Thursday, May 19, 2005

O'BRIEN LEAVES SEVEN IN VODAFONE DERBY

There are 27 horses, two more than 12 months ago, remaining in the world's most famous Flat race which is run at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 4, and worth £1.25 million.

Those left in by O'Brien are Chester Vase winner Gypsy King, Irish 2,000 Guineas hopeful Oratorio, impressive Leopardstown maiden winner Scorpion, yesterday's Predominate Stakes second Indigo Cat, Grand Central, Almighty and Falstaff.

Three other Irish-trained entries remain - the David Wachman-trained Fracas, winner of both the Classic Trial at Sandown and Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown, the John Oxx-trained Ehsan, who has won his only start and could meet Scorpion in Sunday's Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh, and the Kevin Prendergast-trained Qassas.

Walk In The Park, trained for Michael Tabor by John Hammond, and Hurricane Run, from Andre Fabre's stable, are the remaining entries from France.

Last week's exciting Dante Stakes winner Motivator, trained by Michael Bell for the 230-member Royal Ascot Racing Club, heads the home challenge, which also includes John Dunlop's duo Kong and Unfurled, respectively winners of the Lingfield Derby Trial and Predominate Stakes.

The Godolphin stable has three remaining entries, Irish 2,000 Guineas contender Dubawi, French 2,000 Guineas hero Shamardal and Belenus, who finished third in yesterday's Predominate Stakes at Goodwood.

The improving Hattan, winner of the Chester Vase, bids to give veteran handler Clive Brittain a first Vodafone Derby success while Sir Michael Stoute has left in both impressive Chester maiden winner Mountain High, a half-brother to Islington owned by Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor, and the Aga Khan's Kalamkar, a fast-finishing fourth in the Chester Vase.

The field is completed by Dante Stakes second The Geezer, trained by David Elsworth, Group 2 Prix Greffulhe second Plea Bargain, Chester Vase third First Row, the Richard Hannon-trained Kings Quay, the unraced Oakbridge from Alan Jarvis's stable, and Thebestisyettocome, trained locally by Terry Mills.

Stephen Wallis, Managing Director at Epsom Downs Racecourse, said today: "This forfeit stage for the Vodafone Derby is the time when connections begin to play their Derby cards and I'm looking forward to seeing the winning hand."

There is a £75,000 supplementary entry stage for the Vodafone Derby on May 31.

THE 2005 VODAFONE DERBY
Class 1, Group One, Epsom Downs, Total Prize Fund £1,250,000, 4pm, Saturday, June 4, 2005, one mile, four furlongs and about 10 yards. Weights: colts 9st; fillies 8st 11lb, closed December 3, 2003 (647 entries), first forfeit stage March 1, 2005 (162 entries remained), £8,000 second entry stage April 6, 2005 (six added), second forfeit stage May 19, 2005 (27 remain), £75,000 supplementary entry stage May 30, 2005, five-day confirmation stage noon, May 30, 2005, final declaration stage 10am June 3, 2005. (Form figures from Weatherbys correct up to Wednesday, May 18, 2005, and may not include some overseas form).

