O'Brien Stays Low Key On Classic Cup Hopes
- Friday, 01 November 2013 03:30
Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien believes Declaration Of War offers something different that might just make a difference in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
O'Brien has tasted plenty of success in the Breeders' Cup, but victory in the $US5 million ($A5.30 million) marquee race has eluded him - so much so that O'Brien said on Thursday he no longer allows himself to imagine winning it.
"We know how important this race is and we've tried with so many horses. But at this stage I don't even dream about winning the Classic," he said.
The trainer has seen such superlative horses as Galileo and Giant's Causeway go down in defeat and witnessed George Washington being fatally injured at muddy Monmouth Park in 2007.
It's a tale of futility that US trainer Bob Baffert can certainly identify with. Baffert has trained eight Breeders' Cup winners, but never a Classic champion.
This year, Baffert hopes the third time will be the charm for Game on Dude, last year's well-beaten favorite and runner-up the year before in the 1-1/4 mile (2000m) race that caps the 14-race, $27 million Breeders' Cup carnival at Santa Anita Park on Friday and Saturday.
Baffert believes maturity will make a difference for Game On Dude, who is a "much different horse" this year.
"I think mentally he's settled down a lot," Baffert said of the early 8-5 favourite.
"He's really mellowed out. "I think he's a much more relaxed horse. He's healthy. He's carrying more weight than he usually does. His races haven't been really, really hard on him."
Baffert has spaced out Game on Dude's races more this year in order to keep him fresh for the Classic and he comes into the race undefeated since finishing seventh in the race last year.
O'Brien, too, says a light racing schedule has Declaration Of War fresh for the Breeders' Cup, the result of a decision not to run him over heavy ground in Europe.
In fact, O'Brien said, it's been hard to find enough work for Declaration Of War, who hasn't raced since winning the International Stakes at York in August.
The unknown factor is how well Declaration Of War will handle the US-style dirt track but O'Brien is optimistic that solid dirt runners in his pedigree are an indication that he will.
"There's loads of speed on his outside, so he's going to be in there. It will be how he handles the kickback," O'Brien said.
The trainer took Declaration Of War to exercise with two other Group One winners on the synthetic track at Southwell, which he thought offered the closest approximation to a dirt track in England.
The Classic field also includes last year's winner Fort Larned and runner-up Mucho Macho Man.
Gosden Relishing Fugue Breeders' Challenge
- Thursday, 31 October 2013 00:45
John Gosden declared The Fugue in "tremendous shape" as his star filly limbered for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
The Irish Champion Stakes winner was accompanied on the grass by big-race pilot William Buick, and was watched by Gosden, part-owner Lady Lloyd Webber and racing manager Simon Marsh.
An unlucky-in-running third in the Filly & Mare Turf event last year, connections have this time elected to take on her male counterparts over a longer trip, and she travelled to America having skipped the Arc and Champions Day due to rain-softened conditions.
"She seems fine and had a nice lob around the turf track. She moved very smoothly and certainly knew her way around the place," Gosden said.
"I'm pleased to see that the weather has brightened up, as it was cloudy and rainy over the past couple of days.
"I admit we are taking a bold step going for the championship race (Turf) but we thought 'be bold and aim for it'. Everyone involved lent towards the Turf and we are here after preparations for the Arc and Champion Stakes didn't work out, owing to the inclement weather.
"It's a good, strong field and I have a lot of respect for Point Of Entry, who is a fine big horse, but our filly is in tremendous shape and we thought 'let's go for the big one'.
"A mile and a quarter and a mile and a half seem to come the same to this filly and if it is a fast track that will be fine."
There is a chance that if The Fugue acquits herself well at the weekend she could have one more outing this year, at the Hong Kong International meeting.
Tac De Boistron Wins French Group One
- Sunday, 27 October 2013 20:15
Tac De Boistron, who failed to live up to his potential in Australia, has taken Group One honours in France for new trainer Marco Botti.
The six-year-old returned to Europe after a stint with Mick Kent in Victoria where he was unplaced in two starts in last year's Geelong and Melbourne Cups.
His failure was put down to the hard tracks and he appreciated the softer conditions in the French St Leger to win by five lengths from Going somewhere.
"I was pleased he showed a nice turn of foot on this ground as it's very testing," Botti said.
"He travelled well in the race and Martin (Harley) said he settled well after getting him cover.
"In the straight he went for a gap that closed in front of him. Then when he switched him out the response was good and he quickened away really well.
"I think he's finished for the year. There's nothing left for him and we'll probably put him away. I'll speak to the owners and hopefully they will keep him for next year.
"There are plenty of good races over two miles for him and he's a horse that has probably improved with age. He is very sound, straightforward and is holding his form."
