Thursday, May 3, 2001

BEST PRICES FOR NEWMARKET TOMORROW

TOTE PRICES FOR THE SAGITTA JOCKEY CLUB STAKES

LATEST WILLIAM HILL ANTE-POST PRICES

EPSOM CHARITY RACE-EVENING

This year's event is on Thursday July 5 when money will be raised through the sponsorship of six races, advertising in a special souvenir brochure, an auction, and through the sale of tickets for the auction dinner.

Racing Welfare is a charity supporting those in need in the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, while Emergency Relief For Thoroughbreds, administered by the ROA, uses its funds to provide relief for ex-racehorses found in distress.

As last year, one of the races on the card, the six-furlong ROA Selhurstpark Flyer Handicap Stakes, will be restricted to horses owned by ROA members. This event will be sponsored by Council member Chris Deuters.

Tickets for the racing and the auction dinner at Epsom cost £75 per person. Tables of ten can be booked. Availability is limited, so early booking is advised.

CHANNEL FOUR RACING TO UNVEIL NEW LOOK AT NEWMARKET

Viewers turning on to Channel 4's coverage of the three-day event will be treated to a new re-worked Programme Title and Morning Line Title sequences coupled with new look colour graphics and an established typeface.

NEW LOOK DETAILS:

The Morning Line Sequence:

The Morning Line title sequence was made at Channel 4's 124 Facilities using Edit Box. Taking treated original Morning Line footage featuring presenters and guests multi layered over a background montage of early morning shots plus racing action and newspaper mastheads. The combination accurately portrays the diversity of the entertaining magazine programme.

The Working Title Sequence:

The new modern Title sequence feature treated original footage and was made by Tim Varlow at Liquid Television Graphics.

Graphics:

Sitting aside reworked images are newly introduced colours taken from the ochre, copper and bronze pallets. In addition the Din mittelschrist typeface, used throughout Channel 4 Sport, has been established.

Channel 4's Newmarket coverage commences Friday at 2.00pm

KENTUCKY DERBY WILL NOT BE SCREENED ON RACING NETWORK INTERNATIONAL

A spokesman for TRNi said: "We are extremely disappointed that our viewers are to be denied the opportunity to see live coverage of this spectacular meeting but Churchill Downs have decided not to release the signal. We sympathise with their stance as there clearly is a real value to their product. However issues relating to wagering revenue have still to be resolved, and regrettably this will not happen before the weekend."

RAYMOND S. PAULICK WINS PRESTIGIOUS CHARLES W. ENGELHARD AWARD

Named for Charles W. Engelhard, who in 1962, gained renown as a buyer and owner of championship Thoroughbreds, the award is given annually to a member of the news media for outstanding coverage of the Thoroughbred industry in the fields of sports casting and/or sports writing.

Paulick, 47, writes the weekly column "What's Going On Here" in The Blood-Horse. Paulick joined The Blood-Horse, Inc. in May of 1992 as Editor-in-Chief and also serves as executive vice president and editorial director of the multi-media company. Prior to that, he spent one year as Midwest Editor of The Racing Times, three years as Managing Editor of Thoroughbred Times in Lexington, and eight years as a member of the editorial staff of Daily Racing Form in Los Angeles. Paulick, his wife Carol, and his two children reside in Lexington.

"We couldn't be prouder that the KTOB chose to honor Ray with the Engelhard Award," observed Stacy V. Bearse, President of Blood-Horse Publications. "Ray is the consummate publishing executive. His innovation, initiative and leadership are major reasons why The Blood-Horse is the world leader in circulation, advertising and
service to the industry."

The Blood-Horse, the leading international weekly Thoroughbred racing and breeding information magazine, is published by The Blood-Horse, Inc. The Blood-Horse, Inc. also publishes The Horse, a monthly equine health care magazine; TBH MarketWatch, a twice-monthly newsletter for Thoroughbred investors; Equine Images, a quarterly equine art enthusiast's magazine; the official Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup
souvenir magazines; and Keeneland magazine. In addition, The Blood-Horse, Inc. also operates Eclipse Press, its book publishing division; Exclusively Equine, its e-commerce and mail-order catalogue division; and a family of leading Web sites including bloodhorse.com, thehorse.com, and haynet.net.

