16th November, 2009 – Fierce winds and testing going challenged entries at Cheltenham’s Open meeting, reputedly the most important venue in the first half the National Hunt season in England. Each of the 3 days presented a feature race, the highlight being the highly competitive ‘Paddy Power Gold Cup’ which has been a high point in the racing calendar since 1960.
SURPRISINGLY, the Irish, with their impressive winning record at the Cheltenham Festival in March, had not won the Paddy Power Gold Cup or its equivalent for almost three decades but this year the Edward O’Grady trained ‘Tranquil Sea’ cast adrift his 15 rivals before the home straight to the sheer delight of the crowd. Jubilant jockey Andrew McNamara couldn’t hide his joy when the well backed 11-2 favourite came home four and a half lengths in front of ‘Poquelin’, with ‘Hold Em’ third and ‘Ballyfitz’ fourth. The seven year old bay travelled comfortably throughout the two and a half mile race to scoop the lion’s share of the £150,000 prize fund. More reasons to celebrate followed when two hundred people in the Club Enclosure took advantage of a full £30 ticket refund, promised to them if the Irish won the big race.
Friday’s hugely popular Countryside Raceday with its traditional country fair atmosphere featured the unique Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase – a course combining hedges, banks and timber rails over a distance just short of four miles. Irish horses have dominated this race in recent times, this running being no exception. Favourite ‘Garde Champetre’ powered home to an outstanding success when given a confident ride by jockey Nina Carberry, beating stablemate ‘Headsontheground’. Sporting the well known green and gold colours of legendary gambler JP McManus and trained by Enda Bolger, ‘Garde Champetre’ follows in the footsteps of four times winner (2004 – 07) ‘Spotthedifference’, owned and trained by the same duo. Although ‘Garde Champetre’ may now return to Cheltenham for the cross-country race next month, he is not expected to run in the Grand National in April. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=8878
October 17th, 2009 – After a summer dominated by equine superhero Sea the Stars, Newmarket racecourse presented yet another sensational day of high class racing, the only day of the year in Britain to stage six group races. With record prize money of £1,206,000, the clash of champions old and new raced on the most historic stretch of turf in the world – and Champions Day could not have had a more welcome outcome.
Newmarket based trainer Henry Cecil received a hero’s reception from the emotional crowd when Twice Over was victorious in the final European leg of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge – the Group 1 Emirates Airline Champion Stakes. Henry has been a successful and popular figure in the racing industry for four decades and fittingly last year’s runner-up to New Approach made up for defeat when given a confident and stylish ride by jockey Tom Queally.
Twice Over, bred by Juddmonte Farms, is now guaranteed a place in the $3 million (US) Emirates Airline Breeders Cup Turf in Santa Anita although this four year old son of Observatory is more likely to be aimed at the $5 million (US) Breeders Cup Classic. Prince Khalid’s Juddmonte Farms look set to be well represented at the Breeders’ Cup and are likely to have entries with Zacinto (TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile), Midday (Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf) and Spanish Moon (Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf). Father Time may go for the Marathon and Famous Name could run in the Dirt Mile. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=8518
October 4th 2009 – Sea the Stars made turf history on Sunday by winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, becoming the first horse to win three of Europe’s top races – the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the Arc.
Fifty thousand fans gathered in the Parisian Autumn sunlight to welcome this phenomenal horse, son of former 1993 Arc winner Urban Sea and sire Cape Cross.
The 3 year old colt took advantage of an excellent draw and perfect racing conditions following a week of dry weather in Paris. Trainer John Oxx had prior concerns that rain could have softened the ground and hindered the chances of the hot favourite. Nineteen runners competed for a share of the 4 million euros prize money and the World’s richest turf race, and despite pulling hard in the early stages and being hemmed in along the rails for much of the way, this home bred hero was far too good for his rivals. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=8398
Popular British eventer Oliver Townend won The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials yesterday riding the 14 year old grey, Carousel Quest. Burghley Horse Trials is one of the world´s toughest and most respected 3 day events and forms part of the Rolex Grand Slam, the last leg of which is held in Kentucky next Spring.
Oliver was one of only 80 starters to finish the 3 days of the competition on his dressage score, producing clear rounds in both cross country and show jumping. He finished a comfortable 8 penalties ahead of his nearest rival, Polly Stockton riding Westwood Poser, with only 49 riders completing all phases.
The win completes a rare double for the Yorkshireman, who also won Badminton Horse Trials in May on his other horse Flint Curtis. He is now only the sixth rider in history to complete the double within 12 months. This Burghley win also extends his lead in the HSBC FEI Classics to 12 points over William Fox-Pitt with just Les Etoiles de Pau CCI**** in France to go.
It is 16 years since an American rider – Stephen Bradley in 1993 – last won Burghley. This year 8 riders from the USA made the trip across the Atlantic – including experienced riders Phillip Dutton (Truluck) and Karen O’Connor (Mandiba). Phillip Dutton maintained his strong position in 4th place after the dressage and cross country phases to go go clear in the show jumping, incurring only time penalties, to finish a credible 4th overall.
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