Heads or Tails? A coin is a portal, an open doorway which invites the prospect of change. Its value can transform hunger into satisfaction, its toss can determine a course of action or settle an argument, but it takes a rare denomination to turn a Welsh dairy farmer into a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Work your way down the long list of winners of jump racing’s annual blue riband event, and your finger may pause alongside the year 1990 and linger there as you consider the possibility of a misprint. But believe what you see, as this was the year the 100-1 shot Norton’s Coin became the longest-odds winner in the race’s history. Sirrell Griffiths farmed in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. As a ‘hobby’ he trained a couple of horses, barely enough to be described as a string, and it was on his farm, surrounded by rolling Welsh hills, that his home-bred chestnut was conceived. Humble beginnings. Sirrell sold the pregnant dam only to buy back her offspring a few years later when Norton’s Coin had begun achieving success in point-to-points and hunter chases. Ridden out daily by Sirrell or his son, Martyn, the gelding’s form continued to improve, progressing to handicap chases. His win in the two-and-a-half-mile chase at Cheltenham in April 1989 indicated his trainer could consider even loftier ambitions. Entered in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, however, Norton’s Coin finished last of the six runners, trailing in the wake of the mighty Desert Orchid who had just notched up his third win in the race. With the Cheltenham festival approaching, Norton’s Coin then succumbed to a throat infection which hampered his preparation for the handicap chase Sirrell had set his sights on. But in a twist of fate, the trainer missed the entry deadline for his intended target when he arrived home late from market. There was only one other opportunity available to him, and he threw his tweed cap into the ring for the Gold Cup, hopeful of picking up some place money to cover the entry fee. If eating cheese before bedtime can be the cause of strange dreams, you’d be forgiven for suspecting Sirrell had overdone the Caerphilly, as in the days running up to the festival he had a vivid dream in which his horse came home first and, with absolute clarity, saw the names of those who finished second and third. In the parade ring on Gold Cup day, all eyes were on Desert Orchid, the reigning champion. Sent off the 10-11 favourite, his odds seemed justified as he landed in the lead at the first fence and
took up the running. Fence after fence saw the legendary grey dominating the race but Norton’s Coin was still travelling well, really well. Lying fourth as the runners approached the final ditch, Martyn, who led him up that day, was relieved they’d at least cover the entry fee. At the second last there were three horses in a row – Toby Tobias, Norton’s Coin and Desert Orchid. It was David versus Goliath playing out in front of a stunned crowd on the sport’s most prestigious stage. They took the fence in unison, but it would be Dessie who faded first leaving the remaining two runners to take the final fence together. The slog up the hill would determine which of them would be champion. But Norton’s Coin had been forged from a training regime on steeper slopes than this. As his trainer told Mick Fitzgerald in a recent interview, his finger pointing to the landscape overlooking his farm, ‘there was 17 stone on his back most mornings, going up those hills’. His jockey, Graham McCourt, was a light passenger in comparison. In front of an open-mouthed but ecstatic crowd, Norton’s Coin, the 100-1 shot, drew away on the ascent to the finish line to win by three-quarters of a length, breaking the course record for good measure. Walking back in, Graham reached down for Sirrell’s hat and launched it into the air. The places were exactly as Sirrell had dreamed: 1 st Norton’s Coin 2 nd Toby Tobias 3 rd Desert Orchid Sirrell’s fistful of prizes, presented by the Queen Mother, would normally be collected by a small gathering of connections but again and again she passed the trophies into the same big hands: winning owner, winning trainer … the list went on. Sirrell may well have pondered on the value of those trophies as he drove back to Rwyth farm that night, with his precious cargo resting quietly in the horse box behind him, safe in the knowledge that his entry fee had been well and truly covered. An unbelievable story. What are the chances of it ever happening again? Let’s allow the multi-talented Sirrell - farmer, trainer, breeder, owner, work rider, driver, dreamer and alchemist – to have the last word on this. ‘It’ll never happen twice, will it? It’ll never happen twice’. Written by Kathryn Trudgeon @writeforracing