19 DECLARED FOR SAGITTA 2000 GUINEAS

THE SAGITTA 2000 GUINEAS

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer Jockey
1) (5) 164- DARWIN (IRE) 3-9-00 (Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier) Aidan O'Brien IRE
2) (15) DEVINE TASK (USA) 3-9-00 (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor Kevin Darley
3) (14) 3-2 FRENCHMANS BAY (FR) 3-9-00 (Michael Pescod) Roger Charlton Pat Eddery
4) (19) 1- GOLAN (IRE) 3-9-00 (Lord Weinstock) Sir Michael Stoute Kieren Fallon
5) (13) 61-1 HERETIC 3-9-00 (Barford Bloodstock) James Fanshawe Michael Hills
6) 513250-3 IMPERIAL DANCER 3-9-00 (Imperial Racing) Mick Channon Steve Drowne
7) (6) 1222-1 KING'S COUNTY (IRE) 3-9-00v (Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier) Aidan O'Brien IRE
8) (18) 21510-1 KING'S IRONBRIDGE (IRE) 3-9-00 (Terry Johnsey) Richard Hannon Dane O'Neill
9) (17) 31-(1) MAYVILLE THUNDER 3-9-00 (Jan H. Stenbeck) Gerard Butler Jamie Spencer
10) (8) 211- MINARDI (USA) 3-9-00 (Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier) Aidan O'Brien IRE
11) 31-1 MUNIR 3-9-00 (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Barry Hills Richard Hills
12) (16) 11-3 NAYEF (USA) 3-9-00 (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Marcus Tregoning Willie Supple
13) 11153-5 PATSY'S DOUBLE 3-9-00 (Patricia Buckley) Michael Blanshard Richard Quinn
14) (11) 25113-2 RED CARPET 3-9-00 (Cheveley Park Stud) Michael Bell Michael Fenton
15) (9) 1- RUMPOLD 3-9-00 (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor John Carroll
16) (12) 2212-4 TAMBURLAINE (IRE) 3-9-00 (Jeffen Racing) Richard Hannon Richard Hughes
17) (3) 41263- TEMPEST 3-9-00 (Cheveley Park Stud) Sir Michael Stoute Johnny Murtagh
18) (4) 111- TOBOUGG (IRE) 3-9-00 (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori
19) (10) 10- VOLATA (IRE) 3-9-00 (J. Ellis) Mark Tompkins Ted Durcan

SEVEN DECLARED FOR SAGITTA JOCKEY CLUB STAKES

The full field is:

1) (7) 111655 Holding Court Michael Jarvis 4-9-00 Philip Robinson
2) (1) 5/11011- Millenary John Dunlop 4-9-00 Pat Eddery
3) (3) 14/2212- Air Marshall Sir Michael Stoute 4-8-12 Kieren Fallon
4) (5) 3/1231- Boreas Luca Cumani 6-8-09 Luca Cumani
5) (4) 50402/2 Salford Express David Elsworth 5-8-09 Richard Hughes
6) (6) 1/22- Sandmason Henry Cecil 4-8-09 Willie Ryan
7) (2) 3/11511- Wellbeing Henry Cecil 4-8-09 Richard Quinn

AMERICAN STEEPLECHASING NEWS

Stakes winners Tres Touche and War Talk also deserve some consideration on paper, but the up-and-coming Devil's Reach comes out of the Tom Voss barn and could be a surprise. The son of Devil's Bag was beaten 10 lengths by Tres Touche at Atlanta April 14, but has improved with each start over hurdles.

The Triple Crown is restricted to horses that did not break their steeplechase maidens before March 1, 2000 (meaning the horses are all first-or second-year competitors, much like flat racing's 3-year-olds). Part of the Sport of Kings Challenge series, the Steeplechase Triple Crown also includes the May 17 Joe Aitcheson at Pimlico and the June 7 Meadow Brook at Belmont Park. All three races will be televised on ESPN or espn2 as part of the networks' expansive Triple Crown coverage.

CROWDS (HORSES AND PEOPLE) EYE GOLD CUP

The 76th annual Virginia Gold Cup, northern Virginia's rite of spring, goes to the post Saturday at 1 p.m. for what should be a quality day of racing.

The $50,000 Gold Cup timber stakes headlines and attracted 2000 timber champion Ironfist and eight others. The favorite, owned by Harry Filbert and trained in Maryland by Tom Voss, has won his last five and should make it six as long as he can handle the four-mile distance.

"It's the only thing he hasn't done, but I don't see it being a problem," said jockey Roger Horgan. ‘People think he has to run in front, that he's one dimensional, but that's not the case. I can't tell you he has a weakness."

The 8-year-old will still have to run to claim the $30,000 winner's share, and faces challenges from timber stakes winners Atomistic and Final Final among others. Irish-bred The Headman makes his U.S. debut on the card for English trainer Dai Williams. The field (with jockeys): Ironfist (Horgan), Make Me A Champ (Blythe Miller), Aitcheson Lane (Chip Miller), Bredesen Moe (Gus Brown), The Headman (Tom Foley), Keep It A Secret (Richard Boucher), Final Final (Craig Thornton), Kanawha (Wyck Cushny), Atomistic (Chip Miller).

