Monday, March 7, 2005

2005 FESTIVAL ENTRIES COMPLETE

The Weatherbys Champion Bumper, only run for the first time in 1992, is a unique and eagerly awaited contest at The Festival and has attracted a record 65 entries of whom 15 are trained in Ireland. Among those bidding to take the March 16 race across the Irish Sea for the 10th time in 13 runnings is the Willie Mullins-trained Missed That, an impressive winner on his last start and the current market leader. He will be aiming to give his trainer an amazing fifth success in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and other significant Irish contenders include Vintage Gold, trained by Vincent O'Brien's son Charles, Firth Of Forth and Eye On The Ball. Heading the home challenge is Refinement, runner-up last year, and Victor Dartnall's exciting Karanja, an impressive winner of all his three starts.

There are 54 engaged in the extended four-mile National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, run on Thursday, March 17 and The Festival's longest race. There are 11 Irish-trained entries including two from the shrewd Tony Martin stable in Beau Colina and Rare Ouzel. Jonjo O'Neill, seeking his fourth consecutive success in the contest and his fifth overall, has two engaged - Classic Native and Golden Rambler - while Martin Pipe has 10 to choose from, headed by Control Man.

One of the most poignant moments at last year's Festival was Earthmover's success in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase, six years after his first victory in the season's leading hunter chase. The Paul Nicholls-trained evergreen is once again among the record 44 entries along with his stable companion and current favourite Sleeping Night. A strong Irish challenge of seven for the March 18 contest includes last year's runner-up Never Compromise, recent Leopardstown scorer Lord Of The Turf and Edward O'Grady's General Montcalm.

COMPARISON OF ENTRIES 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
Weatherbys Champion Bumper 65 58 46 46 56 55 52 42 * *
National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup 54 71 71 61 58 44 41 42 48 47
Christie's Foxhunter Chase 44 39 41 35 36 34 35 28 28 27

IRISH-TRAINED ENTRIES 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
Weatherbys Champion Bumper 15 30 21 14 18 21 18 8 * *
National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup 11 17 24 17 19 10 11 10 10 7
Christie's Foxhunter Chase 7 7 10 4 5 4 6 8 6 4
*Five-day closing in 1996 and 1997

Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's Managing Director, commented: "With just over a week to go before the tapes go up for The Festival 2005, the final pieces of the jigsaw have now fallen into place with the publication of the entries for the remaining three races.

"The first four-day Festival is all set to be a great success with some truly memorable action throughout the 24 contests."

THE FESTIVAL® MAGAZINE LAUNCHED

The Festival® magazine is now available to purchase from cheltenham.co.uk for a cost of £5, including postage and packaging, and including an exclusive 30 minute CD previewing the meeting.

Included in the 64-page magazine are features on Francois Doumen, Jim Culloty, Paul Carberry, Jessica Harrington, Nigel Twiston-Davies and Carl Llewellyn.

For those trying to find some winners, there is an eight-page "Punters' Pullout", together with a tremendous competition offering overnight accommodation, flights and entry to Punchestown next month.

TREMENDOUS VODAFONE OAKS IN STORE

Godolphin has been involved with three Vodafone Oaks heroines - Balanchine (1994), Moonshell the following season and Kazzia two years ago.

Runners in the famous royal blue colours could include Her Own Kind, the three-length winner from Twyla Tharp of a Doncaster maiden, Sharaiji Blossom, a $575,000 acquisition who justified favouritism in a Nottingham maiden, Dubai Surprise and Queen Of Poland. Dubai Surprise finished runner-up in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud and Queen Of Poland filled the same position behind Playful Act in the Group Two betfair.com May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Newmarket trainer Michael Jarvis then has seven entries and these include Ayam Zaman, as low as 14/1 in the Vodafone Oaks ante-post betting. The Montjeu filly was the impressive five-length winner of a Listed 10-furlong event at Newmarket at the end of October.

Jarvis commented: "Ayam Zaman is obviously a talented filly but she's very light-framed and it will be interesting to see whether she has trained on or not. She stays well and her targets are the Oaks - whether it's the Vodafone Oaks or one of the others.

"She won't start off until at least the middle of May in one of the Oaks trials. My other entries for the Vodafone Oaks are mostly maidens, quite nice ones - I wouldn't like to pick one out at the moment but they're well-bred fillies who didn't race last year for one reason and another but we're hoping one of them pops up."

The ante-post favourite for the 12-furlong Classic is Playful Act, trained by John Gosden, who won three starts as a juvenile including the Group One Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile at Ascot in September.

