Friday, September 28, 2001

LADBROKES PRICES FOR ASCOT TOMORROW

BETDAQ FESTIVAL OF RACING
ASCOT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2001

CROWD

GOING NEWS AT 10 AM

GOOD, GOOD TO FIRM IN PLACES.

“Tomorrow should start bright, but there is the possibility of showers during the afternoon.”

PREVIEW OF HACKNEY EMPIRE ROYAL LODGE STAKES

High Sierra made his winning debut in a maiden race at Tralee at the end of last month, in which the son of Danehill beat Kasparov by four lengths, and his stablemate Mutinyonthebounty followed a debut third by beating Triple Gold in a maiden race at Gowran Park. On Timeform ratings High Sierra is 6lb the better of the pair.

Lahooq made his first appearance nine days later when he landed odds of 13-8 in a maiden race at Kempton by a neck from Hathaal in a manner which suggested he is well capable of going on to better things.

Sean Woods, who won the Royal Lodge last year with Atlantis Prince, is represented this time by Ashdown Express, who has won twice and been placed twice in four starts. Last time he just failed to give weight to Assaaf at Salisbury and before that he had been far too good for Platinum Duke at Beverley.

Bragadino made a winning debut at Sandown on Eclipse day and last time put up a brave effort in defeat against Naheef at Goodwood. He is a half brother to the St Leger runner-up Demophilos.

Parasol finished first at Deauville last month, only to be put down to fourth by the stewards, a decision which infuriated his trainer Mick Channon. He thought that the verdict was wrong and that his horse should have kept the race in which he was the winner on merit. Parasol had previously tried his luck here when he found only the filly Seba too good in the Chesham Stakes.

Tholjanah did not have the best of luck in running when second to Redback in the Group 3 Ford Solario Stakes at Sandown last time as he tried to follow up his Kempton debut defeat of Jumeirah Dream. On the Sandown evidence he should again be too strong for Asheer, who was two and a half lengths behind him after having had a trouble free run and is no better off here.

Amour Sans Fin found the company a bit hot when sixth behind Dubai Destination in the Group Two Rothmans Royals Champagne Stakes at Doncaster the week before last and also had ground to make up on Ashdown Express on their running at Salisbury.

PREVIEW OF MEON VALLEY STUD FILLIES’ MILE

Hot favourite is sure to be Gossamer, a full sister to the high class racehorse and successful sire Barathea, who has won her only two races in very exciting style. First time out she won a maiden race at Newmarket from Karamah and the subsequent dual winner Ya Hajar, and on her most recent appearance she made light of foul conditions when scoring by seven lengths at Goodwood.

She is already a strong fancy for the Sagitta 1000 Guineas and her standing will rise still further if she is successful in style this time.

Her major opponents include Fraulein, who has won her last two starts. She fought back well when dropped down to seven furlongs at Newbury a week ago to short head Distant Valley, and before that had been an easy winner in a mile maiden at Yarmouth.

Henry Cecil has not been having one of his most memorable seasons, but all is far from lost at Warren Place and he has high hopes of Half Glance. This filly won her maiden in exemplary manner at Newmarket and followed that up with a decisive victory in the Group Three Rothmans Royals May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Esloob has raced only once, showing an admirable attitude when beating Snowfire at Newmarket, though a line through that runner-up suggests that she may have to find a bit to get the better of Half Glance.

Sundari, whose trainer John Gosden sent out Crystal Music to land the race last year, has won two of her last three starts. She had Reefs Sis more than three lengths behind when winning at Sandown last time, and before that was a close third to the highly-rated Silent Honor in the Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket.

There are also two runners from Aidan O’Brien’s powerful stable. Moon Safari found the opposition in the Moyglare Stud Stakes too much for her last time after a winning effort in maiden company at Tipperary, and may not be as strong a candidate as her stablemate Maryinsky, who was beaten only a neck at the Curragh on her only appearance so far.

NON RUNNERS

NO EXCUSE NEEDED (GB) FACTFILE

He reportedly incurred an injury in Dubai in March and did not reappear again until Royal Ascot where he was pitched in at the deep end in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes. Although only fifth to Black Minnaloushe, he did not enjoy a clear run and he then finished two lengths second to Noverre in the Group 1 Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes at Goodwood with Black Minnaloushe in third. He returned to Goodwood on August 25 to win the Group 2 Celebration Mile by a length and a half from Tamburlaine.

