Monday, July 5, 2004
EXCITING WEEK AHEAD FOR HTR'S SYNDICATES
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (HTR)'s syndicates have some interesting runners at Newmarket's historic and prestigious July Meeting this week, while Distinction, who could be aimed at Australia's greatest race, the Melbourne Cup, is due to appear at York on Saturday.
Newmarket July Meeting
Motive, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, will not have far to travel to his hometrack to compete in the £50,000 Joss Collins Handicap over 10 furlongs on Wednesday (July 7) with Kieren Fallon up.
The three-year-old Machiavellian colt has been seen on a racecourse just three times, all this season, winning at the second time of asking in a 10-furlong maiden at Windsor in May, when he proved a short-head too powerful for Coming Again in a tremendous finish.
Last time out, Motive was just caught by Etmaam, going down a head, on his debut in handicap company in an extended 10-furlong rated stakes at York on June 12. This is fine form as the winner subsequently finished a close third to HTR's Admiral in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot five days later.
Harry Herbert, HTR's managing director, said today of Motive who races for the Niche Syndicate: "Motive is in great form and Sir Michael Stoute has taken the decision to keep him at a mile and a quarter rather than step up to a mile and a half.
"The form of his last run at York has worked out extremely well with the horse that beat us there having gone on to finish third in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot.
"We got beaten a short-head in this race last year when Tiber drifted right across the course and probably gave the race away. We are keen to go one better!"
Sentry, owned by the Saloon Syndicate, has been entered by trainer John Gosden in the Rolls Royce Handicap over two miles at Newmarket, also on Wednesday.
The four-year-old In Command gelding won at Newmarket earlier this season, capturing a mile and a half handicap, before finishing in the frame at Hamilton, Salisbury and Haydock.
Sentry's latest effort was disappointing and saw him well beaten in the Ascot Handicap at Royal Ascot, although Harry Herbert believes that his poor effort last time was due to the ground being too fast and the distance too far.
"Sentry is likely to run at Newmarket if there is some nice ground - he wouldn't want it too firm.
"He's in good form after Ascot, where the ground was too fast for him and the two and a half miles was too far. I think two miles at Newmarket will be absolutely fine for him."
The third and final day of Newmarket's July Meeting on Thursday will probably see the Richard Hannon-trained Credit line up in the opening Kirtling Handicap over a mile.
The three-year-old son of Intikhab finished third on his first two runs and then came good in a mile maiden at Newbury in the middle of May. He ran over the same distance in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot just over a month later, finishing 10th, six lengths behind winner Mandobi.
Harry Herbert revealed: "I though Credit ran very well from a high draw in the Britannia at Royal Ascot for the Lemon Souffle Syndicate.
"He will appreciate the ground at Newmarket - he goes on good to firm ground but at Ascot it really was a bit too fast for him. He's a horse that we like and he should be competitive, especially having been dropped a pound since Ascot."
York, Saturday, July 10
Distinction is set to run in the Listed John Smith's Extra Smooth Silver Cup Rated Stakes over a mile and six furlongs at York on Saturday.
The five-year-old Danehill gelding, owned by the Orangery Syndicate and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, made little show on his seasonal reappearance in the Group Three John Porter Stakes at Newbury on April 17 and was also well beaten when finishing fifth in the Listed Aston Park Stakes at Newbury on May 15.
Distinction was in very good form last season and was successful in a conditions race at Salisbury, defeating the very useful Scott's View and stayed on well when seventh in the Tote Ebor at York.
Harry Herbert hopes that Distinction can bounce back to his best on Saturday: "Sir Michael Stoute reports that Distinction is in very good form and we will take it one race at a time.
"I think that on his first and maybe even his second run of the season he may not have been himself. Some of Michael's horses weren't firing at the time and I think Distinction may well have fallen into that bracket.
"If he does run well and looks back to form, then the Melbourne Cup will be very much his target.
"I certainly wouldn't judge him on his two runs this season - we know he's better than that. Over the past two seasons, he's done much better in the second half of the season and he likes fast ground."
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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