Racehorse Welfare I wrote a blog in January with regards to the staffing crisis in racing and Gordie from Horses for Causes got in touch and asked me to write something for the magazine in March. Clearly in true Jo fashion I had lots of thoughts about what to write at the time, then promptly got stuck into daily life again and have just realised that its nearly March and all the ideas I had two months ago have been overtaken by new issues! However, with Cheltenham just around the corner and being a racehorse trainer, I want to talk about horses and their welfare as racehorses. The majority of us become racehorse trainers because we love the horses and find that working with them on a daily basis gives us pleasure and satisfaction, for some of us winning a race is the culmination of risk, stress, worry, hard work and financial loss. However, we live for those moments and for me personally, if I can get a horse that is thought to have no ability and discarded by other yards to win, then it’s as good as winning at Cheltenham. On the whole racehorses are cared for like no other animal, take mine for instance, they get to stand on a vibrating floor with pulsed magnetic energy going through it, they get a massage rug, they get top quality hay that is steamed, the feed is the best, they get mucked out, skipped out 4 times a day, turned out when the weather is fine, groomed till they shine, if they take the slightest lame or sore step we have a brilliant Chiropractor and physio, not to mention the vets on call. No expense is spared, whether they are top horses or average horses, every horse needs to feel like they are special, and I truly believe that unless we can give them every chance, winning races will not happen. I feel very sad how jumps racing is becoming a conveyor belt of horses, used to win races earlier than they are possibly designed to physically do so, resulting in injuries that are either career ending or will take too long for the owners to wait, hence they are discarded, and new ones bought for substantial money. The issue we are all discussing today is the boycott of races at Arc courses, this lack of prize money is fuelling the need/want for a quick return and results before the horse is sold or sent to another trainer. This diagram shows us the rate at which the growth plates on the horse close, they need to be closed to be strong and avoid injury.
This image was created by Naomi Tavian
I would love to see young horses given more time and allowed to mature but whilst the big money is there that will not happen for the majority. The festival is fantastic for racing and as I stated its every owner/trainer’s dream to have a horse even just to run there, however I think it takes a very tough horse to mentally cope with the pace of the races there, I am sure a lot take longer to recover than at other grade one tracks and to be honest I do think there are those who never get over running there. I don’t think we give the horse’s mental state enough consideration when thinking about these races. I think what I’m trying to say is we all focus on Cheltenham as the pinnacle of jumps racing and whilst it is and I love it, I think we should also remember the thousands of also ran horses that are slogging their way round tracks like Fakenham and Uttoxeter throughout the season. There are those owners and trainers who might never have a runner at Cheltenham and whilst its all our dreams, its fine. We live in hope that the one good horse will come along and we will be able to compete at the top level and actually jumps racing is the one place that we can realistically have that dream without having a fortune to spend on horses and sometimes we are lucky enough to find owners who also love their horses and are willing to give them time. Written by Jo Davis @ Jodavis9
Five to follow in the Cheltenham Festival handicaps The 2019 Cheltenham Festival is almost upon us and the handicaps at next week’s four-day bonanza are sure to be as fiercely competitive as ever. However, these five, priced at double-figure odds, all look to have chances. Best of luck.
Horse: Brio Conti - Image by @mjyharris
Horse: Brio Conti Race: Coral Cup (14:50, Wednesday) General odds: 16-1 I strongly fancied Brio Conti for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival but he failed to get into the race because his rating was too low. He proved how well-handicapped he was by bolting up at Kempton afterwards before finishing fifth in a Grade One at Aintree.
The eight-year-old suffered an injury after making a successful debut over fences at the end of 2017 and was not seen again until he pulled-up in a competitive handicap hurdle at Sandown in February this year. Although he pulled-up, he was clearly badly in need of the run and did not get home in the testing conditions. That run clearly brought him on a lot as he landed a handicap at Ascot on his last start off a rating of 141. However, Paul Nicholls – who has always held Brio Conti in high regard - seemed surprised by his victory as he thought he would need another run to get him primed for the Coral Cup. This race is the only entry Brio Conti has and, although he is now 5lb higher than his win at Ascot, he is likely to find more improvement and can gain compensation for missing the Festival in 2017.