Race Record: Starts: 6; 1st: 3; 2nd: 1; 3rd: 0; Win and place prize money: £150,930

Maktoum Al Maktoum
Born in 1942, the eldest son of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Said al Maktoum is now ruler of Dubai. He bought his first thoroughbred, Shaab, in 1977 and his famous blue-and-white-chevroned colours made their racecourse debut two years later. But the full weight of the impact he and his three brothers would bring to bear on racing worldwide was first signalled when they spent $6.5 million on eight yearlings at the 1981 Keeneland July Sale under the banner of the Aston Upthorpe Stud.

His present stud farms include Gainsborough Stud near Newbury, Woodpark Stud in County Meath, the recently acquired Ballysheehan Stud near Cashel and Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky, which house around 165 broodmares. He has just under 200 horses in training spread across Britain, Ireland, France and the United States and many under the Godolphin banner, and has yet to own a Vodafone Derby winner although his son Saeed took the premier classic in 1995 with Lammtarra, who went on to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1985 SHADEED

Sir Michael Stoute
Born in Barbados on October 22, 1945, where his father was chief of police, Michael Stoute came to Britain in 1965 to nurture his love of racing. He joined Pat Rohan at Malton before moving to Newmarket three years later to work for Doug Smith and then Tom Jones. Stoute took out a public licence to train in 1972, recording his first success that year when Sandal won at Newmarket on April 28. Since then he has been at the top of his profession and has been champion trainer six times - in 1981, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1997 and last season, when his stars included Sagitta 2000 Guineas King’s Best and Kalanisi, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Dubai Champion Stakes. A memorable 1997 was headed by the two older horses Singspiel and Pilsudski. Four Group 1 successes went Pilsudski’s way - the Coral-Eclipse, Irish Champion Stakes, Dubai Champion Stakes and Japan Cup, while Singspiel won the Dubai World Cup, the Vodafone Coronation Cup and the Juddmonte International. Stoute has won the Vodafone Derby twice - with Shergar in 1981 and Shahrastani five years later. His long list of big-race successes also includes the Sagitta 2000 Guineas (five times), Sagitta 1000 Guineas, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (twice), Vodafone Oaks, the Irish Derby (three times), Irish Oaks (five times), Irish 1,000 Guineas and Irish 2,000 Guineas (three times) as well as many other races across the globe. Stoute, who was knighted in 1998 for his services to sport and tourism in Barbados, has 185 horses in training this year at his Freemason Lodge yard in Newmarket. Three-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon became the stable’s retained rider in 2000.
Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1989 ZILZAL, 1987 MILLIGRAM, 1985 SHADEED

Kieren Fallon
Born on February 22, 1965, in County Clare, Ireland, Kieren Fallon joined Kevin Prendergast’s yard as an apprentice in 1983. Piccadilly Lord at Navan on June 18, 1984, was the first winner. Moved from Ireland to ride for Jimmy FitzGerald’s Malton stable from 1989 until 1991 and then spent three years with Lynda Ramsden’s yard from 1993 until the end of 1996. At the start of the 1997 Flat season, Fallon was a surprise appointment as stable jockey to the Henry Cecil yard and promptly won the Sagitta 1000 Guineas on Sleepytime and Vodafone Oaks on Reams Of Verse. He ceased riding for Cecil in August, 1999, and has been first jockey to Sir Michael Stoute since the start of the 2000 season. The new partnership made an excellent start with the victory of King’s Best in last season’s Sagitta 2000 Guineas, a race he won again this year aboard Golan. Fallon was champion jockey in 1997 (202 wins), 1998 (204) and 1999 (202). He also won three of the five classics in 1999 - the Sagitta 1000 Guineas on Wince, the Vodafone Oaks on Ramruma and the Vodafone Derby on Oath, his first success in the premier classic. His championship ambitions ended at Royal Ascot last year when he suffered a horrific fall requiring shoulder surgery that meant his season was over. He resumed riding in Dubai over the winter. A three-day ban meant that he could not ride runner-up Golan in the Vodafone Derby but he enjoyed a good Royal Ascot with two wins and is the season’s leading rider to date
No Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins

NOVERRE (USA) FACTFILE

He made amends when defeating CD Europe by a length and a quarter in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster on September 8 and finished an excellent second to Tobougg in The Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 14. He pulled hard early on in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on November 4 and finished only 11th of the 14 runners.

