It has been a year of discovery for Adam West, who has his sights set on more international assignments in 2024 after a phenomenal season that culminated in a fairytale trip to the Breeders’ Cup with star speedster Live In The Dream.
The four-year-old more than lived up to his name when providing his trainer, regular pilot Sean Kirrane and owners Steve and Jolene De’Lemos with a first Group One success in the Nunthorpe, but their ambitious quest to conquer America ultimately ended in gallant defeat at Santa Anita.
With the dust now well and truly settled on a magical journey from Lingfield handicaps in the spring to California in November, West is keen to ensure his Breeders’ Cup adventure is not the end of an underdog story that has captured the hearts and minds of the racing public.
“I would love to tick off a few more worldwide options,” said West.
“I would be really excited to go to Hong Kong, I would love to tick that one off, and everything from the Pardubice all the way round, there are so many races across the world and I would love to spread the wings, as it were.”
Although Live In The Dream failed to deliver a Hollywood ending to his box office campaign in the shadows of the picturesque San Gabriel Mountains, his handler is confident he will have thrived for the cross-Atlantic experience when he returns to the track in 2024.
“He came out of the Breeders’ Cup really well and we’re just looking forward to next year and seeing what we can do,” said West.
“With sprinters, you hope they can improve strength on strength – and with that little bit of maturity after his eventful year, you would hope he is more amenable to different things.
“I definitely think it will make him mature a hell of a lot. He has a great head on him anyway and he has probably learnt more than I have this year!”
It is, of course, not just Live In The Dream who will have learnt from his forays Stateside, with his handler wide-eyed after experiencing the draining nature of long-haul travel for the very first time.
“I realised that both times I flew, that I don’t take the travel as well as the horse and that took it out of me,” explained West.
“I was quite sick both times towards the end of it and that’s me coming from a bit of a humble background and never having been on a flight longer than an hour and a bit, so it was a bit of a shock to the system.
“It’s all things that I can learn from for next time to make sure I’ve got the best of me out there, rather than a sick version of me.
“They are absolutely incredible people and the Americans couldn’t do enough for us and have a real passion for their racing. The individuals you meet were really enthusiastic and it makes you look forward to getting out there again, when I can.”
Live In The Dream’s Breeders’ Cup challenge only became a possibility after his devastating Nunthorpe success during the height of summer, when the four-year-old bounced out and made every yard of the running in breath-taking fashion.
Although sent off a somewhat unfancied 28-1 shot, there was no fluke about the result, with top-class speedsters Highfield Princess and Bradsell unable to deal with the blistering early pace shown from West’s stable star.
“We went there with no pressure and just happy to be there,” continued West.
“We always thought York would suit him but when he ran over the five and half before, he didn’t quite perform as we thought, so you kind of don’t expect too much.
“Everything was right that day, it’s sprinting isn’t it, you could run it 10 times and it might be different – if something had broken a little better, or there had been a headwind or something, then it wouldn’t have been our day, but luckily it was and we really enjoyed it.
“It is something that will be etched into everyone’s heads for the rest of time.”
West’s meteoric rise in the second half of 2023 serves as a reminder of the fickle nature of training racehorses, and although enjoying some of the biggest days of his career, there is also relief that it has allowed him to continue operating in a sport where the price of triumph often comes at a premium.
He said: “In one term, it (this year) has meant survival. It has secured enough support and momentum to carry on and there were questions with the way racing is going whether it is a viable thing.
“When you have success like that, you are able to stick your head above water for a little bit and take a breath, ready to go in and do it all over again. If you can do that once in 10 years, I suppose it is enough to keep you going.
“I don’t think it has changed anything initially and we haven’t had a huge influx of owners or anything like that. But it is on the CV now and it has proven that given the ammunition, we have shown we can do it.”
However, the past six months have also brought the best of racing’s fabled camaraderie to West’s door, as he went from quietly plying his trade on the daily racing treadmill to hot property due to his rags to riches tale.
It was something the handler admits caught him by surprise, as he reflects on his spell in the spotlight and also the wealth of good wishes that came his way.