Horse: Boyhood Race: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (14:10, Thursday) General odds: 25-1 I was thoroughly impressed with Boyhood’s victory in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day in 2018 where he bolted up off a rating of 130. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the eight-year-old until he ran in a Listed handicap at the same venue behind the well-handicapped First Assignment in November. That was a promising run considering his lengthy absence and he improved for that outing as he stayed on nicely to finish third in a Pertemps qualifier at Exeter in February on his next start. Tom George’s gelding seems versatile ground-wise and I expect connections have had this race in mind for some time. He is worth a second look at 25-1.
Horse: Western Ryder Race: Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle (2.10, Friday) General odds: 20-1 A horse who has always been held in high regard, Western Ryder looked unlucky not to finish closer in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival last year. He was a strong fancy for the Greatwood Hurdle on his seasonal debut in November where he finished fifth and has run three good races in defeat since.
Although he remains on a career-high rating of 150, the likelihood of a strong pace will suit, he has good course form and you can almost guarantee you are going to get a run for your money with the consistent seven-year-old. I will be backing Western Ryder each-way with a bookmaker who offers six places or more in this contest.
Le Prezien nearside on his way to victory at Cheltenham in 2016 Arkle Trial - I mage by @ mjyharris
Horse: Le Prezien Race: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup (4.50, Friday) General odds: 16-1 Le Prezien landed this race in good style last year off a rating of 150 and, given the manner of his victory, he would still have won even if he had a rating in the high 150’s. Things haven’t gone to plan for him since, but he is rated just 1lb higher than his victory last year, and if he bounces back to form, he could prove hard to beat. At 16-1, I am willing to take a risk that he will reproduce the form he showed last year and is certainly well-handicapped off his rating of 151. The form Paul Nicholls’ team is in is also a major positive.
Horse: Early Doors Race: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (5.30, Friday) General odds: 14-1 I backed Early Doors in this race last year and he ran a good race to finish third behind Blow By Blow. I am sticking with the J P McManus-owned gelding again this year as he has finished behind Apple’s Jade at Grade One level on his last two starts and will, of course, find this contest much easier. He is 2lb higher than his third last year, but you would like to think there is more to come from the lightly-raced six-year-old. Early Doors does hold an entry in the Coral Cup on Wednesday, but his trainer, Jospeh O’Brien, is favouring this race. Written by Harry Allwood @H_Allwood1
The Northern Contingent for the Cheltenham Festival Whether or not the north has a genuinely strong chance of winning a race at the Cheltenham Festival this season probably hinges on the participation of Waiting Patiently in the Ryanair. My own opinion is that I don’t think he will run, but obviously as second favourite at the moment for the race, he will be hugely respected if he does. The race at Ascot where he was beaten by Cyrname seemed to take a lot out of him, which is no surprise given the kind of performance that the Paul Nicholls trained runner put up. The yard have never rushed him through his entire career, regardless of what was on the horizon, and I don’t see that changing in March. I think three miles, right handed and on a flat track is his ideal conditions, something he won’t get at Cheltenham and instead I can see him going to Aintree for either the Bowl or the Melling Chase. Having said that, should he go to the festival then he will automatically be our best chance of a winner, even through the Ryanair is shaping up to be a very good race this season.
