 months ago to successfully defend her crown, Quinn added: “She might do. We’re taking on a two-year-old and a three-year-old, both Royal Ascot winners.
“When a three-year-old wins a King’s Stand you have to sit up and take notice and the two-year-old is a Royal Ascot winner and a Goodwood winner and looks really tough, hardy and mature, so they are two and something else could pop up who at their best could be in the mix.
“Goodwood was very good, so we’re hopeful anyway. She’s done so much and people expect plenty from her, but she seems in good nick and she loves this place, which is all you can ask.”
Archie Watson’s Bradsell has not been seen since downing Highfield Princess in the King’s Stand in June, but having proven he has the speed to be a force at the minimum distance, big-race pilot Hollie Doyle is hopeful of recording her first victory in the race following her second aboard The Platinum Queen 12 months ago.
She said ahead of the Qipco British Champions Series event: “Bradsell is a really good horse and has the heart of a lion. I thought it was a great performance back down to five furlongs in the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot. He beat a real sprinting star in Highfield Princess, and the pair of us were clear.
“We thought he might not have as much early speed as the Australian sprinters, but he showed more speed than ever before and really thrived down in trip. He’s our flagbearer at Archie’s and it’s great to be going to the Nunthorpe with a live chance again.”
Frankie Dettori will partner King’s Stand fourth Twilight Calls in his final Nunthorpe as Henry Candy’s five-year-old attempts to follow in the footsteps of his grandsire Kyllachy by winning this contest, while out of luck in that Ascot contest was Dramatised, who finished down the field.
Connections felt the draw and conditions were completely against Karl Burke’s filly on that occasion and having dazzled at home in the interim, are excited to see where she places in the sprinting pecking order.
“It was a non-event at Ascot, we thought we were drawn on the wrong side,” said Joe Foley, racing manager for owners Clipper Logistics.
“Danny (Tudhope) came in and said he looked up two furlongs out and they were a long, long way behind. She was just on the wrong side and also the ground was quite dead on the first day of Ascot and she needs fast ground, hence we missed the King George at Goodwood.
“We’ve had a bit of a frustrating summer waiting for fast ground for her, but it looks like we’re going to get it Friday. She has been working very, very well, so it’ll be interesting to see where she stands with the proper Group One sprinters now that she is a mature three-year-old and is getting her ground.
“It will be interesting to watch and we’re looking forward to seeing her run.”
It cost £40,000 to supplement Big Evs into the line-up and now the Royal Ascot and Qatar Goodwood Festival scorer will not only try to hand trainer Mick Appleby a first Group One triumph, but become the first two-year-old winner since Kingsgate Native in 2007.
“It’s good to be going to the Nunthorpe with a horse with a live chance and hopefully he will run well,” said the handler.
“He’s come out of Goodwood really well and we’ve got a good draw as well between two of the favourites. All being well he will run a big race.
“He will be one of my best, he will be up there with all the good ones I’ve had – Danzeno, Caspian Prince and I’m not sure of a better two-year-old we’ve had.
“It would mean a lot to have a Group One winner. It’s what every trainer tries to get and not a lot of trainers ever actually do get one. So it would be nice if we could win one. Hopefully he runs really well and comes back safe and sound.”
Another handler who could enjoy their finest hour is Ed Bethell who gives his course-and-distance winner Regional a first taste of Group One action in search of a hat-trick.
Bethell said: “I’m really happy with him. I would have loved to have got a run into him, but the ground went against him and he wants fast ground. Hopefully it looks like he will get that this week.
“I’ve been really happy with in the interim period, we know he goes really well fresh and I’m looking forward to a big run.
“He’s got a good draw right in the middle which means we can go whichever way we want. We’re drawn next to Highfield Princess and Big Evs and near Bradsell, while Live In The Dream is not far away, so there is a lot of speed in and around us which can only benefit us.
“We’re really looking forward to it and it’s exciting.”
Charlie Hills knows all about Nunthorpe success having saddled the imperious Battaash to do the double in 2019 and 2020 and he now launches a two-pronged assault on the five-furlong shootout with shock Jubilee Stakes hero Khaadem and stablemate Equality.
“Khaadem is a horse that’s got form over five furlongs and was fourth in this last season,” said Hills.
“He’s been in very good form this year and if he can reproduce that he should be going close as well.”
He added: “Equality was just drawn a little bit out of it at Goodwood I thought, and he struck into himself as well.
“It’s going to be competitive, but if he runs like he did at Sandown, he’ll have a good chance of being close.”
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