Wednesday, June 25, 2003
NORSE DANCER'S CORAL-ECLIPSE TARGET
David Elsworth today confirmed that the twice classic-placed Norse Dancer is likely to be supplemented at a cost of £20,000 for the Group One £350,000 CORAL-ECLIPSE STAKES which is run on Saturday, July 5, at Sandown Park.
"We would have our options open for Norse Dancer and if we do supplement him, it will be on June 30. The horse is in excellent condition at present," reported the Hampshire-based trainer.
The three-year-old, who is the current 4/1 second-favourite with sponsor Corals, belied his 100/1 odds to finish a length third to Refuse To Bend on his seasonal reappearance in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas over a mile at Newmarket in early May.
He was then fourth to Kris Kin over an additional half a mile in the Vodafone Derby at Epsom Downs on June 7.
Norse Dancer's trainer seems unworried about the step back in trip to 10 furlongs and said: "He runs to a very high standard whatever the distance and the trip is not a concern really."
As a juvenile Norse Dancer made a winning bow on firm ground at Salisbury in June, 2002, and he followed up with a victory on a good surface at Ascot the following month. The only time that he has encountered softer conditions was when seventh to Brian Boru in the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October.
Elsworth continued: "He did run on atrocious ground in the Racing Post Trophy. I ran him to his highest level at that time but he came there to win the race actually.
"He seemed to cope with that and his recent races have been on faster ground, so one has to assume that most goings come alike to him but I'd prefer good ground in an ideal world."
In addition to being the second leg of the British Horseracing Board's new Summer Triple Crown/Grand Slam initiative, incorporating bonuses of £1 million and £5 million respectively, the Coral-Eclipse gives the top three-year-olds their first chance to compete at the highest level against the established stars over a mile and a quarter.
Elsworth is looking forward to seeing Norse Dancer take on older rivals: "He's one of the better three-year-olds and they receive a very favourable weight allowance at this time of year. I'd be disappointed if it isn't as good a crop [of three-year-olds] this year as most years and they do have a fair record against the older horses in the Coral-Eclipse," he added.
The sponsors yesterday made recent Prince of Wales's Stakes hero Nayef the 2/1 ante-post favourite for the Coral-Eclipse and a 10/1 chance for the BHB Summer Triple Crown. The full Coral-Eclipse Stakes betting is 2/1 Nayef, 4/1 Norse Dancer, 5/1 Grandera, 6/1 Hold That Tiger, 8/1 Rakti, 10/1 Balestrini, Olden Times, 16/1 Comfy, Sights On Gold, Victory Moon, 20/1 Highdown.
TWO GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO RACE AT GOODWOOD BEFORE THE END OF JUNE
Top international amateur riders at Goodwood on Sunday
Goodwood Racecourse stages two fixtures within two days of each other at the end of this week - the beautiful Sussex course's last evening fixture of the year on Friday, June 27, and the first Family Fun Day of 2003 on Sunday, June 29.
The six-race programme on Friday, June 27, which begins at 6.25pm, features the £32,000 Listed Crimbourne Stud On The House' Stakes (8.05pm) over a mile for three-year-olds and upwards who have not won a Group One or Group Two race after 2001.
This year's renewal, boosted in value by an extra £9,500, has attracted 25 high-class entries including the Godolphin-owned Bowman and Masterful. The former was successful in a Group Three contest in France last year, while Masterful won a Group Two race in the same country in 2001. Godolphin took the 2002 running - the first to be staged on a Friday evening - with Atlantis Prince who beat six others.
Other entries include the German-trained Mr Tango, Common World, Heretic, Izdiham, King Of Happiness, Hurricane Alan and two three-year-olds who are unbeaten this year - Excellento and Tarjman.
The £14,000-added Wiley Europe Handicap (7pm) over a mile and a furlong is the main supporting race. Last season's winner the Jim Boyle-trained Parisien Star, who fought out a marvellous finish to get up and beat Tarboush by a neck, is again among the 23 possibles.
Racing at Goodwood on Sunday, June 29, begins at 2pm with the £10,000-added FEGENTRI World Cup of Nations Handicap for Amateur Rider (for The Richmond-Brissac Trophy) over a mile and a furlong.
The riders for this historic race, which has boosted prize money this year, are 12 invited international amateur riders from France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, USA and the Britain who between them have ridden almost 600 winners.
The riders will be allocated their mounts by a ballot on Friday, June 27, and another intriguing aspect of the contest is that the British Horseracing Board is allowing the jockeys to wear silks in the colours of the flag of their country.
The dozen riders look assured of a mount as 29 horses have been entered at the five-day stage. Last year's winning rider from Italy, Cristiano Fais, a 31-year-old photographer, who took the race on the Ian Wood-trained Pay The Silver, will again be participating and he also finished third in 2001.
Pay The Silver is after a repeat victory, being among this year's entries, and so is the Ron Hodges-trained Noble Calling, successful the previous year.
Cecilia Gatta, an investment banker from Milan and the leading Italian woman amateur over jumps for the past five years, also represents Italy.
Patrick Pailhes, a doctor who rode in this year's Martell Grand National at Aintree, and Rachel Ghoumrassi from Marseille are the French riders.
Germany provides two women amateurs - financial advisor Karin Slick, who has a couple of German championships to her credit, and 22-year-old Annika Rosenbaum who is studying to be a teacher.
Yves Von Ballmoos, who has had many successes, and Regina Klein are the Swiss riders while Alan Rice and Tiffany Mueller represent the United States.
David Dunsdon, last year's FEGENTRI champion, and Christine Hannaford, who works for Devon trainer Tony Newcombe, ride for Britain
Trainer Andrew Balding, who earlier this month gained his first classic success in the Vodafone Oaks with Casual Look, had the honour of representing his country when winning this race in 1998 on Vola Via and he has entered two contenders for the 2003 renewal - Dark Shah and Voice Mail.
Also featuring on Sunday's seven-race programme are the £20,000-added Mail On Sunday/Tote Mile Handicap (3.10pm), the £20,000-added Adenstar Conditions Stakes (3.45pm) over a mile and six furlongs, and the £20,000-added Vodafone Stewards' Cup Trial Handicap (4.20pm) over six furlongs.
The Mail On Sunday/Tote Mile Handicap has attracted 37 entries, the possibles for the Adenstar Conditions Stakes include Foreign Affairs and First Ballot, while the Vodafone Stewards' Cup Trial Handicap has attracted a massive entry of 48 and is a prep race for the £100,000 Vodafone Stewards' Cup on August 2.
Children will love the free entertainment on Sunday's Family Fun Day. They can watch the Crazy Bears' show, play on bouncy castles, fairground rides and the Crazy Cottage or have a go on the rock climbing wall. They can enjoy a free ice cream or a free gift, ride on the roundabouts and swing-boats and have their faces painted. Parents can relax with the jazz and steel bands or take advantage of the free crèche for children aged up and including three. Older children (4-11) can be safely left in the fully-supervised playground.
Admission for adults costs from just £8 in the Public Enclosure on Sunday, with accompanied children under 17 admitted FREE to all enclosures while there is also plenty of free parking.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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