Luca Cumani has entered Dash To The Top, a Leicester maiden winner who went on to delight her trainer when third behind Playful Act in the Fillies' Mile despite running green that day.

Sir Mark Prescott could be represented by Intrigued, another prominent in the betting, who gained some invaluable experience of running at Epsom when winning the PKF EBF Maiden Stakes in September before finishing fourth in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

Champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has won two of the last six renewals of the Vodafone Oaks courtesy of Shahtoush in 1998 and Imagine three years later and he will be hoping one of his four possibles is as good.

The quartet is headed by Mona Lisa, beaten a length and three-quarters into fourth by Playful Act in the Fillies' Mile, who is joined by Silk And Scarlet, winner of the Robert H. Griffin Debutante Stakes at the Curragh in August, Kitty O'Shea, successful in a Navan maiden, and Briolette, beaten in a couple of mile events in 2004 but bred to be much better over further.

German trainer Mario Hofer provides an intriguing entry with the Japanese-owned Paita, who won the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud in France over 10 furlongs in November on her second start.

Stephen Wallis, Managing Director of Epsom Downs Racecourse, commented: "The Vodafone Oaks is the high point of Ladies Day, the start of the two-day Vodafone Derby Festival, and we have a quality entry for the fillies' Classic. Let's hope that the winner goes on to shine in the same way that Ouija Board did last year."

THE VODAFONE OAKS

Group One, Class A, Epsom Downs, Friday, June 3, 2005, one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards, total prize fund £350,000, for three-year-old fillies only. Weights: 9st. Entries closed Wednesday, March 2, 2005 (74 entries), entries released March 7. Forfeit stage Thursday, May 19, 2005, £20,000 supplementary entry stage Saturday, May 28, 2005. Five-day confirmation stage Saturday, May 28, 2005. 48-hour declaration stage 10.00am Wednesday, June 1, 2005. (Form figures from Weatherbys correct up to Friday, March 4, 2005 and may not include some overseas form).

Form Horse Owner Trainer
ALBAHJA Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
21- ALMANSOORA (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
ALSHAMATRY (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
ANAAMIL (IRE) Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
0- ANISSATI Mohammed Al Shafar Clive Brittain
1- ARGENTINA (IRE) Ecurie Wildenstein Elie Lellouche FR
3- ART EYES (USA) Matthew Green David Elsworth
3- ASAWER (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Sir Michael Stoute
511- AYAM ZAMAN (IRE) Saif Ali Michael Jarvis
00- BRIOLETTE (IRE) Diane Nagle & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
614- CASSYDORA Hesmonds Stud John Dunlop
3421-(5)(0) CHANTILLY BEAUTY (FR) Robert Ng Rupert Pritchard-Gordon FR
CHEERLEADER Sheikh Mohammed Michael Jarvis
CRIMSON YEAR (USA) Sheikh Marwan Al Maktoum Clive Brittain
0- DANCINGINTHECLOUDS (IRE) Neil Jones John Dunlop
213- DASH TO THE TOP Helena Springfield Ltd Luca Cumani
1- DESERT MOVE (IRE) Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon
5- DREAM TO DRESS (USA) Moyglare Stud Farms Ltd Dermot Weld IRE
31102- DUBAI SURPRISE (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
EBAZA (IRE) H H Aga Khan John Oxx IRE
ENGLISH SCHOOL (IRE) Bill Gredley David Loder
ESWARAH Hamdan Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
14523- FAVOURITA Wyck Hall Stud Clive Brittain
FORMAL APPROVAL (USA) Sangster Family Mark Johnston
413- FRALOGA (IRE) Lagardere Family Andre Fabre FR
21- HALLE BOP Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
00026- HALLOWED DREAM (IRE) Minster Stud Clive Brittain
21- HER OWN KIND (JPN) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
62- HIGHER LOVE (IRE) DGH Partnership Michael Bell
314- INTRIGUED Faisal Salman Sir Mark Prescott
116- JOINT ASPIRATION Ridgeway Downs Racing Mick Channon
KARLIYNA (IRE) H H Aga Khan Sir Michael Stoute
1- KITTY O'SHEA Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
KYDD GLOVES (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
2- LADEENA (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop
1- LAST RHAPSODY (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
1- MAGGIE JORDAN (USA) Andy Smith Brian Meehan
41611- MAGICAL ROMANCE (IRE) Con Wilson Brian Meehan
MAGNOLIA LANE (IRE) Diane Nagle David Wachman IRE
424(0)- MONA LISA Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
021- MONTARE (IRE) George Strawbridge Jonathan Pease FR
20- NAIVETY Saif Ali Clive Brittain
(2)- ONE TO WIN (IRE) Saif Ali Jeremy Noseda
11- PAITA Teruya Yoshida Mario Hofer GER
2- PARADISE MILL (USA) HRH Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden
2- PHILADELPHIE (IRE) Ecurie Wildenstein Ellie Lellouche FR
01220- PICTAVIA (IRE) Maktoum Al Maktoum Jim Bolger IRE
2111- PLAYFUL ACT (IRE) Sangster Family John Gosden
313425- PORTRAYAL (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
QAADMAH (IRE) Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
1126- QUEEN OF POLAND Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
21- QUICKFIRE Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute
1- READ FEDERICA Mrs Renata Jacobs Sir Michael Stoute
2- RUBY WINE Mrs R M Wilson James Eustace
2132- SAOIRE Joseph Joyce Frances Crowley IRE
1- SAYWAAN (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
4- SEVEN MAGICIANS (USA) Niarchos Family Sir Michael Stoute
11- SHANGHAI LILY (IRE) Cheveley Park Stud Sir Michael Stoute
31- SHARAIJI BLOSSOM (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor UAE
15- SHOHRAH (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
2110- SILK AND SCARLET Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
022- SILVER HIGHLIGHT (CAN) D H Caslon Andrew Balding
4331- SINGHALESE Paul J Dixon Jamie Osborne
001112- SOMETHING EXCITING Setsquare Recruitment David Elsworth
101- SONGERIE Kirsten Rausing Sir Mark Prescott
2- STAGE SCHOOL (USA) Sheikh Mohammed Mark Johnston
TAKRIT (IRE) Saeed Manana Clive Brittain
TARGGIS Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
4- TEEBA (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop
35- TEMPESTAD (IRE) Sumaya UK Stable (Int'l Equities) Henry Cecil
03- THIS IS MY SONG Woodcote Stud Ltd Amanda Perrett
02- TWYLA THARP (IRE) Lord Lloyd-Webber John Gosden
11- WHAZZAT Bill Gredley Barry Hills
1- WINDS OF TIME (IRE) Bob and Pauline Scott Amanda Perrett