Form Horse Owner Trainer
61-42 ALMIGHTY (USA) Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
1-3 BELENUS (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
111-5 DUBAWI (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
1 EHSAN (IRE) H H Aga Khan John Oxx IRE
3135-14d3 FALSTAFF (IRE) Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
5-(2)13 FIRST ROW (IRE) Joe Allbritton Brian Meehan
111 FRACAS (IRE) Joseph Joyce David Wachman IRE
1-23 GRAND CENTRAL (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
1-1 GYPSY KING (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
6031 HATTAN (IRE) Saeed Manana Clive Brittain
1-11 HURRICANE RUN (IRE) Gestut Ammerland Andre Fabre FR
12 INDIGO CAT (USA) Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
54 KALAMKAR (IRE) H H Aga Khan Sir Michael Stoute
10216-5266 KINGS QUAY John May Richard Hannon
43-21 KONG (IRE) Neil Jones John Dunlop
11-1 MOTIVATOR The Royal Ascot Racing Club Michael Bell
31 MOUNTAIN HIGH (IRE) Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Sir Michael Stoute
OAKBRIDGE (IRE) T H Bambridge Alan Jarvis
012112-4 ORATORIO (IRE) Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
31-12 PLEA BARGAIN Sheikh Mohammed John Gosden
2 QASSAS Hamdan Al Maktoum Kevin Prendergast IRE
1 SCORPION (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
111-(0)1 SHAMARDAL (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
(0)00 THEBESTISYETTOCOME John Humphreys (Turf Accountants) Ltd Terry Mills
(4)(2)-112 THE GEEZER Jeff Smith David Elsworth
62-11 UNFURLED (IRE) Mrs M E Slade John Dunlop
33213-2 WALK IN THE PARK Michael Tabor John Hammond FR

27 entries remain after May 19 forfeit stage
10 Irish trained
2 French-trained

ALL THE MAIN CONTENDERS REMAIN IN VODAFONE OAKS

The Michael Jarvis-trained Eswarah currently heads the ante-post market and the daughter of 1986 Oaks heroine Midway Lady is one of 16 confirmations. She could not have been more impressive when landing the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial at Newbury on May 13. Jarvis could also be represented by Anaamil, a good winner on her only start in a Haydock Park maiden earlier this month.

Another impressive trial winner was John Dunlop's Cassydora, who scored by six lengths in the totesport Lingfield Oaks Trial on May 7 while David Elsworth's Something Exciting entered the Epsom picture when landing the last recognised trial for the Vodafone Oaks, the Normandie Stud Lupe Stakes, at Goodwood yesterday.

Speaking from rain-swept gallops at his Whitsbury base in Hampshire, Elsworth said today: "Something Exciting is in good form and has come out of the race well - I just wish there was a bit of sunshine for her this morning. She's been led out for a pick of grass and has a great big smile on her face."

The Irish look to hold a particularly strong hand in this year's Vodafone Oaks. Aidan O'Brien has two to choose from in Silk And Scarlet, a staying-on fourth last time out in the French 1,000 Guineas at Longchamp, and Mona Lisa, fourth in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York on her latest appearance. Other Irish entries are Dream To Dress from the Dermot Weld yard, the facile winner of a Fairyhouse maiden last time out, as well as the Jim Bolger-trained Pictavia and Saoire from the Frances Crowley yard, sixth and seventh respectively in the UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1.

Argentina and Fraloga are the two remaining entries from France. Argentine, trained by Elie Lellouche, finished second in a Group Three at Saint-Cloud on her latest appearance in April while the Andre Fabre representative Fraloga was a fast-finishing third behind Divine Proportions in Sunday's French 1000 Guineas.

Sir Michael Stoute has left in the Aga Khan's Karliyna, a very easy winner of a Beverley maiden on May 17 while Mick Channon has two possible representatives in Desert Move and Joint Aspiration.

Completing the field are Brian Meehan's Magical Romance, triumphant in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in 2004 and Higher Love from the Michael Bell yard, runner-up last time out in the Cheshire Oaks.

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 (16 remain), £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 Wednesday, May 18, 2005 and may not include some overseas form).