“I would never have expected the amount of support from the UK and when you are at an international event like that, it was not something I had ever encountered before,” said West.
“I enjoyed all of that and I got to meet so many people who were going through all of the same things – and it was great and really warming.
“You can become quite isolated as a trainer, as you are competing against each other all the time, but when things like that happen, you do realise the industry does support each other in its own unique way.”
The generosity of the tight-knit racing community saw West grow close to fellow Breeders’ Cup rookie Mick Appleby, as they both prepared for the trip of a lifetime.
It was a friendship formed over a makeshift starting bell prior to the journey to California and the Epsom handler hopes their bond stands the test of time once Live In The Dream and Big Evs start locking horns on the sprinting scene next season.
“It brought me and Mick Appleby closer together and getting Live In The Dream and Big Evs up against each other is surely going to happen,” said West.
“I think that will be a great rivalry, as long as I can swallow the odd defeat!
“I would look forward to that, as they both race in such a tenacious way and have similar styles, I will really look forward to that.
“We might have the edge on him next year, being a five-year-old against a three-year-old, but if he stays in training the following year, it could be some battle.”
He went on: “I know you get the jumpers and how the support for them builds each year as they come back, well there is a chance that this horse could be coming back three years in a row and he could be a bit of a star name – and if the rivalry is there too, then so be it.”
If winning that scintillating sprint showdown is high up on West’s 2024 wish list, then so is making his mark in the National Hunt sphere, with the Epsom handler daring to dream of smashing another glass ceiling in the near future.
He said: “The next ambition is a Grade One and I really want to push the jumping – I’ve actually got some great jumps stats!
“We’ve done the Group One, so now I want to win a Grade One as well, so watch this space.”
Light seeking to shine again at Sandown
Kitty’s Light is taking aim at his usual season finisher in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
The gelding has been a star for trainer Christian Williams, winning big handicap events like the Eider Chase and the Scottish Grand National and going close in the Charlie Hall and the Coral Trophy.
He has particularly good record in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the season, missing out only due to interference when second in 2021 and coming home third in 2022.
Last year he was completed the set of podium finishes when winning by two and a half lengths under usual jockey Jack Tudor.
The two are well acquainted and teamed up for Kitty’s Light’s Grand National bid at Aintree earlier in the month, where he ran a valiant race to finish fifth behind four Grade-One winning Irish chasers.
Williams was incredibly proud of his stable star and is now hoping the gelding can shine again in the Sandown contest he has found to be lucrative in the past.
“It was wonderful, we trained him to win the race and we thought he could, but you couldn’t be disappointed with what he did,” Williams said of the National performance.
“We were thrilled, the horse tried his best and we were very, very proud of horse and jockey.
“He’s come out of it very well, if the race was run today even then he’d be running, he’s in good form.
“He loves it at Sandown with the big fences, his jumping has come on now but even as a five-year-old he nearly won the race.
“He was third the year after that, it really seems to suit him.
“I think he likes going right-handed, he hangs a little bit right at home and he seems to really enjoy it there.
“We’re taking our chance anyway, he seems well and we’ll hope for the best.”
Olivier Peslier announces imminent retirement
Olivier Peslier will retire from riding at La Teste on Thursday.
The 51-year-old has enjoyed an exemplary career in the saddle, being crowned French champion on four occasions and claiming a string of big-race successes across the world.
Peslier counts four victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his CV, as well as Derby success aboard High-Rise in 1998 and a 2000 Guineas triumph with Cockney Rebel in 2007.
He enjoyed a long association with star miler Goldikova, riding the mare to win 17 of her 27 career starts which included a famous Breeders’ Cup Mile hat-trick in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Peslier also chalked up two Japan Cup wins and victories the Hong Kong Cup, Mile and Vase plus big-races successes in the likes of Germany, Italy, Ireland and Dubai during a truly international career.
He was retained rider for owners Alain and Gerard Wertheimer between 2003 and 2014 with the aforementioned Goldikova and 2012 Arc winner Solemia two of the headline acts of their lengthy relationship.
Peslier will sign off after two rides at La Teste in the south-west of France, bowing out with over 3,700 wins to his name.