Philip Kirby - Lady Buttons If Waiting Patiently doesn’t make it, then most of our hopes are going to fall on the shoulders of a mare who has become very popular in the north and that is Lady Buttons. She has had a fantastic season so far, winning all four of her races so far, with two coming over hurdles and two over fences to show her versatility. She has an entry in the Mares Hurdle and also one in the Champion Chase, although it looks more likely that she will head to the mares race. With Apple’s Jade and Laurina seemingly going to the Champion Hurdle, that opens the door for Lady Buttons to have a right good go at this race, and she looks to have a great chance of finishing in the first three. She has been fantastic all season, and a big performance from her would really put the cherry on top for trainer Philip Kirby. Lady Buttons working out at home alongside stablemates Top Ville Ben and Nautical Nitwit - Image by Megan Dent Photography @MeganDentPhoto1
Ruth Jefferson – Mega Yeats While 99% of the talk around the Ruth Jefferson yard revolves around Waiting Patiently, those watching a little closer will see that she has a number of nice youngsters coming through the ranks. One of those is this horse, Mega Yeats, who will go onto bigger and better things next season, regardless of how she runs at Cheltenham. She was bought after winning a three-mile point to point on heavy ground, and eventually that is going to be where her future lies, she should make up into a lovely staying chaser. Since joining the Jefferson yard this season we have seen her run in two bumpers and two hurdle races. She won her debut bumper before finishing second in a Cheltenham listed bumper, both of which were over two miles which is not enough of a test. Since then she has won a novice hurdle and finished third in a listed hurdle, both over 2m3f which saw her in a better light, but still gave the impression she wants further. She has two entries at the festival, one in the Mares Hurdle and one in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, both of which are going to be tough. The Ballymore would be where I would like to see her go, the extra two furlongs plus the mares allowance will help her, and she could run a nice race. Whatever happens though, she is one to watch for the future, especially when she goes chasing, I think she could be really nice. Since writing this article Ruth has confirmed that she will not be attending the festival and will instead be racing at Market Rasen before heading to Cheltenham this April. Mega Yeats in Parade Ring - Image by ​@NRuthJefferson
Brian Ellison – Definitly Red, Forest Bihan Hope are high that Definitly Red can run a big race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, although it would be a big surprise if he was good enough to win the race. On pieces of his form, he has every chance of finishing in the top four this year, which would better his 6th place finish from last season. You can completely ignore his run at Kelso, that was not a true performance from him, and he was nowhere near fit that day. Everything was already in place in terms of getting the horse 100% ready for Cheltenham, and that race was part of it. Forest Bihan is a horse that some may describe as ungenuine, and the way he ran at Doncaster last time out you couldn’t blame them. He looked all over the winner but failed to go past the horse in front and was out battled. He is in the Champion Chase, but I’m hoping they skip that in favour of a run in the Grand Annual instead. He is on a winnable handicap mark, and the fast pace of a Cheltenham handicap is exactly what he needs. He is hugely talented and will work himself into the race off that fast pace, and then you just need to hope that the jockey riding him can deliver him at exactly the right moment to get his head in front.
Sue Smith – Midnight Shadow, Joke Dancer If you take Paisley Park out of the Stayers Hurdle, the rest look like a bunch of horses that can allbeat each other if it’s their day, there doesn’t appear to be much between them. One horse in that group is Midnight Shadow, who has already won at Cheltenham over 2m4f this season and was in the process of running ok when making a bad blunder over three miles last time, in a race won by Paisley Park. The six-year-old trained by Sue Smith rates as nothing other than an outsider for the race, but if others perform below par and he puts up a big performance then he could sneak into the top four. I wasn’t going to mention Joke Dancer, because I don’t think he will get into the Coral Cup, but a couple of lines won’t hurt. He is number 99 in the weights, so probably won’t get a run but his win at Newcastle recently was very impressive and I really rate the horse that finished in second behind him. It may not be the Coral Cup, but I think he has a big race in him somewhere.
Nicky Richards – Simply Ned, Duke Of Navan 12-year-old Simply Ned has been a great servant for the Nicky Richards yard, and this could be his final season, although you wouldn’t put too much money on it, he has looked as good as ever this season. A victory over Footpad and a second behind Sceau Royal puts him right up there with the ‘also rans’ behind Altior in terms of form this season, and it would be great to see him run well at the festival. The Champion Chase will all be about Altior, but this lad is one that could finish second or third behind him. I’m hoping we see Duke Of Navan run in the Grand Annual alongside Forest Bihan, to give us two northern horses in with a chance. Just like Forest Bihan, Duke Of Navan needs to be held up and brought through a race off a fast pace, and that is exactly what he will get in the Grand Annual. He is rated 144 going into the festival and was beaten by a head off that mark in October at Cheltenham, so he can certainly compete off it.