Form Horse Owner Trainer
1 ANAAMIL (IRE) Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
1-12 ARGENTINA (IRE) Ecurie Wildenstein Elie Lellouche FR
614-1 CASSYDORA Hesmonds Stud John Dunlop
1-64 DESERT MOVE (IRE) Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon
5-31 DREAM TO DRESS (USA) Moyglare Stud Farms Ltd Dermot Weld IRE
11 ESWARAH Hamdan Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
413-3 FRALOGA (IRE) Lagardere Family Andre Fabre FR
62-12 HIGHER LOVE (IRE) DGH Partnership Michael Bell
116-20 JOINT ASPIRATION Ridgeway Downs Racing Mick Channon
01 KARLIYNA (IRE) H H Aga Khan Sir Michael Stoute
41611-6 MAGICAL ROMANCE (IRE) Con Wilson Brian Meehan
424(0)-4 MONA LISA Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
01220-0 PICTAVIA (IRE) Maktoum Al Maktoum Jim Bolger IRE
2132-6 SAOIRE Joseph Joyce Frances Crowley IRE
2110-64 SILK AND SCARLET Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
001112-1 SOMETHING EXCITING Setsquare Recruitment David Elsworth

16 entries remain after May 19 forfeit stage
5 Irish-trained
2 French-trained

GOODWOOD MAY MEETING
RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2005

RACING ABANDONED AT GOODWOOD TODAY

The start of the first race was put back to 2.25pm and, when it was not possible to race at that time, the stewards decided to reassess the situation at 2.45pm.

Conditions were not raceable at that time and the stewards then decided to call off the programme after having taken advice from the local weather station that conditions would not improve in the near future.

Racing is, however, due to take place tomorrow at Goodwood with the first of seven races due off at 2.10pm.

Refunds will be made to racegoers. Visitors should apply by sending back tickets or badges by the end of June, or the unused tickets are valid for admission to any other Goodwood day, including tomorrow, apart from the five days of the July Festival.

Goodwood’s managing director, Rod Fabricius, said: “We’re extremely disappointed for all those customers who have travelled to Goodwood today. The vagaries of the British weather make it very frustrating when you lose an attractive race programme. It’s disappointing to lose any day, but particularly one containing a black-type race.”

Fabricius said that it would not be possible to stage the Listed Peters Fairline Festival Stakes tomorrow, but said he would discuss with Race Planning the possibility of running it later in the season.

He added: “Boating Comes To Goodwood was in its third year of sponsoring at Goodwood and it’s a big disappointment for them. They’re being very stoical about it, and, being sailors, they understand the weather better than most people.”

Asked about the deciding factor in calling an abandonment, Fabricius said: “It’s purely down to a lack of visibility. The racing surface is perfectly safe. The judge has to be satisfied he can judge a result and for that there has to be clear visibility for at least a furlong. We were not so far away from that, but the low cloud was coming and going and we were never confident that we would have that margin of visibility. The local forecast was for low cloud down to 500ft and we are 700ft above sea level. These conditions are not due to clear until 6 o’clock this evening.

“Goodwood enjoys such a magnificent setting high on the Sussex Downs and it is always a disappointment when the spectacular views are obscured.”


RACING DELAYED

Racing has been delayed by 15 minute due to the foggy conditions and the stewards will reassess the situation at 2.25pm. If it is not possible to race at that time, there will be a further delay to the start of the first race up to 3pm.

To be able to race, the furlong pole has to be visible from the winning line.

The last time that Goodwood lost a day’s racing due to poor visibility was an evening fixture on June 6, 2003.

GOING UPDATE AT 11.45

Having walked the course with Goodwood’s senior steward Nigel Clark and Jockey Club inspector of courses Peter Hobbs, clerk of the course Seamus Buckley reported that the ground remains

GOOD TO FIRM.

“We are delighted to have had the six millimetres of rain which started just before eight o’clock this morning,” he said. “The track needed it, otherwise we might have been looking at ‘firm in places’.”

GOING NEWS AT 10 AM

The going for the second day of the May meeting remains

GOOD TO FIRM,

at the moment but in view of the rain which began falling this morning it is likely that the ground may ease through the day.

The weather experts, though, are not helping much. “We have three different forecasts,” said managing director Rod Fabricius. “One says that it will stay like this all day, another that it will clear and give us a bright interlude and a third that it will get even worse. So, you pays your money...