Gary Stevens Returns To The Big Time
- Tuesday, 29 October 2013 23:59
Gary Stevens is excited to be riding in his first Breeders' Cup meeting since 2005 after coming out of retirement this year.
It may be 13 years since his last success at this meeting but the 50-year-old has lost none of his appetite as he aims to bridge that gap and get back on the roll of honour.
Though not all of his 13 rides over the two days are in the Breeders' Cup races, he cannot wait to be in action at Santa Anita, his local track, where he enjoyed great success first time round and rode his first comeback winner in January.
Among his booked mounts are Indy Point in the Turf, Marketing Mix in the Filly & Mare Turf and She's A Tiger in the Juvenile Fillies Dirt.
"It's been a good year, better than I could have hoped, and things are progressing well. I look forward to the weekend," Stevens said.
"The horses I ride are hand-picked by my agent from a select bunch of trainers, including Tom Proctor and Richard Mandella.
"You always hope for the best and expect the worst, but the nine Breeders' Cup rides I have all have legitimate claims.
"I hope to walk away with quite a bit of hardware (winnings) and I'll be disappointed if I don't."
Kingston Hill Powers To Trophy Win
- Sunday, 27 October 2013 01:15
Roger Varian is dreaming of Classic success next year after Kingston Hill continued the Newmarket trainer's love affair with Doncaster by winning the Racing Post Trophy, Britain's final Group One race of the season.
His first ever runner, Eton Forever, was a winner there on April 2, 2011 after Varian took over the reins at Kremlin House stables when the late Michael Jarvis retired.
Kingston Hill only made his debut five weeks ago and after winning the Group Three Autumn Stakes at Newmarket at his second start, Varian and owner Paul Smith took the decision pay the STG17,500 ($A29,635) late entry fee into the prestigious juvenile race.
It was a brave move by Smith, who is the son of Coolmore's Derrick Smith, co-owner of runner-up Johann Strauss.
Racing in mid-division through the early stages, Kingston Hill was asked to quicken more than a furlong (200m) out by Andrea Atzeni and the response was immediate.
The colt lengthened stride in the closing stages, beating Johann Strauss by 4-1/2 lengths.
"We were looking forward to what improvement there was to come from him and he's the first colt to win to win a Group One for us. It's been with fillies before," Varian said.
"We'll have to see how he winters and what he's like in the spring. People have said is he a 10-furlong, mile-and-a-half horse, but he has the pace for a mile and travels so well.
"He has good acceleration and will be in everything. We'll have a good eye on the Guineas."
Ladbrokes cut Kingston Hill to 8-1 from 20-1 for the 2000 Guineas, while Paddy Power went 10-1 about his chance in the Guineas and Derby.
McCoy Edges Towards Significant Milestone
- Tuesday, 29 October 2013 23:45
Tony McCoy moved to 3,990 career winners over jumps after guiding Minella For Steak to victory at Ffos Las.
The incredible milestone is fast approaching for the perennial champion jockey after he rode five winners at Aintree over the weekend and then headed to Wales with a strong book of five rides.
After placing at his first two rides at Ffos Las, McCoy made it third-time lucky when he drove out Jonjo O'Neill's favourite Minella For Steak to a 1-3/4 length victory over Ifyouthinkso in the O'Brien And Partners Handicap Hurdle.
The jockey told At The Races: "He won all right, in fairness. He had one to aim at all the way down the back.
"The amazing thing is he coped with the heavy ground, as his wind has never been great.
"He seemed to jump better than he has in the past."
Newbury Winner Receives Royal Approval
- Saturday, 26 October 2013 00:45
It was nearly a day of celebration for more than one member of the royal family on the racecourse at Newbury in what has already been a momentous week.
Following on from the christening of Prince George, the child's great-grandmother The Queen had another winner on the Berkshire course, while something of a gamble went just astray on Ravenous, owned and bred by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Her Majesty's fast-improving Musical Comedy, an appropriately-bred son of Royal Applause, went off the 11-8 favourite for the Sir Gerald Whent Memorial Nursery and left his rivals toiling by five lengths on very testing ground.
Ravenous, trained by Ralph Beckett, was backed into 8-1 from an opening show of 25s in division one of the Free Bets freebets.co.uk Maiden Stakes and looked a big danger with a furlong to go.
He could not quite keep pace with the Hannon-trained Strait Run (7-2), who had clearly made progress from his debut seventh at Salisbury and managed to shake off the attentions of Godolphin's Flight Officer by half a length.
Game On Dude Favourite For Breeders' Cup
- Tuesday, 29 October 2013 03:45
Game On Dude is the early 8-5 favorite in an impressive field of 12 for the Breeders' Cup Classic, a race he has failed to win in two previous starts for trainer Bob Baffert.
