Few jockeys will ever have as much success at Goodwood as Michael Hills.
The Derby-winning rider knew almost every idiosyncrasy the undulating South Downs track could offer.
Among his many British Group One winners, he secured victories in both the Sussex Stakes and Nassau, though he cherishes the two Goodwood Cups gained by the hugely-popular Further Flight, trained by his father Barry, above all others.
In a 10-year career from October 1988 to October 1998, the magnificent grey ran 70 times and won 24 races – 22 of them partnered by Hills.
“Further Flight used to come at that time of year,” said Hills. “He won two in a row in 1991 and 1992. He was just amazing.
“He used to come from way back and was not the easiest ride. He got there early and then he’d stop. He only just got the two miles. We tried him in the Gold Cup and he didn’t stay.
“The Goodwood Cup was his first Group race win in ’91, after he’d won the Ebor. I have got the pictures and he gets lighter and lighter each year. When I last rode him, he was nearly white.”
Further Flight got better with age, being voted European Champion Older Horse at the Cartier Racing Awards in 1995 and landing the Group Two Jockey Club Cup every season from 1991 to 1995.
“What was remarkable was his durability. After the Ebor, he was right at the top and had to compete at the top all the time,” Hills added.
“He was unbelievable, winning two Lonsdale Cups and the Doncaster Cup as well.
“He was aggressive. He used to pull really hard when he was young, and we got him to settle and that is when he got to stay. He was gelded as a three-year-old and then handicapped. He went up the handicap route and then just got better and better.”
Further Flight was even placed in the 1997 Jockey Club Cup as an 11-year-old and won his last race the following year.
He was retired after his final race in October 1998 and went to live with Hills, his wife Chris and daughter Sam in Newmarket. Not that the jockey’s affection for Further Flight was reciprocated.
“He was a funny character, because when he retired, they gave him to me and I had him at home – he wouldn’t go near me and didn’t like me at all,” said Hills.
“He used to love my daughter and my wife. He would only go to her. He wouldn’t let me catch him.
“I don’t know why. He didn’t like men and Chris will say he was a good judge of character! He was a funny old boy.
“The only time I’d go near him was when he was in his box. In the paddock, he wouldn’t go near me.”
Hills, whose big-race victories included the Derby with Shaamit and King George with Pentire in 1996, retired in 2009 after three decades in the saddle.
He has remained a fixture on racecourses and the 60-year-old imparts his riding knowledge, teaching young jockeys as a British Horseracing Authority coach at the British Racing School in Newmarket.
“I love working with the apprentices,” added Hills. “It’s really great, when they listen to you and you see them doing it on the track, it gives me a good kick.
“Telling them about the draws and the different tracks. Goodwood is so tricky, where the draw is, where the pace is, it is so, so important.
“As soon as those gates open, you can win and lose the race there and then. Goodwood is a very awkward track. They had a few suspensions at Royal Ascot, and I think we will see a few more at Goodwood.”
Longevity and consistency made Further Flight one of the more popular horses in training and Hills could invariably be relied upon more often than not to deliver on the biggest days at the West Sussex track.
“I have some lovely memories of riding there,” he added: “The Sussex Stakes on First Island (1996) was really great, coming back from a mile and a quarter when winning the Prince of Wales’s at Ascot, to a mile. It was a great training performance from Geoff Wragg.
“I think I won two Schweppes Miles with Prince Rupert and Distant Relative, too.
“I was lucky at Goodwood. Dad and Geoff (Wragg) pinged it. There was the Richmond with First Trump and Superstar Leo for William Haggas in the Molecomb, which I won a few times (Hoh Magic 1994, Majestic Missile 2003 and Enticing 2006), and winning the Nassau on Ryafan (1997) was great.
“That was a very, very good filly. I said to John Gosden that day, she was the best filly I’d ever ridden.”