The Gold Cup will be run without Saluter for the first time in seven years. The timber legend won six in a row from 1994-99 and was third in the 2000 running. Saluter was retired at the end of last season (with a record 21 timber wins and another record $429,489 in timber earnings). This year, he gets an official retirement send-off before the Gold Cup. The rest of the seven-race Gold Cup card, held at Great Meadow in The Plains, includes a $20,000 maiden hurdle which attracted 12 entrants and a $20,000 allowance hurdle.

RALEIGH HOSTS BROOKHILL STEEPLECHASE

Steeplechasing makes its final spring stop in the Carolinas Saturday for the ninth annual Brookhill Steeplechase at Raleigh. The five-race card includes a $15,000 open claimer as the feature. Veterans Boca Paila, Action Man and Seminole Spirt will do battle in the 2 1/4-miler. Seminole Spirt, once a New York-based flat horse, goes for his second consecutive win of the season.

The 10-year-old sat out 2000 with a broken leg and surgery, but looks to have found his old form for owner/trainer/jockey Toby Edwards. First post at Brookhill is 2:30 p.m.

POMPEYO TROUNCES FOES IN ROYAL CHASE

Augustin Stable's Pompeyo answered any doubts about his ability with a powerful score in the $185,875 Royal Chase at Keeneland April 27 for trainer Sanna Neilson. Once in the flat barn of trainer Neil Drysdale, Pompeyo improved to 7-for-11 lifted his jump earnings past $353,000 since his hurdle career began last March.

The winner rated off the pace before making a sweeping move on the final turn and outrunning 2000 steeplechase champion All Gong to the last fence and winning by three. Al Gong was second with Rand third. Unbeaten in two starts this year, Pompeyo finished as the Eclipse Award runner-up to All Gong last year but is now a heavy favorite for the 2001 version. Ridden by Gus Brown, the winner covered the 2 1/2 miles in a course record 4:34.56.

Also at Keeneland, Peggy Steinman's French import Golden Marvel clobbered nine rivals in a $50,000 maiden hurdle (a record for a U.S. maiden steeplechase) for trainer Doug Fout. Golden Marvel took over on the far turn and won by more than 20 lengths in his second U.S. hurdle start. Robert Massey was aboard the winner, who could try for the $100,000 Joe Aitcheson May 17 at Pimlico. Steinman and Fout won that race with French import Grand Nord in 1999.

SOLO LORD PULLS HUNT CUP SHOCKER

Leesburg, Va. investment banker Michael Hoffman realized the dream of every amateur steeplechase jockey when he won the April 28 Maryland Hunt Cup with Solo Lord. The country's oldest steeplechase, the Hunt Cup has been a bastion of tradition and amateurism since 1894 and the 2001 version went back to the roots as a part-time jockey and a part-time race horse teamed up for an unlikely win.

Solo Lord streaked immediately to the front of the four-mile, 22-fence race and basically stole the race. Heavy favorite Welter Weight waited in the back of the four-horse field for most of the race, made up some ground late, but was no match for the winner who scored by 12 lengths for trainer Bruce Miller. The victory was a career first for Hoffman and Solo Lord.

"I had to make them come to me," said Hoffman. ‘I've been around this course twice, I knew I had a good jumper underneath me and I knew our partnership, but I had to put the pressure on if I was going to beat Welter Weight."

THOR THORS PREVAILS AT CHARLOTTE

Green Stripe Stable's Thor Thors had no troubles with a ship from Maryland to North Carolina, and even fewer problems with the Queen's Cup timber course April 28 at Charlotte, N.C. Trained by Alicia Murphy, Thor Thors took the lead early and drew off to a 15-length win under jockey Michael Traurig.

Once part of P.G. Johnson's flat stable, Thor Thors won for the third time over timber and gave Traurig his second of two wins on the day. The jockey also scored in a $15,000 maiden hurdle with Jonathan Sheppard's Miles Ahead.

Irish apprentice Tom Foley also doubled at the Queen's Cup, winning a maiden claimer with Swoop and Soar for owner/trainer Jeremy Gillam and an open claimer with Dale Thiel's Country Cuzzin for trainer Toby Edwards. Country Cuzzin won for the second time this year, and ousted heavy favorite Dalton River by a neck. In its second year at a new course, the Queen's Cup hosted a crowd of 15,000 including double the amount of 2000 general admission ticket-holders.

STARS NOMINATE TO IROQUOIS

The May 12 Iroquois Steeplechase, the NSA's richest spring stop at $285,000 in total purses for the day, attracted a host of familiar names at the nomination stage for three stakes on the Nashville, Tenn. card.