Jedd O’Keefe – Sam Spinner Sam Spinner after defeat in last years Stayers Hurdle Image by @mjyharris
The last horse on the list is one that many people saw as the main hope for the north last season. Sam Spinner was sent off as favourite for the Stayers Hurdle, but eventually finished fifth after setting a steady pace that went against him. Unfortunately, he has not shown anywhere near the same kind of form this season, unseating his rider in his first two starts before finishing fourth behind Paisley Park last time out at Cheltenham.
That was better and will encourage his trainer that he could be returning to somewhere near the level we saw from him last season. Just like Midnight Shadow above, I think they have it all to do to beat Paisley Park, but these two are two horses that could place if they perform well and some of the others fail to fire. Written by Craig Jones @ CraigJones29
#GoRacingGreen
Debbie Matthews, founder of #GoRacingGreen
“Creating a safe place in a stable environment to encourage people with invisible illnesses to go racing”
My love of horses came late in life, in fact, it’s right to say that the horse found me rather than me finding the horse. In the summer of 2015 I was very close to ending my life, and on a 16 week wait for mental health support despite being on “suicide watch”, a serial 17.2hh thoroughbred escapee from the livery yard behind my house kept presenting himself at the bottom of my garden. If anyone had every told me I would find solace and comfort in horses, as someone who was always a “non horsey” person, I would not ever have believed them, but there is no doubt that that horse saved me. As a result of meeting Romeo, came my love of horse racing, but as someone that suffers with social anxiety and many other social phobias, actually attending raceday’s has been a huge barrier for me. It was my love for Altior that somehow spurred me to put on my brave pants back in January to see him in the flesh at Ascot, after watching many appearances on television and then kicking myself for not getting my act together and going. And that was the start of #GoRacingGreen…
Racecourses are probably up there with one of the worst environments for anyone with social anxieties, mental health condition, or sensory disorders to visit. They are also generally not the sort of places people might feel they are able to go on their own. They are vast, noisy, busy and often chaotic. But my aim with #GoRacingGreen is to put measures in place to turn all that around hopefully, get more people out and about to socialise and enjoy the racing. Because why shouldn’t “people like me” go? In the UK 850,000 people currently live with dementia – these are stats for those officially diagnosed, and there are many more who have not yet been diagnosed or sought help. A staggering 12 million people in the UK live with an activity-limiting condition. We know that one in four of us at some stage in our life will suffer with mental illness, be that short or long term. Approximately nine million people in the UK say that they often feel lonely, with many struggling to make lasting, social connections with others. More than 700,000 people are on the autistic spectrum. I want to work with racecourses to make them “Invisible Accessible” as well as have physical access statements and measures in place for people with physical disabilities. In my day job, I am a tourism consultant. Among the many things I do I work in accessible and dementia tourism, so I have the skill and qualifications to transfer this across to the industry, as well as my own, personal experiences with anxiety, social isolation, and, not forgetting, the therapeutic value of the horse, something that many of the now thousand plus people that have been in touch with me is something that seems to have been taken away from the value of a day at the races. Already courses are coming forward to sign up for #GoRacingGreen, and hopefully so I can dedicate the time this requires, and is so clearly wanted by the general public, some sponsorship can come forward. Hereford-based trainer Tom Lacey has already kindly started off the merchandise, with 50% of all profits received going to The Samaritans, and the other 50% to Retraining of Racehorses. Hopefully, by the start of the next National Hunt season we will have courses that welcome everyone, and not just across the jumps courses, but all equestrian events. You can read more on the amazing work that Debbie is doing and see the fantastic merchandise that is helping to make a difference by visiting https://goracinggreen.co.uk/ Written by Debbie Matthews @novicefilly
Five To Follow – Flat 2019 “My name is Chris Baker and I am the reigning Racing UK Tipstar Champion. I have appeared on the channel as a pundit, and I also write regularly for The Racing Paper, for whom I recently made the front page after tipping 7/7 winners at Lingfield. In addition, I run my own website www.chrisbakersportstips.co.uk which is a completely free service maintained out of a passion for horse racing. Since I launched the site in 2012, I have tipped over 650 winners from just under 4000 selections. These include two 50/1 successes (Litigant in 2015 and Perfect Pasture in 2017) and a profit has been recorded in six out of the seven years.” With the likes of dual Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable kept in training, a new cohort of classic contenders ready to shine and the Cheltenham Festival just a few days away, this is a truly exciting time for racing fans of both codes. There are so many horses to look forward to over the coming months and in this article, I have selected five that are of particular interest to me.