On his seasonal debut, he finished runner-up to Street Cry in the UAE 2000 Guineas at Nad Al Sheba on March 1 and provided a welcome highlight of a disappointing year for Godolphin’s three-year-olds when winning the French 2,000 Guineas in May, only to subsequently fail a post-race drugs test (he had been treated for an arthritic condition and traces remained) and be disqualified. He ran a good race to be beaten a neck by Black Minnaloushe in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and went on to beat No Excuse Needed by two lengths in the Group 1 Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. He then met trouble in running and was not suited by a slow early place when finishing a close fourth in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on August 19 and was promoted to third when the winner Proudwings was disqualified.

Race Record: Starts: 12; 1st: 5; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 2; Win & Place prize money: £446,396

Godolphin
Godolphin is the racing entity of Sheikh Mohammed and other members of the Maktoum family, and its aim is to prepare horses in Dubai during the winter to gain the advantage when challenging for major races worldwide. The experiment began on a small scale in the winter of 1992, with horses enjoying the benefits of the warm climate before arriving in Britain for the 1993 season. The Godolphin operation was properly established in 1994, with Hilal Ibrahim as trainer, when Balanchine won the Vodafone Oaks and Irish Derby. The following year Saeed bin Suroor was appointed as the official trainer. When flown over from Dubai, the horses are stabled at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket, and, in 1999 and 2000, Godolphin s two-year-olds were housed at the former Evry racecourse in France under the care of David Loder, who has now relocated to Godolphin Stables in Newmarket. In 2000, Godolphin set up an additional training centre at Santa Anita racecourse in the United States, where Eoin Harty supervises a select band of American-bred two-year-olds. Godolphin s colours have been carried to victory in every British classic bar the Vodafone Derby, although Saeed bin Suroor did train Lammtarra to win the premier classic for Saeed Maktoum Al Maktoum in 1995. The British Godolphin classic successes so far have been Sagitta 2000 Guineas (1996 Mark Of Esteem, 1999 Island Sands), Sagitta 1000 Guineas (1998 Cape Verdi), Vodafone Oaks (1994 Balanchine, 1995 Moonshell) and St Leger (1995 Classic Cliche, 1998 Nedawi, 1999 Mutafaweq). Daylami led an historic 1-2-3 in the 1998 Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes, the first time that the same owner and trainer has had the first three in a British Group 1, and the Godolphin ambitions, other than landing the Vodafone Derby, include taking the American Triple Crown series, winning the Japan Cup, Melbourne Cup and capturing the Emirates World Racing Series Championship which was achieved in 1999, the inaugural year, by Daylami, and in 2000 by Fantastic Light. Godolphin’s tally of 73 Group/Grade 1 wins includes the Dubai World Cup (1999 Almutawakel, 2000 Dubai Millennium), Irish 2,000 Guineas (2000 Bachir), French 2,000 Guineas (2000 Bachir), Irish Derby (1994 Balanchine), Breeders Cup Turf (1999 Daylami), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (1997 & 1998 Swain, 1999 Daylami), Ireland The Food Island Irish Champion Stakes (1994 Cezanne, 1998 Swain, 1999 Daylami, 2001 Fantastic Light), Irish St Leger (1998, 1999 Kayf Tara) and three successes in the Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes. Godolphin has been leading British owner in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1999 DUBAI MILLENNIUM, 1997 MARK OF ESTEEM

Saeed bin Suroor
Godolphin s principal trainer, former policeman Saeed bin Suroor, was born in Dubai on October 10, 1967. He has been champion British trainer three times - in 1996, 1998 and 1999 - but a low-key season for Godolphin in 2000 saw him finish only seventh in the table. Coupled with his phenomenal achievements with Godolphin, bin Suroor trained the redoubtable Lammtarra for Sheikh Mohammed s nephew, Saeed Maktoum Al Maktoum, to win the 1995 Vodafone Derby, Ascot s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and Prix de l Arc de Triomphe. That the horse raced only four times in his career and yet was trained by bin Suroor to succeed in those three pre-eminent Group One events is an achievement which cannot be overstated. Bin Suroor is helped with the training by Tom Albertrani, formerly assistant to Cigar s handler Bill Mott in America, with Simon Crisford acting as racing manager. Cape Verdi s Sagitta 1000 Guineas win completed the full set of British classics for bin Suroor in 1998. His domestic classic winners are Sagitta 1000 Guineas (1998 Cape Verdi), Sagitta 2000 Guineas (1996 Mark Of Esteem, 1999 Island Sands), Vodafone Derby (1995 Lammtarra), Vodafone Oaks (1995 Moonshell), St Leger (1995 Classic Cliche, 1998 Nedawi, 1999 Mutafaweq). Godolphin has enjoyed numerous other big-race wins worldwide and took the Irish Champion Stakes with Fantastic Light earlier this month.

Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1999 DUBAI MILLENNIUM, 1997 MARK OF ESTEEM

Frankie Dettori
Born in Milan on December 15, 1970, the son of Gianfranco, a former multiple champion jockey in Italy, Frankie Dettori arrived from his homeland to join Luca Cumani s Newmarket yard as an apprentice in July, 1985, and rode his first winner on Lizzie Hare at Goodwood on June 9, 1987. Has since captured the hearts of racegoers with his flamboyant style, phenomenal riding successes, and charisma in and out of the saddle. Champion jockey in 1994 and 1995, Dettori created history when riding all seven winners on the first day card at the Ascot Festival in September 1996. His ground-breaking exertions brought recognition beyond that of racing s own sphere when he was voted into third place in the 1996 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. While victory in the Vodafone Derby still eludes Dettori, Cape Verdi s win in the 1998 Sagitta 1000 Guineas means that he has tasted success in all four other domestic classics at least once, as well as a host of high-profile international successes, including the 1995 Arc on Lammtarra, the 1996 Japan Cup on Singspiel, the 1999 Breeders Cup Turf on Daylami and last year s Dubai World Cup on Dubai Millennium. Dettori, who is retained by the Godolphin team, survived an horrific plane crash at Newmarket last summer in which the pilot was killed and missed part of the season as a result. He is married to Catherine with two young children.

Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1999 DUBAI MILLENNIUM, 1997 MARK OF ESTEEM, 1990 MARKOFDISTINCTION

OLDEN TIMES (GB) FACTFILE

Olden Times is set to retire to Plantation Stud in Newmarket at the end of his racing days in a deal negotiated prior to his Royal Ascot run.

Race Record: Starts: 7; 1st: 2; 2nd: 0; 3rd: 1; Win & place prize money: £116,062

Prince A A Faisal
Prince A A Faisal is a member of Saudi Arabia’s royal family and has had horses in training in this country for a number of years. He has enjoyed Group 1 success with Rafha, who won the Prix de Diane in 1990 before retiring to stud, and his last Vodafone Derby runner, the 1998 seventh Sadian, finished fourth in the St Leger. Prince Faisal has also won good prizes with Midyan and Orban, successful at Royal Ascot in the Jersey and Hardwicke Stakes respectively.

His colours have also been carried successfully by thie season’s Prix Jean Prat winner Olden Times, Tamnia, who was runner-up in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, and Sanam, while his first Vodafone Derby runner, Khamaseen, was Lester Piggott’s final ride in the race. He also owned Alhijaz, who finished first in the German 2,000 Guineas only to be disqualified after a much-disputed decision. His horses are now trained by John Dunlop, and he runs his breeding operation under the Nawara Stud banner with mares kept at the Cliff Stud in North Yorkshire. His racing and bloodstock interests are managed by bloodstock agent Johnnie Lewis.

No Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins

John Dunlop
The son of a doctor, born at Tetbury, Gloucestershire on July 10, 1939, John Dunlop is one of Britain’s longest-serving and most respected trainers, having first taken out a licence in 1966. He had a two-year apprenticeship with Neville Dent and Gordon Smyth before he was asked to take over the reins at the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk’s Castle Stables in Arundel, West Sussex, from where he now trains a string of around 200. Black Satin’s 1970 Irish 1,000 Guineas success established Dunlop as a trainer of rare quality. He has since landed ten English classics, including Vodafone Derby victories with Shirley Heights in 1978 and Erhaab in 1994, and narrowly failed to add a third to his portfolio in 1997 when Silver Patriarch was unable by a short head to catch the winner Benny The Dip, although the same horse provided him with some consolation later in the season when lifting the final classic, the St Leger. Champion trainer for the first time in 1995, he enjoys the fruitful support of owner Hamdan Al Maktoum. Together they have recorded multiple Group One glories with Bahri (1995 St James’s Palace Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes), Salsabil (1990 Oaks, 1000 Guineas and Irish Derby), Marju (1991 St James’s Palace Stakes) and Lahib (1992 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes). Dunlop’s two sons are also involved in racing - Ed trains in Newmarket and Harry is assistant to Henry Cecil. Dunlop is a director of the National Stud and Goodwood Racecourse.

Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1995 BAHRI, 1992 LAHIB, 1977 TRUSTED

Pat Eddery
Easily the most successful jockey currently riding, Pat Eddery was born in Newbridge, Co Galway on March 18, 1952, served his apprenticeship with “Frenchie” Nicholson between 1967 and 1972 and rode his first winner when Alvaro obliged at Epsom on April 29, 1969. He was champion apprentice in 1971 and became first jockey to Peter Walwyn at Lambourn in 1972 and rode 100 winners for the first time the following season. Polygamy’s victory in the 1974 Oaks brought the Irishman his first classic success and, at the age of 22, he became the youngest champion jockey for 50 years. Ten more jockeys’ titles have followed, equalling Lester Piggott’s record of 11, including the 1996 championship. He was also Irish champion jockey in 1982. After leaving Peter Walwyn in 1980, he was retained by Robert Sangster from 1981 to 1986 and Prince Khalid Abdulla from 1987 to 1994. He is now freelance. Eddery has ridden over 4,000 winners and landed virtually every major race in Europe. His record of three wins in the Vodafone Derby is the best of any current jockey and he has finished runner-up in the Epsom classic five times, including on three of his last six rides. Eddery has two successes in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winning on Grundy in 1975 and Dancing Brave in 1986.

Previous Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Wins: 1993 BIGSTONE, 1988 WARNING, 1987 MILLIGRAM

WINNING QUOTES FIRST RACE
BOLLINGER CHAMPAGNE CHALLENGE FINAL

SCUDAMORE BOWS OUT
WITH WINNER

“That has been the plan all the summer, to get the experience on the Flat before turning professional and, with luck, to win the championship as well. I have been lucky enough to do them both,” he said.

“My application to become a professional has been sent off and I am now only waiting for clearance. Hopefully it won’t come before Tuesday, as Mr (Martin) Pipe has some runners at Exeter, one of them in an amateurs’ hurdle, so I may be able to end my jumping amateur career with a winner as well.

“I spoke to dad (former champion jump jockey Peter) at the end of last season about turning, and we decided to wait for a few weeks to try to win this championship and to get the extra experience of riding on the Flat as an amateur.

“Looking at the top jump jockeys, like Tony McCoy and Timmy Murphy, they have all become so tidy in the finish and I hope that I have been able to tighten up myself in this respect.

“I think it has done me a lot of good, giving me the extra experience and making me more tactically aware. I hope that one day I shall be up there pitching it up to the big boys.

“I know that my father and grandfather (Michael) were top jump jockeys in their day, but I am my own person and it is up to me to try to emulate them. Hopefully in time I will be able to do that.”

FIRST RACE PLACED QUOTES
BOLLINGER CHAMPAGNE CHALLENGE SERIES FINAL
PORAK COMES OFF SECOND BEST

“He ran well, but not well enough,” lamented the runner-up’s trainer.

“We thought he had every chance beforehand and I was amazed people were tipping Dr Cool to beat us. When Porak finished fifth to him at Epsom, we went halfway round the world and were only beaten seven lengths but were a stone better off today.

“Unfortunately there was five lengths back to the third today and I think those horrible people (the official handicappers) might put him up again which would be very unkind as we had to put the boy on to take 7lb off him today. He really wants some cut in the ground.”

SECOND RACE WINNING QUOTES
SODEXHO HARVEST STAKES (LISTED)
LILIUM REAPS HARVEST WIN FOR STOUTE

Stoute’s stable jockey Kieren Fallon was on 5/1 joint favourite All Grain and the trainer’s assistant Patrick Prendergast said: “It wasn’t an easy decision for Kieren as All Grain has been tubed.

“But Lilium won well and was fresh going into the race as she had only run twice before. I’m not sure where she will go but you’d like to think she’ll have another run and we’ll hope for some more black type.”

Darley added: “She did it nicely and I think she improved for the extra couple of furlongs. My filly had a bit up her sleeve and lengthened well.”

The winner is owned by Sheikh Mohammed, who stands the filly’s half-brother Lujain at his Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket.

PLACED QUOTES SECOND RACE
SODEXHO HARVEST STAKES
CUMANI BEATEN
BUT NOT UNHAPPY

“She is very well and I am very happy with her,” said the trainer. “It looks like being a hard race to win, there are some other very decent fillies up against her, but then you don’t expect Group 1 races to be easy.”