For the second straight year, the gelding will be running on his home track.
Game On Dude's only loss in nine races at Santa Anita came in last year's Classic, where he finished seventh behind winner Fort Larned.
"I'm just hoping he runs like an 8-5 shot," Baffert said.
Baffert is winless in the Classic, but he has trained Game On Dude to a 5-0 record this year heading into Saturday's race.
He sent Game On Dude out for his final workout Monday.
"He's not the same horse that ran here last year, thank God," he said. "He's bigger, he's filled out and he's a happy horse. I've spaced his races out and that's allowed me to keep his weight on."
Fort Larned, who won last year's Classic by three-quarters of a length over Mucho Macho Man, is back to defend his title. Mucho Macho Man returns, too, with Gary Stevens in the saddle.
Game On Dude drew the No. 9 post.
"I didn't want him to be buried on the inside," Baffert said. "The field is strong. It's so competitive. All these horses are back from last year."
Baffert also will saddle Paynter, who will start from the No. 2 post at 12-1 odds.
Fort Larned drew the No. 7 post and was listed at 6-1 odds. Mucho Macho Man will break from the No. 6 post at 5-1 odds.
New Levy Agreement For British Racing
- Thursday, 24 October 2013 22:59
British racing has secured a four-year agreement with the four largest retail bookmakers to make voluntary contributions of STG4.5 million ($A7.61 million) a year the newly-created Incentive Fund.
Taking effect from April 2014, the payments from William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Betfred will be managed by a new distribution group made up of representatives from the Levy Board, British Horseracing Authority, Racecourse Association, Horsemen's Group and the bookmakers.
As part of the arrangement, the four bookmakers have agreed to underwrite a combined contribution payable through the statutory Levy of not less than STG47.5 million ($A80.30 million) per year, as well as the voluntary contributions.
With the announcement of the 53rd Levy Scheme also arriving, total income to the Levy Board from bookmakers in 2014-15 is estimated to reach STG80.2 million, including Betfair's STG7.8 million contribution.
"We are delighted to have reached an arrangement with racing, which will see the biggest four bookmakers in Britain inject an additional STG18 million into British racing over the next four years," a joint statement from the bookmakers said.
"This addition to our normal statutory Levy payments will ensure that the four companies underwrite a minimum STG 52 million per year to the Levy Board.
"British racing is a core product in our betting offices and we want to see it grow and thrive."
BHA chief executive Paul Bittar said it was a positive step forward.
"This additional funding, coupled with a continuation of the underwrite, brings a degree of certainty and considerable upside in the coming years," Bittar said.
"Importantly, the arrangement places the emphasis on joint efforts with the betting industry to make the racing product even more compelling, and competitive year-round."
Moonlight Cloud Poised For Hong Kong Mile
- Tuesday, 29 October 2013 00:45
Freddie Head reports Moonlight Cloud to be as good as ever as she prepares for the Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on December 8.
The French trainer believes the five-year-old mare remains in superb shape after she chalked up Group One win No.6 with a scintillating display in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
"Moonlight Cloud is very well and we intend to run her in the Hong Kong Mile," said Head.
"She seems to be getting better with every run, and although the race is late in the year, she is very fresh and I am very happy that she is as well as she was during the summer.
"For the moment she is in half work, but in two weeks she will start her preparation and then we will probably ship her to Hong Kong a week before the race. I think the race is good for her."
Others among 101 entries are Richard Hannon's QEII victor Olympic Glory and his four-times Group One-winning stablemate Sky Lantern, who has also been nominated for the Hong Kong Cup.
Cirrus Des Aigles is set to make his annual visit to Sha Tin, featuring among 95 Hong Kong Cup possibles.
Fifth in the Vase in 2009, he was seventh in the Cup in 2010 and fifth in 2011 only to miss last year's race due to a late setback.
The seven-year-old showed he was no back number when a close second to Farhh in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.
"Cirrus Des Aigles has come out of Ascot very well and is likely to go for the Hong Kong Cup," said Barande-Barbe.
Stewards Foil Potential Plunge
- Thursday, 24 October 2013 22:45
An off-course plunge on a poorly performed horse has been thwarted by British officials.
Bert Trick was due to run at Wolverhampton on Thursday evening but was taken out after stewards were alerted he had been backed from 33-1 to 5-1.
They gave Bert Trick's trainer Frank Sheridan the opportunity to withdraw him 40 minutes before the race after telling him the matter would be investigated by the British Horseracing Authority.
The gelding, who was due to have his first start for Sheridan, had three starts in Ireland for another trainer, finishing second last twice and last on the other occasion.
He has not raced since August 2011.