Ryafan had won the Prix Marcel Boussac as a juvenile and then went on to score in the Falmouth and Nassau to be crowned European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, before heading to the States to take three more top-level contests as a four-year-old, earning her an American Champion Female Turf Horse honour in 1997.
“She went to America and she was unbelievable out there,” added Hills. “She was up there with the best I’ve ridden.
“She never got any further than a mile and a quarter. I remember the one thing John asked me, ‘what do you think on the trip?’. I said in the last 50 yards I was on vapours. I was on the floor, but six (lengths) clear or something.
“I think she was possibly one of the best fillies John ever trained and she never got the credit she deserved over here.
“One of my great Goodwood days was Broadway Flyer, when he won the Gordon Stakes in 1994. That was for my brother John. That was great.
“Then there was First Island in the Sussex Stakes. He was a very good horse, but unfortunately he had to take on Bosra Sham a lot. I won the Hong Kong Cup on him, which was my first big international win. He was a terrific horse.”
Sadly, Further Flight died after suffering a paddock injury to his hind leg in July 2001. Though he won just two races at Nottingham, he is remembered there with a race named after him – the Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes – and will always be the horse Hills will be best associated with.
He was very much part of the family, so much so that they could not bare to part with his memory.
Chris Hills explained: “We had a headstone made for him when he was buried.
“When we sold the farm, we hoped the new owners would keep the grave in good order, but I went there one day and it was all overgrown.
“I was so upset and angry. I said to Michael, ‘I’m going to get his headstone’, so we basically spirited it away. It took a job to get it out of the ground.
“We had a wooden cross made as a replacement with his achievements on, so no-one is going to forget him.”
“He was by far my favourite horse,” Michael Hills added. “To win back-to-back Goodwood Cups and the same five Group races in as many years, no other horse as done that. He was fabulous.”
SVREL signs strategic agreement with Bluedot
Since assuming operations of Caymanas Park in 2017, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) has invested billions of dollars in rebranding and revolutionizing the park as well as improving the commercial route to market strategy. The company’s latest investment comes in the form of a strategic partnership with market research company Bluedot Insights to conduct a comprehensive survey to gain insights into the industry locally.
According to Solomon Sharpe SVREL Executive Chairman, the company’s unwavering vision is to make making the premier destination of racing and entertainment in the region.
“Over the past seven years we’ve consulted with our stakeholders and made significant investments into improving the overall racing product. We’re very proud of what we have achieved so far. Even with the success and the enduring popularity of Caymanas Park and horseracing in Jamaica, we know there’s still more work to be done. Understanding our customers is at the core of our strategy. With that as our mission, we’ve engaged Bluedot Insights to conduct a comprehensive island wide consumer survey on our behalf.
"This survey is aimed at providing us with verifiable data from sports bettors, racing stakeholders and the general public that will further guide our strategic decisions and investments that will bring us further towards our ultimate goal – to make Caymanas Park the premier destination of racing and entertainment in the Caribbean,” said Sharpe.
“Our vision for Caymanas Park and the horseracing industry in Jamaica is one of growth and innovation. We will continue to invest in the park, introducing new features and enhancements that elevate the experience for all our visitors. Our commitment to the community and the sport remains steadfast, and we are excited about the future,” he added.
It was disclosed that Bluedot will provide a comprehensive report presenting quantitative and qualitative findings that details consumer profiles highlighting demographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics. This will be done in three phases.
"Bluedot aims to use our skills and expertise to provide SVREL with comprehensive insights that will be pivotal in allowing SVREL to refine their marketing strategies, customize their offerings to align with consumer preferences, and nurture stakeholder relationships essential for advancing the horse racing business," stated Bluedot CEO Larren Peart.
SVREL's investments in Caymanas Park have spanned various areas, from infrastructure upgrades like the installation of the largest digital tote board in the Caribbean and implementation of AmTote totalizer system, improved product offerings such as the new bet type options like Reggae-6 and Ketch-9 as well as fixed odds betting, to the integration of cutting-edge technology like the recently launched GMax digital timing system.