Headlining the list are nine horses aiming for the $100,000 Iroquois (Gr. I). The NSA's longest hurdle race at three miles attracted nominations from Grade I winners All Gong, Electron, Pompeyo and Rowdy Irishman plus visiting New Zealander Rand. All Gong won the 2000 steeplechase Eclipse Award, but had to settle for seconds (to Electron at Atlanta and Pompeyo at Keeneland) in his two starts this year. The English-bred tries to give owner Calvin Houghland, a Nashville-area resident who rode in the first Iroquois in 1941, his first win in the race as an owner since 1964. Augustin Stable's Pompeyo (2-for-2 this year) again casts a long shadow, but should draw plenty of competition based on the Chilean-bred's inexperience at the Iroquois distance. The three-mile affair ideally suits Vesta Balestiere's Rowdy Irishman, who halted an eight-race losing streak with a victory in the April 21 Temple Gwathmey (Gr. III) for Bristol, Tenn.-based trainer Bruce Haynes.

The 12-year-old Erin's Isle gelding (purchased by Haynes for $1,500) is third on the NSA's career earnings list with $644,528, thanks in part to Iroquois victories in 1998 and 1999.

Also on the card, the $50,000 Marcellus Frost at two miles over hurdles attracted nine nominees including four from the Iroquois list. Recent stakes winner Brown Lad and allowance winners Canta Ke Brave and Maxi Tune head the list along with Electron and Greek Hero. The $50,000 Mason Houghland timber stakes drew 10 nominees including 2000 timber champion Ironfist and stakes winners Sam Sullivan and Thor Thors.

Iroquois Nominations: All Gong, Avanico, Brown Lad, Electron, Greek Hero, Pompeyo, Rand, Rarity Bay, Rowdy Irishman.

Marcellus Frost Nominations: Aggro Crag, Brown Lad, Canta Ke Brave, Electron, Greek Hero, Iron County Xmas, Maxi Tune, Rarity Bay, Spring Salute.

Mason Houghland Nominations: Corona Effect, Devil's Honor, Glitter N Glimmer, High Card, Ironfist, Matchless, Ocean Liner, Sam Sullivan, Thor Thors, Young Dubliner.

Iroquois meet entries close Tuesday, May 8.

NEWS AND NOTES

Grade I winner and 1998 champion Flat Top was honored as the Kentucky-bred champion steeplechase horse of 2000 by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association April 25 at Keeneland. Bred by Landon Knight, Flat Top won the Royal Chase (Gr. I) in his only start last year. The son of Alleged and The Minstrel's daughter Lady of the Light has earned more than $354,000 as a steeplechaser . . . The NSA's yearbook American Steeplechasing was recently released from the printer, and is packed with information in its some 400 pages. The hard-cover book, as close to a media guide as American steeplechasing has, includes a detailed history section and official charts from all 2000 NSA races. E-mail Joe Clancy at jump@eclipsetel.com to request a copy . . . Steeplechase Times and Hunt Cup Productions have produced a
2000 steeplechase year in review video. The 45-minute tape highlights the year's best moments, and can be purchased for $25 by calling Hunt Cup Productions at (610) 383-9530 . . . Through May 2, trainer Jack Fisher led the NSA standings with seven wins (two more than the trio of Ricky Hendriks, and sisters Kathy and Sanna Neilson) while 2000 champion jockey Gus Brown holds an 8-7 lead on Craig Thornton. David Bentley is third with six wins. Pompeyo leads the horse list with $141,525 in two starts.

SPRING RACING DATES

May 3 Churchill Downs; Louisville, Ky.

May 5 Brookhill Steeplechase; Raleigh, N.C.

May 5 Virginia Gold Cup; The Plains, Va.

May 12 Iroquois Steeplechase; Nashville, Tenn.

May 13 Willowdale Steeplechase; Kennett Square, Pa.

May 17 Pimlico; Baltimore, Md.

May 19 Radnor Hunt Races; Malvern, Pa.

May 20 High Hope Races; Lexington, Ky.

May 27 Oxmoor Steeplechase; Louisville, Ky.

May 28 Fair Hill Races; Fair Hill, Md.

June 7 Belmont Park; Elmont, N.Y.

NEWMAN NOT TO APPEAL

Newman was found guilty of failing to ride out Lady Two K out to the line in the Tote Fillies' Handicap.

Nicky Adams, Newman's agent, said today: "He's decided that it's tough to go down there and win," explained Adams.

"It's very unfortunate, he was very unlucky to get caught out like that but he's taken it on the chin and I'm sure it will make him a better jockey.

"Rather than taking a holiday, he'll be riding out every day, working for Mr Hannon and Mrs Dutfield, and hopefully going up to Newmarket for a bit so that when he does come back on May 26 he's got plenty of nice rides waiting for him."

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

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