Thursday, January 16, 2003
GINGEMBRE BEING PRIMED FOR CHELTENHAM'S PILLAR PROPERTY CHASE
Gingembre is set to run in the £80,000 Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday, January 25, the highlight of an exciting seven-race programme which also features the £75,000 Byrne Bros Cleeve Hurdle.
Gingembre, winner of the 2001 Scottish Grand National, finished a half-length second to Be My Royal in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on his last start in November, but now looks likely to be promoted to first after a prohibited substance derived from contaminated feed was found in the winner.
John Taylor, whose wife Lavinia trains the nine-year-old, said: "The Pillar Property Chase is the plan for Gingembre at the moment - he was off colour since before the Hennessy and he's been on various courses of antibiotics, but he had his first serious piece of work on Wednesday morning which I understand from my wife passed as satisfactory.
"He's got to have two more serious pieces of work before we make up our minds finally. It either has to be the Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham, or if he's not quite right for that then the Aon Chase at Newbury, but we rather want to get a run into him at Cheltenham if at all possible. The Pillar is our aim, ground and fitness permitting."
Taylor is convinced that Gingembre requires good ground. "Basically we won't run him on good to firm again - that's what gave him a leg at Ayr [when victorious in the Scottish Grand National by five lengths in 2001]. He's a stone better horse on good ground than he is on soft or heavy," he explained.
On his one previous outing at Cheltenham, Gingembre was running well in the 2000 Intervet Trophy before taking a tumble two fences from home.
"The first time around he clouted the open ditch at the top of the hill and Warren Marston did very well to sit on him. Later the race commentator said that it was remarkable that Gingembre was back in third place after what had happened earlier," recalled the trainer's husband.
"He then fell at the second last when still third. Warren felt that he was pretty tired but he hadn't actually picked up his stick at that stage - this is why we want to go back to Cheltenham. He will act around there, his jumping on the whole has improved since then and he's spent a substantial time with [jumping guru] Yogi Breisner. It's just whether the up and down nature of the course will suit him."
Asked whether there is a possibility Gingembre will run in both the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Martell Grand National, Taylor replied: "No, but let's say that if he had an upset in the Gold Cup not having gone very far, then obviously the National would be quite a proposition. However, he's a horse who does take a bit of time to get over his races and the chance of him running any distance in the Gold Cup and then going for the Grand National are small.
"Several people say he could win a Gold Cup and he obviously has the staying ability to win the National - you've only got to look at the horses which finished behind him at Ayr two years ago. Ad Hoc, who is favourite for the National, Supreme Glory, who went on to win the Welsh Grand National, and Last Option in fourth place, who went on to win the Foxhunters' Chase at Cheltenham.
"Also Take Control - we beat him over 30 lengths that day - and he went on to win last year's Scottish Grand National. Gingembre is a different horse on better ground - that's why we're quite happy to go to Cheltenham on good ground."
ENTRIES FOR THE MARTELL GRAND NATIONAL CLOSE ON JANUARY 22
Owners and trainers are reminded that entries for the Martell Grand National, the world's most famous chase, close at noon on Wednesday, January 22, 2003.
The richest-ever Martell Grand National, worth £100,000 more this year at £600,000, takes place at Aintree on Saturday, April 5, 2003.
The entries will be announced on Thursday, January 23.
The 19 other high-class races at the three-day Martell Grand National Meeting, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 3, 4 & 5, all close at the five-day entry stage.
Admission badges and corporate hospitality packages are currently on sale for the Martell Grand National Meeting. Please call 0151 522 2929. Advance purchase of admission badges is recommended.
AYR TO STAGE SCOTLAND'S FIRST EVER GROUP 2 RACE
Prize Money For Scottish Classic More Than Doubles To £100,000
The board of the Western Meeting Club Ltd is delighted to announce that Ayr Racecourse will be staging Scotland's first ever Group 2 race this year, following the elevation of the Scottish Classic from Group 3 status.
The 10-furlong event, which will be run this year on Monday, July, 14, has also had its prize money increased from £45,000 in 2002 to £100,000 this year following the promotion agreed by the European Pattern Race Committee.
Last year's race was won by the Mick Channon-trained Imperial Dancer, who went on to further Group 3 glory at the Curragh and rounded off the season with fourth place in a Group 1 event at Rome in November.
The 2001 winner Carnival Dancer, trained by Sir Michael Stoute for Cheveley Park Stud, put in a good effort to come fourth to Storming Home in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket last season, Endless Hall, the 2000 Ayr winner, went on to land the Group 1 Singapore International Cup, one of the world's richest races.
Chris Kennedy, Ayr's Clerk of the Course, said: "It is fantastic news, not only for Ayr Racecourse but for Scottish racing as a whole, for us to be able to host a Group 2 race for the first time with prize money of £100,000 on offer. We look forward to welcoming some of the top Flat performers north of the border in July."
Ian Good, Chairman of Scottish Racing, added: "Scottish Racing is delighted that Ayr's Scottish Classic has been awarded Group 2 status. This reflects recognition of the hard work and commitment being invested by Scottish Racing and all five Scottish racecourses in the sport in Scotland."
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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