WINNING QUOTES THIRD RACE
WATERSHIP DOWN SALES RACE
ANOTHER VALUABLE SALES
STRIKE FOR HANNON

“When we worked her last week she went really well and Carol, the girl who rides her, said that if she is allowed to just go out in front and she will not let anything go past her - she will just be like a bat out of hell.

“So Dane (O’Neill) suggested that we should try to do that with her and it has all worked out marvellously,” added Hannon of the filly, who was bought for 29,000gns at Doncaster’s St Leger Sales last year. She was one of four Doncaster graduates in the race.

The filly belongs to the Mystery Partnership, a matter which was a minor cause of regret to the trainer’s son. “I was in that partnership last year - all of the syndicate are family friends, when we had a horse called Moonlight Dancer, who was placed a lot of times, but unfortunately for me I am not in it this year.

“The filly had not really achieved what we felt she was capable of until now, but after this it doesn’t matter if she never wins another thing. I expect the celebrations among the partners will start now and go on for a couple of days.”

This was a 50th winner of the season fro Dane O’Neill, who returned to England this season after a forgettable experience in Hong Kong last winter.

“When I came back Richard said he would look after me and give me some rides, but there have been lots of horses winnning good races and you don’t interrupt winning partnerships like that.

“It has been a question of working my way up the pecking order, and things have really gone very well. I am delighted to have reached the 50. I don’t know what I shall be doing this winter, there are some plans in the offing but I shall be seeing out the rest of the season here and we will see what happens after that.”

THIRD RACE PLACED QUOTES
WATERSHIP DOWN STUD SALES RACE
LIPSTICK JUST MISSES OUT

“She ran a cracker and finished very well. The winner was very good early in the season and I thought she had to be respected,” said Mick Channon, the runner-up’s trainer.

“I always thought Lipstick was a five-furlong horse earlier in the year but she gets the (six and a half furlong) trip no problem and I wouldn’t worry about stepping her up to seven.

“I doubt she will run again this season but I will look at the Rockfel Stakes. We’ll see how she comes out of this.”

FOURTH RACE QUOTES
THE BETDAQ STAKES
FANTASY REWARDS BELIEVERS

Tony Blewitt, racing manager to the owners, said: “He travelled back up north after Monday and always seem to run better second time out after a break. Things didn’t really go right for him at Kempton.

“He’s very genuine and never needs the whip and has been a real bargain as he only cost £8,000

“Paul (Fitzsimons) gave him an excellent ride and I think that John Quinn is a really under-rated trainer who does a very good job.

“We’ve got four in training and this is the kingpin - he’s won about £40,000 this year.”

James Fanshawe, trainer of the runner-up Torosay Spring, said: “You can’t really say she was unlucky as that sort of thing is the nature of these races,” after the filly had been beaten half a length,

“She just got knocked back a bit in the early stages and had to come from some way off the pace but that’s sometimes how things happen.

“Although the ground here is good/good-to-firm she really likes it well on top.”

WINNING QUOTES FIFTH RACE
EBF CLASSIFIED STAKES
MAYBE CHAMPION FOR INDIAN

“There is more to come from him,” he said to the winner’s trainer David Elsworth, which is maybe just as well as it is possible that the colt may take his chance in the Group 1 Dubai Champion Stakes at Newmarket three weeks tomorrow.

“I expect it is ambitious, in fact I am sure it is ambitious, but he is an improving colt and when they start improving you don’t know when they will stop. And after all, there is prize money down to sixth place and there may not be that many runners.

“But I like this horse a lot, though he does not do anything quickly and he has usually been best coming down the outside to win his races. This one was ideal for him, as it is for horses rated 0 to 95 and he was almost bang on the button at 93. Another brilliant bit of placing by the trainer!”.

Whether Indian Creek runs in the Champion Stakes or is aimed at something a bit less ambitious, the plan is for him to stay in training as a four-year-old next year.

QUINN SUSPENDED

WINNING QUOTES SIXTH RACE
ESPORTA HANDICAP

PILOT ON THE LINE

“He’s been a big weak guy, and after we castrated him early in the season he got very long and tall, so we gave him the summer off. Then when we ran him in a handicap at Folkestone last time it all happened a bit quickly for him so we stepped him up to a mile.

“I was hopeful that he would get that trip, and he has done, but it does not look as if he will get much further.

“We only work them short and sharp at home, and then let them tell us when they are racing what sort of trip they want.”

WILLIAM HILL REFLECT
ON FRANKIE DETTORI

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

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