DESERT PHANTOM SEEKS FOUR-TIMER IN SOMERVILLE TATTERSALL STAKES
Unbeaten Listed winner Desert Phantom seeks to secure a four-timer in the £60,000 Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday, October 2, the opening day of the Cambridgeshire Meeting.
Trainer David Simcock is happy with the colt’s progress since landing the Listed Ripon Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy under Richard Mullen on August 25. That success came at the end of a dour duel with runner-up Favourite Girl.
Desert Phantom steps up to seven furlongs having raced exclusively at six furlongs. The Arch colt followed a heavy ground maiden victory at Haydock in July with a conditions race triumph at Windsor on August 10.
Simcock revealed this morning: “Desert Phantom has progressed well since Ripon and I’m very happy with him. I would like to see a bit more rain before Thursday. He handles give in the ground, whereas some of the other horses won’t so that makes a difference.
“I’m very pleased with him physically and mentally he’s done very well. He goes there in good shape, it’s a marked step up in class but we’ll see. He’s not an overly exuberant horse at home so it’s difficult to say how good he could be. It’s a competitive race with a lot of unexposed horses that have won their maidens well and could be anything.
“Richard Mullen has won on him twice and takes the ride again. It would be nice for the horse and all concerned if he could win a Group Three.”
A field of nine is set to contest the Somerville Tattersall Stakes, including the Henry Cecil-trained Wingwalker, successful on both his starts to date.
Brian Meehan is responsible for unbeaten Newbury maiden winner Control Zone, while Barry Hills is due to saddle once-raced Newmarket maiden victor North East Corner and stablemate Dabbers Chief.
The Mick Channon-trained Akhenaten landed a Chester maiden last time, Ashram, trained by John Hills, scored on his debut and showed improved form to take second in a Kempton conditions race recently, while the more experienced Prime Delivery and Derbaas have each posted solid efforts in good company.
The Somerville Tattersall Stakes has produced some top-class winners in recent years, including the Aidan O’Brien-trained Aussie Rules who was successful in 2005, and subsequently won the French 2,000 Guineas as well as the Grade One Shadwell Turf Mile in the US.
Milk It Mick prevailed in 2003, defeating the 2004 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Bachelor Duke. Milk It Mick took the prize en route to victory in the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes and subsequently captured the Grade One Frank E Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.
Where Or When took the spoils in 2001, defeating the O’Brien-trained Della Francesca. The Terry Mills-trained colt went on to defeat Hawk Wing in the following season’s Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while the runner-up captured the Grade Two Belmont Breeders’ Cup Handicap in 2003.
In 2000, King Charlemagne defeated subsequent triple Group One hero Grandera and then went through the 2001 season unbeaten, including victory in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Thursday, day one of the three-day Cambridgeshire Meeting, offers high quality sport, with the fantastic seven-race card also featuring two Listed races and the £250,000 Tattersall October Auction Stakes (2.35pm), which has attracted a maximum field of 30.
The Listed £44,000 G4S Rous Stakes (4.20pm) is a real speed test over five furlongs and has 13 declarations, while the mile and three quarters Listed £40,000 Noel Murless Stakes (3.10pm) brings stamina to the fore and has seven horses declared.
Friday’s excellent action includes the two most prestigious six-furlong races for juveniles in Britain. The £170,000 Group One 32Red.com Cheveley Park Stakes (2.40pm) sees some of the best two-year-old fillies in Europe race on The NatWest Rowley Mile course, while the £170,000 Group One Shadwell Middle Park Stakes (3.10pm) draws together the speediest colts.
The totesport.com Cambridgeshire takes centre stage on Saturday’s superb card, which also features the £213,000 Group One Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (3.15pm) over a mile, which has 21 fillies and mares entered, including the season’s star filly Lush Lashes, Halfway To Heaven, last year’s winner Majestic Roi and fellow Group One heroines Darjina, Nahoodh and Listen. The Harry Dunlop-trained Festoso is a supplementary entry.
Saturday is Britain’s richest race-day with the afternoon also featuring the inaugural Tattersall Timeform Million (2.45pm), with a guaranteed minimum prize fund of £1,000,000, and the Tattersall Timeform Fillies’ 800 (2.10pm).
CHELTENHAM MARKS MICK FITZGERALD’S RETIREMENT AT THE SHOWCASE
The recent retirement of popular jockey Mick Fitzgerald will be marked on day two of The Showcase at Cheltenham, Saturday, October 18, when the card plays host to the £10,000 Mick Fitzgerald Novices’ Hurdle (3.25pm) over an extended three miles and a furlong.
The 38-year-old Irishman was forced to hang up his boots on medical advice after suffering a serious neck injury from a fall at the second fence in this year’s John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree. He enjoyed an illustrious career in the saddle that yielded 14 Festival successes at Cheltenham.
At the age of 18, Fitzgerald moved to Britain to further his career and he began riding for John Jenkins and Richard Tucker. He rode his first British winner, Lovers Secret, at Ludlow in December, 1988, and enjoyed a fruitful link with trainer Jackie Retter in his early years.
However, it was Mick’s long association with Nicky Henderson that boosted his profile, partnering numerous big-race winners for the trainer. The Seven Barrows handler provided Fitzgerald with his first Festival victory, with Raymylette capturing the 1994 Cathcart Chase in the colours of Lady Lloyd Webber.
He also rode for Paul Nicholls and enjoyed his biggest success for the Ditcheat trainer aboard See More Business in the 1999 totesport Gold Cup, while he partnered Nicholls’ Neptune Collonges into third in this year’s contest.
Fitzgerald announced that he was retiring from race-riding at the end of the 2006/07 season, but he soon reconsidered his decision saying: "I am still so much in love with the sport that I just cannot contemplate giving it up right now."