74 entries
10 UAE-trained
9 Irish-trained
4 French-trained
1 German-trained


Breakdown Of Entries By Trainer with Past Successes


10 entries
Saeed bin Suroor UAE (1995 Moonshell, 2002 Kazzia)

7 entries
Michael Jarvis

6 entries
Clive Brittain (1992 User Friendly)
Sir Michael Stoute (1978 Fair Salinia, 1987 Unite)

4 entries
John Dunlop (1984 Circus Plume, 1990 Salsabil)
Aidan O'Brien IRE (1998 Shahtoush, 2001 Imagine)

3 entries
John Gosden

2 entries
Mick Channon
David Elsworth
Mark Johnston
Ellie Lellouche FR
Brian Meehan
Amanda Perrett
Sir Mark Prescott
Marcus Tregoning

1 entry
Andrew Balding (2003 Casual Look)
Michael Bell
Jim Bolger IRE (1991 Jet Ski Lady)
Henry Cecil (1985 Oh So Sharp, 1988 Diminuendo, 1989 Snow Bride, 1996 Lady Carla, 1997 Reams Of Verse, 1999 Ramruma, 2000 Love Divine)
Frances Crowley IRE
Luca Cumani
James Eustace
Andre Fabre FR (1993 Intrepidity)
Barry Hills
Mario Hofer GER
David Loder
Jeremy Noseda
Jamie Osborne
John Oxx IRE
Jonathan Pease FR
Rupert Pritchard-Gordon FR
David Wachman IRE
Dermot Weld IRE (1981 Blue Wind)

McKEEVER ST LAWRENCE TO SPONSOR LISTED RACE AT ROWLEY MILE

Managing Director, Johnny McKeever, said: "We felt it was time to sponsor a Stakes race at our local track, Newmarket. The management there is second to none and they always bend over backwards to look after us and our clients."

Since they set up in 2000, McKeever St Lawrence have already sponsored 7 races in the UK, including two previous Listed events. McKeever added: "We believe in putting something back into the industry that gives us our living - it would be nice to see some other agents follow our lead!"

Newmarket Racecourses' Clerk of the Course, Michael Prosser, said: "We are always delighted to welcome a new sponsor to the Home of Racing and I applaud McKeever St Lawrence's desire to put something back into the industry through this high profile sponsorship on the Rowley Mile's biggest raceday of the year."

For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink Archive

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