“Mind you, the rain is just what we want for the course as we certainly did not want it to get any faster than good to firm. This is just what the doctor ordered.”

Clerk of the course Seamus Buckley plans to walk the course, in company with senior steward Nigel Clark, at 10.30am. “We have had six millimetres of rain since it started at ten to eight this morning, and it is certainly possible that I shall change the official description after we have walked the track.”


GOODWOOD BIG RACE WINNERS IN TIP-TOP FORM

Unfurled and Something Exciting were reported in great shape this morning following their victories on day one of the Goodwood May Meeting.

Both horses were left in their chosen Epsom classics at today’s noon forfeit stage, with Unfurled remaining on course for the Vodafone Derby and Something Exciting ready to tackle the Vodafone Oaks.

Following Unfurled’s win in the Letheby & Christopher Predominate Stakes, Marcus Hosgood, assistant to Arundel trainer John Dunlop, said of the colt: “He’s fine. He’s eaten up overnight, and been taken out for a spot of exercise. We’ve left him in the Derby, although there have been no decisions on riding plans.”

David Elsworth was upbeat about Something Exciting after she saw off six rivals to land the Normandie Stud Lupe Stakes.

Speaking from rain-swept gallops at his Whitsbury base in Hampshire, Elsworth said: “She’s in good form and has come out of the race well - I just wish there was a bit of sunshine for her this morning.

“She’s been led out for a pick of grass and has a great big smile on her face. We’ve left her in the Oaks.”

POIGNANT END TO GOODWOOD’S THREE-DAY MEETING

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA TO MAKE FIRST APPEARANCE AT A RACECOURSE

The last day of Goodwood’s May Meeting tomorrow (Friday, May 20) will continue the mood set by the recent national VE celebrations, when the Glenn Miller Orchestra will play as the curtain closes on the traditional three-day event.

Inspired by the original Glenn Miller Orchestra, so influential across America and Europe during the early 1940s, this will be the first time that they have played at a racecourse. Past venues have included Blenheim Palace, Edinburgh Castle, The Kremlin, Palace of Versailles and last summer, Arundel Castle.

The presence of the Glenn Miller Orchestra is the main non-racing feature of the three-day May Meeting and the VE anniversary theme will be supported by Second World War footage, which will be played on the big screen in the Richmond Enclosure throughout the afternoon, courtesy of the History Channel.

The Duke of Richmond will be hosting a special lunch and his guests include Lady Bader, whose late husband, Sir Douglas Bader, was known as a ‘Fighter Ace’ during the war and flew his final sortie from Goodwood. He took part in the Battle of Britain, despite having lost both his legs in an accident prior to war breaking out.

After colliding with a German plane over France, he was captured by the Nazis and imprisoned at Colditz until the end of the war in 1945. He was given the huge honour of leading a 300-plane victory flypast over London after the war. Bader was given a permanent memorial at Goodwood in 2001, when a bronze was unveiled by Lady Bader and the Duke of Richmond at the Goodwood Airfield.

The Duke’s other guests include Lord Beaverbook, whose grandfather was Minister of Aircraft Production during the war. His father, the Honourable Max Aitken, was in charge of the famous 601 squadron, based at Tangmere on the Goodwood Estate. The Duke of Richmond will also be playing host to Mr David Johnson, the American Charge D’Affaires.

All three guests will be presenting the trophies for the penultimate race, the Billy Fiske Maiden Fillies Stakes. Billy Fiske was the first American to be killed in combat in the Second World War when his plane crashed on takeoff at Tangmere Airfield in 1940. He is buried at Boxgrove Priory on the Goodwood Estate.

Goodwood Racecourse Managing Director Rod Fabricius said: “We are delighted to be welcoming such distinguished guests to Goodwood tomorrow. The world-renowned Glenn Miller Orchestra will end the week in the sort of style for which Goodwood is famous.”