Matterhorn - Mark Johnston Matterhorn didn’t race until he was nearly four years old but he has made a really good start to his career, winning five times on the All-Weather since October. Commenting on this, trainer Mark Johnston said: “He has obviously had some considerable setbacks but he is fine now”. His latest victory, a visually impressive success at Chelmsford, came off a mark of 99 and earned him a new BHA rating of 107 meaning a step in to pattern company surely awaits. Asked whether he can be as effective on turf over the summer, Johnston stated: “I don’t see any reason why not.” Before then, I suspect the record-breaking trainer will have one eye on more All-Weather success with Finals Day fast approaching. Looking ahead, I suspect we are likely to see the best of this horse over the one-mile distance, despite the fact that he has won over further.
Feliciana De Vega - Ralph Beckett Out of a Listed-winning dam, this daughter of Lope De Vega made a very impressive racecourse debut at Newmarket back in November. Having been well backed and sent off as the odds-on favourite, she travelled well before quickening up smartly to win by an eased down six lengths. Six weeks later and clearly thriving at home, she made a surprise visit to Deauville’s Polytrack and ran out the very comfortable winner of a Listed race under Christophe Soumillon. That victory earned her quotes for both the 1000 Guineas and Oaks, and it’ll be fascinating to see what she can achieve in 2019. Trainer Ralph Beckett told me: “We felt she improved after
Newmarket because it was an impressive effort at Deauville. She could start in the Fred Darling, and I have been happy with her since she started back into training at New Year, after a fortnight’s holiday. She has an excellent temperament and is a thorough professional.”
Wissahickon - John Gosden After winning the prestigious Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket in September, Wissahickon has subsequently won all three starts at Lingfield over the winter. Two of those came in Listed contests and his latest success saw him capture the Group Three Winter Derby in fine style. Having shown his class and versatility, there are plenty of options open to him, including some talk about World Cup night in Dubai. It would be no surprise to see him score at the highest level at some point during the year, and connections seem to think that he will be equally effective when stepped up to a mile-and-a-half as he switches off so well. Yet another quality performer for John Gosden.
Red Impression - Roger Charlton Unbeaten in both starts as a two-year-old, this Roger Charlton-trained filly is a hugely exciting prospect for 2019. Having won on her debut at Kempton, she then powered clear of her nine rivals to shatter the juvenile course record at Lingfield at the end of November. According to her trainer, “She’s most likely to start in May over six furlongs in either a Listed or Group Three race.” If she progresses as is hoped, then races such as the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot could become realistic targets. However, there’s also every chance that she will stay further, and therefore valuable races over seven furlongs and one mile may come under consideration as the season develops.
SEA OF CLASS (William Haggas)
Sea Of Class gets a wash down after a narrow defeat in the Arc - Image by @mjyharris
After coming from last to first to win the Group One Irish Oaks in July, this daughter of Sea The Stars put up a scintillating performance to add the Darley Yorkshire Oaks to her CV, a victory that confirmed her as a leading contender for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Badly drawn in that race, she was once again held up off the pace before showing her customary turn of foot to fail by an official distance of just a ‘short neck’. Had she have got a bit more luck in running that day, she could well have denied Enable a second success in the race. Confirmed as staying in training as a four-year-old, William Haggas recently told the Racing Post that she would have a “normal European prep” with a return to Longchamp the ultimate target. Expect plenty more top-level success for this star filly.
