GOSDEN SET TO BE REPRESENTED IN LESLIE HARRISON MEMORIAL NELL GWYN STAKES
BLOCKLEY HAS HIGH HOPES FOR DEAUVILLE
Newmarket trainer John Gosden is considering his options for Infallible and Michita in the £50,000 Group Three Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes (3.45pm), run over seven furlongs at Newmarket on Wednesday, April 16, the first day of the Craven Meeting.
Clarehaven Stables-based Gosden is aiming to get a run into his stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas entry Infallible, who was an impressive winner on her only start in the seven-furlong bet365 EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket on November 3.
Gosden revealed today at a stable visit organised by Newmarket Racecourses and StanJamesUK: "Infallible will be given entries in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes and the Fred Darling at Newbury. We will just watch the ground with her because she just likes to get her toe in.
"Her coat is quite thick at the moment, but it’s very healthy and she is very happy in herself. Jimmy (Fortune) worked her yesterday and was very pleased with her. She will run in a trial and is in good order."
Infallible, owned by Cheveley Park Stud, is rated a 25/1 chance with Stan James for Classic glory on May 4.
Gosden could also run Michita in Wednesday’s feature race. The three-year-old filly was also victorious on her only previous start, in a mile maiden at Yarmouth on October 23.
He continued: "I have also given Michita an entry in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, but the Listed stanjamesuk.com Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 4 would be her main aim. She’s a big, galloping type and I think (in time) she will stay a mile-and-a-half. She outstayed them over a mile in the mud at Yarmouth last backend."
Paul Blockley hopes that Lady Deauville will run a big race in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, en route to a possible tilt at the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas.
The three-year-old filly was a Listed winner over seven furlongs at Newbury in October and rounded off her season with a good victory in the Listed Prix Zeddann at Fontainebleau on November 20.
Blockley commented: "Lady Deauville has been entered in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, and she will take her chance providing the ground is not too fast. I’d like her to get a good toe in, but good ground will be all right. She will also be entered at Newbury next week, but I would prefer to let her get a feel of Newmarket anyway.
"She finished three-quarters of a length second to Muthabara on her second start in a Listed race at Sandown, so that’s not bad form. Her Listed win at Newbury, where she beat the seriousquitters.co.uk Rockfel Stakes runner-up Missit, was another good run.
"We took her to France because, being a French-bred, she gets the extra prize money and she really enjoyed the soft ground out there. She wintered well and I am very happy with her.
"I’m still living the dream with her and hope she will prove to be a good Group horse this year. She wants a mile and we’ll have to see about her stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas entry after she races next week, but it’s the plan at the moment."
A total of 24 fillies have been entered for the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, including John Dunlop’s Listed winner Muthabara, who jointly heads the market at 5/1 with the sponsors for the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas.
The West Sussex-based trainer, successful in this race 12 months ago with Scarlet Runner, has also engaged Festivale, who finished a staying on fifth behind fellow entry Spinning Lucy in the six-furlong Listed EBF Bosra Sham Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket on November 2.
Spinning Lucy’s trainer Barry Hills has also entered Royal Confidence, who finished a close third on her latest start in the Group Two seriousquitters.co.uk Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on October 20, and fellow Lambourn-based handler Marcus Tregoning could run Shabiba, who was successful on her previous outing in the EBF Grand Prix White St Moritz Maiden at Newmarket on October 4.
Marco Botti has entered Raymi Coya, who was a good winner of the Group Three Finnforest Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket on October 6, while Mick Channon could rely on Royal Ascot scorer Nijoom Dubai.
The £30,000 Listed European Free Handicap (3.10pm), run over seven furlongs, has attracted an entry of 19, including the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Confront, who was an easy winner of an Ascot maiden in October and is a 16/1 chance for the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas.
Paul Cole has engaged Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes fifth Luck Money and River Proud, who was a game winner of the Group Three Somerville Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket on October 5.
Brian Meehan has engaged £250,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes scorer Exclamation, while Barry Hills could run Royal Confidence, Yankadi or Nacho Libre, who finished third to River Proud at Newmarket in October.
NEW CHAMPAGNE LANSON LADIES EVENING AT CHELTENHAM
X FACTOR STARS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AFTER RACING ON FRIDAY
Meeting - The April Meeting, Cheltenham Racecourse
Dates - Wednesday, April 16, Thursday, April 17 & Friday, April 18
First Race - 2.20pm (Wednesday & Thursday), 5.00pm (Friday)
Admission Prices - Club & Tattersalls enclosure - £18; Best Mate enclosure - £8; Accompanied children under 16 admitted FREE too all enclosures. FREE car parking.
Cheltenham Racecourse hosts the inaugural Champagne Lanson Ladies Evening on Friday, April 18, the new addition to the Gloucestershire track’s April Meeting which begins on Wednesday, April 16.