History of the Goodwood May Meeting

Goodwood may have been at the forefront of British racing for more than two centuries, but it is hard to believe that 40 years ago the entire racing calendar at the Sussex course comprised of just four days of the Glorious Goodwood July Festival.

A two-day fixture was introduced in August, 1965, which has since evolved around the Celebration Mile which was first staged two years later. The May meeting itself was started in 1968, and the Predominate Stakes was first run in 1970.

The Letheby & Christopher Predominate Stakes is the feature of the three-day May Meeting and is named after the three-time winner of the Goodwood Stakes (1958-1960) who also won the 1961 Goodwood Cup.

The chief supporting race is the Normandie Stud Lupe Stakes, founded in 1972, which is a trial for the Oaks. Lupe herself won the Classic back in 1970 and was unbeaten in all her starts in Britain over three seasons, though she never ran at Goodwood.

The inaugural running of the Predominate was won by Her Majesty The Queen's Charlton - named after the footballer Bobby Charlton - a useful stayer who also won the 1971 Henry II Stakes. He was trained by Major Dick Hern, who won the race on another five occasions, including in 1979 with Troy who remains the only Derby winner to have won the Predominate en route to Epsom
classic glory.

However, the race has also produced some top-class performers down the years. Minster Son, Hern's final winner of the race in 1988, also took Goodwood’s Gordon Stakes prior to winning the St Leger in the autumn. The 2003 Predominate winner High Accolade followed a similar route, and subsequently finished runner-up in both the Gordon Stakes and the St Leger.

But the best horse to have won the Predominate in recent years must surely be Dubai Millennium. The apple of the eye of Sheikh Mohammed, this superb racehorse used the Predominate Stakes as a springboard to the 1999 Derby. Despite staying the 1m 2f trip - the Predominate has been run over 1m 3f since 2000 - the colt did not stay the extra two furlongs at Epsom. But a drop in trip was what he needed, as he went on to take a string of Group One races over the next 13 months, including the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, a devastating win in the 2000 Dubai World Cup and the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Pentire was another talented winner of the Predominate Stakes (1995). Geoff Wragg's charge missed the Derby, but won the 'Ascot Derby' instead when taking the Edward VII Stakes at the Royal Meeting. Pentire was also victorious in the Irish Champion Stakes in 1995, and won the following summer's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot.

Yesterday’s renewal was won by Unfurled, trained near Arundel by John Dunlop, who is a director of Goodwood Racecourse. Unfurled beat the Aidan O’Brien-trained Indigo Cat by a head with Godolphin’s Belenus two lengths away in third.

The Lupe Stakes generated an Oaks winner just five years ago, when Henry Cecil's Love Divine was successful in the race, while trainer David Elsworth is hopeful that this year’s winner, Something Exciting, can emulate the feat The first running of the Goodwood Listed race was won by the 9-1 shot Star Ship, who was trained by Ryan Price.

The 1982 winner, Height Of Fashion was owned by Her Majesty The Queen. The filly had previously been successful in the Fillies' Mile at Ascot, and went on to land the Princess of Wales Stakes’ at Newmarket before becoming a great broodmare.

Height Of Fashion was ridden by Willie Carson who was easily the most successful jockey in the race, having partnered six winners - including four in a row between 1992 and 1995, all for local trainer, John Dunlop. Based locally near Arundel, Dunlop won the Lupe five times during the 1990s.

In addition to the Predominate and the Lupe, the three-day programme also includes the 30th anniversary running of the Peters Fairline Festival Stakes.

The Festival Stakes is run over nearly 10 furlongs and its winners include Rose Bowl, Ile De Bourbon, Rainbow Quest, Faithful Son and Mubtaker. The great Mtoto 'won' this race in 1988 - only for the stewards to void the result as all runners were sent on to the wrong course! No such trouble, though, for the 1994 victor, Alderbrook; who went on to win the Champion Hurdle a year later. Last year’s winner Alkaadhem is going for the double today.

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