It proved to be the right decision, as he partnered 71 winners in his final season, showing that he hadn’t lost any of his appetite for the game.
Fitzgerald was crowned leading rider at The Festival in 1999 and 2000 with four wins on both occasions and recorded his most recent Festival success on Non So in the 2006 Racing Post Plate.
His final winner at the track came on the exciting Jack The Giant in the CFR Group (Electrical & Mechanical) Services Handicap Hurdle for Henderson on December 14, 2007.
On Saturday, October 18, the racecourse management will make a presentation to Fitzgerald, whose other wins at Prestbury Park include the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase on Call Equiname (1999), the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on Bacchanal (2000), the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy on Tiutchev (2000), the Royal & SunAlliance Chase on Trabolgan (2005) and the Ryanair Chase on Fondmort (2006).
The Showcase on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18, is the curtain raiser to what promises to be another fantastic year at Prestbury Park. The feature race on the opening day is the £30,000 IG Index Handicap Chase (4.05pm), over three miles and half a furlong, while the valuable £25,000 Jewson Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race Final (3.30pm) is also on the seven-race card.
The highlight of Saturday’s card is the £50,000 Dick Francis “Silks” Handicap Chase (2.50pm), over an extended two and a half miles, which is sure to provided plenty of clues for the £150,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup, the centrepiece of The Open (November 14, 15 and 16).
Meeting - The Showcase, Cheltenham Racecourse
Dates - Friday, October 17 & Saturday, October 18
First race - 2.20pm (both days)
Admission prices - Club/Tattersalls from £18. Best Mate from £9. Accompanied children under 16 admitted FREE to all enclosures. FREE car parking. Tickets available from www.cheltenham.co.uk or by calling 08445 793 003.
Mick Fitzgerald
Date/place of birth: Cork, 10/05/1970 Background: Raised in Camolin, County Wexford, Mick Fitzgerald was talent-spotted at the age of 16 by local trainer Richard Lister when exercising his pony. After leaving school, he signed as an apprentice with Lister before moving on to John Hayden's Curragh-based yard where he remained - without riding a winner - for two seasons. His rising weight resulted in a switch to the National Hunt scene and at the age of 18 he made the move to Britain where he began riding for John Jenkins and Richard Tucker. He rode his first British winner, Lovers Secret, at Ludlow in December, 1988, and came to prominence through his fruitful association with another trainer Jackie Retter. He has enjoyed a long association with Nicky Henderson for whom he has partnered numerous big-race winners. He has also ridden for Paul Nicholls and enjoyed his biggest success for the Ditcheat trainer aboard See More Business in the 1999 totesport Gold Cup. He was again in the saddle when the brilliant gelding took the 2000 Bowl at Aintree. In 1996, he partnered Rough Quest to victory in the Aintree Grand National. Other horses he has been associated with include Trabolgan, Marlborough, Geos, Landing Light, Kauto Star and Remittance Man. Fitzgerald was leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival in 1999 and 2000 and announced that he would be retiring from the saddle at the end of the 2006/07 season, but he reconsidered his decision in April, 2007, saying “I am still so much in love with the sport I just cannot contemplate giving it up right now”. He was seriously injured in the 2008 Grand National, when falling from L’Ami at the second fence. First Winner Under Rules (Britain): Lovers Secret, Ludlow, December 20, 1988 Cheltenham Festival Wins: (14) Cathcart Chase (1994 Raymylette, 1999 and 2000 Stormyfairweather), William Hill Trophy Chase (1995 Rough Quest, 2000 Marlborough), JCB Triumph Hurdle (1999 Katarino), Queen Mother (1999 Call Equiname), Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup (1999 See More Business), Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (2000 Tiutchev), Ladbrokes World Hurdle (2000 Bacchanal), Coral Cup (2003 Xenophon), Royal & SunAlliance Chase (2005 Trabolgan), Ryanair Chase (2006 Fondmort), Racing Post Plate (2006 Non So) Leading Rider at The Festival: 2000 (4), 1999 (4). Other Big Race Wins: Grand National Chase (1996 Rough Quest), Aintree Hurdle (Bimsey 1997), Bowl Chase (2000 See More Business), Mildmay Novices’ Chase (2003 Irish Hussar), Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (2007 Chief Dan George), Agfa Diamond Chase (1996 Amtrak Express), Aon Chase (2000 See More Business), Charlie Hall Chase (1999 and 2000 See More Business, 2002 Marlborough), Desert Orchid H’cap Chase (2000 Fadalko), Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (1999 Premier Generation), Feltham Novices’ Chase (2006 Ungaro), Finale Juvenile Hurdle (2005 Blue Shark, 2006 Good Bye Simon), First National Gold Cup (2003 Iris Royal), Game Spirit Chase (1999 Celibate), Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup (2005 Trabolgan), Tote Lanzarote Hcap Hurdle (1999 Tiutchev), Mitie Group Kennel Gate Hurdle (1998 Hidebound), Paddy Power Gold Cup (2003 Fondmort), Pendil Novices’ Chase (1999 Makounji), Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (2000 Dusk Duel), Tingle Creek Trophy Chase (2005 Kauto Star), Tote Gold Trophy Chase (2001 Marlborough), Tote Gold Trophy Hcap Hurdle (2000 Geos, 2001 Landing Light), Tripleprint Gold Cup (2002 Fondmort, 2003 Iris Royal), Victor Chandler Chase (Big Matt 1996, Isio 2004), Champion 4YO hurdle (2007 Punjabi), Ladbroke Hurdle (2007 Jack The Giant) Number of Wins (1995/96-2007/08): 68; 82; 102; 121; 107; 78; 109; 77; 51; 65; 62; 60; 71 Total wins 1,303 (762 for Nicky Henderson)
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