The penultimate meeting of Cheltenham’s season is expanded to three days for the first time, boasting a quality six-race evening card on the Friday, including the extended two-mile £20,000 Champagne Lanson Novices’ Hurdle (6.10pm) and the £30,000 Racing UK Hurdle (6.45pm) over three miles.
The first race, the £15,000 Nicholson Holman Conditional Jockeys Handicap over an extended two miles, is due off at 5pm. Gates open at 2pm and postcards will be handed out at all entrances entitling racegoers to money off a bottle of Champagne Lanson, produced by one of France’s oldest champagne houses which is title sponsor of the evening.
A great night’s entertainment includes two of the stars from the 2006 X Factor, Ray Quinn and Ben Mills, who will be performing after racing in The Centaur, making the day the perfect early start to the weekend. In addition, the Irish Dancing Academy will be performing near the parade ring between races.
The £50,000 Grade Two Mears Group Silver Trophy (4.05pm) is the highlight of a six-race card on Wednesday, April 16. The two mile, five furlong chase is part of the Order Of Merit and recent winners include Our Vic in 2006. The David Johnson-owned gelding gave Martin Pipe the final Graded victory of his great training career before triumphing for son David in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at this year’s Festival in March.
The Brightwells April National Hunt Sale, now in its fifth year, takes place in The Centaur after racing on the evening of April 16. The sale, boasting 50 exceptional young horses, produced £2.3 million in turnover in 2007 and one of this year’s top lots looks to be a half-sister to recent totesport Gold Cup winner Denman.
The six races on Thursday, April 17, include the £30,000 Listed Raceodds.com Mares Handicap Hurdle (3.30pm), run over an extended two miles and five furlongs. Last year’s winner Silver Charmer returned to Cheltenham for The Festival in March and finished a good sixth in the Grade Two David Nicholson Mares Hurdle. By coincidence, April 17 marks the eighth birthday of totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Denman.
Accompanied children aged under 16 gain free admission on all three days of the April Meeting while free car parking is offered too.
The final fixture at Cheltenham this season is the Hunter Chase Evening on Wednesday, May 7.
83 ENTERED FOR THE IRISH FIELD ST LEGER
A total of 83 entries have been received for the final Irish Classic of 2008, the Group One The Irish Field St Leger to be run at the Curragh on Saturday, September 13. This represents a healthy increase over last year.
Heading the entries is the 2007 winner Yeats, who tops a strong entry from Ballydoyle which also includes last season’s Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune, the Doncaster St Leger runner-up Mahler and the top-class stayer Septimus, winner of the Group Two Lonsdale Stakes at York and the Group Two Doncaster Cup in 2007.
Jeremy Noseda has entered the 2006 English St Leger winner Sixties Icon, while Sir Michael Stoute’s entries include Ask and the Group One-winning mare Allegretto. Mick Channon’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Youmzain is also among the entries.
Godolphin has three entries, the 2007 Doncaster St Leger fourth Regal Flush, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third Sagara and Veracity, who finished one place behind Regal Flush at Doncaster. All three joined the Maktoum family’s racing operation late last year.
An interesting entry is from Rune Haugen in Norway, who has engaged the former Aidan O’Brien-trained Road To Mandalay.
Twenty-seven three-year-olds feature and all but 10 of these are from Ballydoyle. John Oxx (5), Dermot Weld (3) and a pair from Jim Bolger represent the rest of the second season entries.
The second entry stage for The Irish Field St Leger is on Wednesday, July 23.
Entries: Acapulco, Adored, Alandi, Al Eile, Alessandro Volta, Alfie Flits, Allegretto, Alleviate, Alma Mater, Anna Pavlova, Aqaleem, Arch Rebel, Ask, Bauer, Black Rock, Carte Diamond, Casual Conquest, Consulate, Daasij, Downtown, Ebalista, Ezima, Frank Sonata, Frozen Fire, Galactic Star, Galistic, Galiyan, Geordieland, Harrington, Hasanka, Heron Bay, Hi Calypso, Hindu Kush, Honolulu, King Of Rome, Kingdom Of Naples, Lion Sands, Macarthur, Mahler, Masiyma, Mikhail Fokine, Milne Graden, More Wells, New Zealand, Nick’s Nikita, Papal Bull, Prairie Tiger, Queen Of The Night, Red Moloney, Red Rock Canyon, Regal Flush, Road To Mandalay, Royal And Regal, Sagara, Sail, Samuel, Savannah, Septimus, Shahin, Sixties Icon, Slaney Wave, Soapy Danger, Soldier Of Fortune, Speed Gifted, Steppe Dancer, Sweet Sixteen, Tale Of Two Cities, Tiffany Diamond, Timari, Tranquil Tiger, Tungsten Strike, Veracity, Via Galilei, Vivaldi, Washington Irving, Wassily Kandinsky, Westlake, William Hogarth, Winchester, Wing Express, Yeats, Yellowstone and Youmzain.
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