“My health is fine, but you need the horses and need the practice and if you don’t have so many horses, it is the time to decide to stop because it is very tricky to ride only a few horses,” Peslier told the PA news agency.
“After a very long career I have had plenty of success. I have had more than 3,700 winners and over 500 Group race wins. I have won with both Arabians and thoroughbreds and 165 Group Ones, so it is amazing when I look at my career.
“I have won everywhere in the world and had great success and great moments. I’ve met so many good people and I’m very happy to stop my career and watch what has happened before.
“I won all the good races in England – the Epsom Derby, the King George and at Royal Ascot. In Japan, I won 12 Group Ones and won the Japan Cup and all the big races over there and also the Breeders’ Cup and all the Derbies in Europe.
“So now is the time and I’m in good form and everything is fine. It’s sad to take the decision but this morning I rode six horses and tomorrow I will ride some horses in training and for sure I will keep riding some horses because everybody loves horses and also I ride for my passion.”
Peslier is unsure what the future holds, intending to spend the summer months enjoying time with family and friends before finalising plans for the next stage of life, while he highlighted the talents of both Goldikova and Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre as notable memories from his decorated career.
“I will take a little break and see some friends and see what happens over the next few months,” continued Peslier.
“After a holiday, September will be a new life, and I think I need a little bit of time to see what will happen in the future. I’m going to spend some time with my kids and enjoy life, then it will be a new life.
“Normally when I go to say Hong Kong and England it is for work, now I can go and visit people I know and take the time to enjoy it.
“Goldikova won 14 Group Ones and Peintre Celebre won the French Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and were both really, really good.”
Bellum Justum stakes Derby claim with Epsom victory
Bellum Justum halved in price for the Derby after Andrew Balding’s colt won the Betfred Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.
While he took four attempts to get off the mark as a juvenile, the form of his win over Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin now looks much stronger than it did at the time and he took another leap forward here.
Ridden by Oisin Murphy, he was content to take a lead off Ryan Moore on Aidan O’Brien’s Chief Little Rock and with those in behind struggling to get on terms, it soon developed into a battle.
Bellum Justum held a narrow advantage for much of the final furlong but while he was well on top of the Ballydoyle runner close home, Roger Varian’s Defiance began to stay on strongly.
Without looking like winning, he closed to within three-quarters of a length of the 9-1 winner, looking promising for the future on just his third outing.
Bellum Justum was cut to 25-1 from 50s for the Derby by both Coral and Paddy Power.
“He had a setback about a month ago and he missed 10 days, so he’s entitled to come on for that today,” Balding told Racing TV.
“His form looked pretty strong and he improved a lot with racing last year and he’s entitled to improve from two to three, so we were fairly sure he’d be there or thereabouts but we’re expecting him to come on for it.
“He’s in the Dante and if he was going to run again that would be the likely target, we’ll just see how the Guineas goes and the other trials and we might end up coming back here.
“He’s out of an Oasis Dream mare but he’s closely related to Fox Tal who stayed a mile and a half.
“He’s up there with our best three-year-olds but unfortunately the one we were really excited about, Anzac Day, has had a setback.”
Crystal Delight (5-2) made a winning debut for Harry Eustace when leading home stablemate Ziggy in the Lilley Plummer Risks City & Suburban Handicap.
Previously trained by the now-retired William Jarvis, he was sent straight to the front by Jim Crowley and controlled matters from the outset.
He kicked clear over two furlongs out and came home five and a half lengths ahead of Ziggy, who stayed on without ever looking a danger.
“William came as he’s good friends with dad (James Eustace) and we ended up with a couple off him, this one and Duke Of Verona and it’s going well so far,” said Eustace.
“I thought he’d run well as he’s been training well at home. It was a small field and he likes making the running, so I thought we’d be able to set our own fractions and that’s what Jim did, it worked out well.
“I had a mile-and-a-half handicap at York in mind so we’ll see how we go.”
Eustace had to settle for third with Duke Of Verona in the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Great Metropolitan Handicap as Champagne Piaff (5-2 favourite) ran out an easy winner for Gary and Ryan Moore.
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