Supreme Ventures Racing urges review of racing rule after Caymanas Park abandonments
Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), operators of Caymanas Park, have called for a review of Rule 44 (iii) enforced by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) following the cancellation of two races during the April 27 race meet at Caymanas Park.
In a press conference on Monday addressing the abandoned races, SVREL Executive Chairman Solomon Sharpe expressed frustration with the rule, highlighting its potential impact on the racing industry.
"This rule, unique to Jamaica, imposes a strict five-minute limit after the published post time for races at Caymanas Park," Sharpe stated. "It fails to account for various factors that can delay race starts and penalizes all stakeholders when races are abandoned, affecting punters, jockeys, grooms, trainers, owners, promoters, and the government."
Last year, Caymanas Park contributed over $260 million in combined taxes to the government's coffers. Sharpe urged the JRC to engage SVREL in discussions on Rule 44, emphasizing the need for constructive dialogue to address the rule's impact.
"We were not consulted during the initial discussions on this rule, and now, with two races abandoned in a single race day, our concerns have materialized," Sharpe explained. "SVREL is open to collaborating with the JRC to review and refine this amended rule."
Representatives from the Grooms Association, Jockeys Association, and the United Racehorse Trainers Association echoed SVREL's concerns and supported the call for a review of Rule 44.
Sharpe concluded by appealing to regulators, stakeholders, and the public to support the growth of the horseracing industry in Jamaica. "Horseracing has immense potential in Jamaica and can become a significant foreign exchange earner. Realizing this potential requires collaboration among all stakeholders."
SVREL has been operating Caymanas Park since March 2017 after the government divested the property. With investments exceeding J$4 billion in product enhancements and innovations like the Mouttet Mile, which boasts the largest purse in the English-speaking Caribbean, SVREL remains committed to advancing the horseracing experience in Jamaica.
Supreme Ventures Racing regrets abandonment of two races at Caymanas Park on Saturday
Supreme Ventures Racing & Entertainment Limited (SVREL) has expressed regret and disappointment following the abandonment of two races during the Saturday, April 27 race day at Caymanas Park in St Catherine, Jamaica.
The decision to abandon these races, SVREL said, was made in compliance with regulations set forth by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), leading to the refund of all related pools according to SVREL's Pari-mutuel rules.
According to the statement released by SVREL late Saturday, the abandonment of races number one and six, respectively, was declared by the stewards of the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) due to delays that exceeded the permitted time frame as stipulated by Rule 44(iii).
Specifically, in race number one, scheduled to commence at 12:00 pm, a saddling issue with horse number five and a mandatory veterinary check for horse number eight, which reared and fell after exiting the saddling barn, resulted in delays beyond the allowable limit.
Similarly, race number six, slated for 3:10 pm, was delayed due to a horse running loose, ultimately leading to its abandonment by the stewards of the JRC.
SVREL explained that the recent amendments to Rule 44(iii), which came into effect from April 1, 2024, mandate strict adherence to race start times with a maximum allowance of five minutes after the published post time. SVREL noted that Jamaica is unique in enforcing such a rule without prior consultation with the sole promoter of horseracing in Jamaica.
The enforcement of this rule has led to financial losses for industry stakeholders, including owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, punters, and the promoter and as such the disruption caused by the abandonment of these races understandably resulted in unrest among stakeholder groups.
Despite the challenges faced, the race meet resumed with race number seven at approximately 4:00 pm, SVREL noted.
SVREL has now issued a sincere apology to valued customers and stakeholders for the inconvenience caused by the abandonment of races one and six by the JRC. SVREL also emphasized its readiness for open dialogue with the JRC and all impacted stakeholders to ensure the continued success and integrity of the horseracing industry.
As the sole promoter of horseracing in Jamaica, SVREL said it remains committed to addressing challenges collaboratively and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and service within the industry.
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