And a jockey to follow… Oisin Murphy had a magnificent 2018 with a plethora of Group One victories and an incredible partnership with Horse of the Year Roaring Lion. In the saddle, the young Irishman has improved at a rapid rate, and he is now one of the leading jockeys in the world. Over the winter months, he has ridden in top races across the globe, and he is currently working a hectic schedule that sees him commute between Dubai and England on a weekly basis. His rise to fame is no surprise when you look at the traits and qualities that he possesses. His commitment, work ethic, ambition and determination are all key factors in his success, and as I have said on several occasions, he is the definition of ‘role model’ for any child or aspiring athlete. Just 27 winners behind last year’s Champion Jockey Silvestre De Sousa, Oisin will be striving to go one better in 2019, and he also has his sights fixed firmly on a target of 200 winners in a calendar year. With a growing list of owners and trainers keen to utilise his services, there’s every chance that this hugely talented individual can surpass even his own high expectations. Written by Chris Baker (Racing UK Tipstar winner) @chrisbaker1984 www.chrisbakersportstips.co.uk
Getting Them Ready It’s always a really exciting time of the year in flat racing yards now..the older horses are starting to do their first few fast pieces of work in prep for the season ahead, the AW horses are full steam ahead for the AW Championships and the 2yos are being asked questions in their education in prep for their debut season. Having been employed in this sport for the past 13 years I have worked in many flat racing yards, but one thing I have noticed is how every yard prepares their yearlings in totally different ways. They are all broken in pretty much in the same way, which starts with long reining them. This is the process of walking behind them with a long set of reins attached to a bridle, teaching them to stop and turn left & right in walk. After we have control of their mouths, we then add a saddle and get them used to the feel of it before adding a rider. This is the point where trainers have their own ways of bringing them along. Reg Hollinshead was my first boss as an amateur jockey from 2007-2010 and he used to do plenty with his babies in order to keep the freshness out of them. He liked to see his horses relaxed and didn’t like to see them being fresh and cheeky, which was always nice for us riders! We would trot them two laps of the round canter in single file and then hack them around a couple of laps to get them warmed up and their backs down. Then we would take them to the field over the road and let them run up the hill three times in a group. They loved this and it was great for them to be on the grass with no rails to guide them, which taught them to stay straight and get used to running next to other horses. After this we would walk them around the village to cool off. Mark Usher I worked for as an apprentice jockey from 2010-2013 and returned as a professional jockey from 2014-2017. He nurtured his yearlings very differently to Mr Hollinshead. He would do less canter work with them and do plenty of trotting instead, before
doing just one canter over 4f. Mr Usher didn’t like to put too much pressure on their joints until they were fitter and stronger in the spring, so they wouldn’t do too much graft early on. When I was at Jamie Osborne’s (2013-2014) he had the most relaxed approach and he would use the farmers fields to get his babies started. We would take them around the outside of ploughed fields hacking along behind Spot the yard hack. No gallops were involved at this early stage and the ploughed fields would be soft on their joints but tire them out to get the freshness out of them. I remember being told to mind the turnips and if you see a farmer then run! (All of these approaches may have changed over the years but I am going on what we did with them when I worked there.) Image by Racheal Kneller
These varied ways of getting the babies started were all effective in different ways at strengthening them up and getting them used to being controlled by a rider. The one thing that was similar however was that the yearlings would come into the yards around October time and we would get them going by December, so that we could use Christmas and New Year as a two week break for them. It’s good for them to learn the basics and then have a little rest so they aren’t overworked while they still have weak bones. Over the months the work would gradually progress so that they were doing regular canters upsides, then speed would be slowly introduced. The trainer and riders would judge the progress of the babies based on how they handle their daily work, as all horses (like people) are different. Some are more forward than others and take less time for the penny to drop, whereas others may need time to mature. This would be
when the trainer would split them into separate exercise groups to cater more personally for their needs of exercise. The stalls work is something that would start to get introduced once they are doing routine canters with no complications. This also is a gradual process which would take place over weeks of practice before they are race ready. We start by walking them through and once they are happy with that, we then walk them through but stand them in there for a few seconds. Then after they have been patient and they are happy standing in them, they would eventually be locked in. We try to lock them in (with grass for bribery!) for a few minutes as on race day it can take a while to load all of the runners, especially in 2yo races. They need to be able to stand nicely for a long period, so we do plenty of this at home. Then the first few times we bounce them out, we let them come out in their own time so not to frighten them. The stalls make a loud clatter when they open and many horses get a spook the first few times. Over time they get naturally quicker and more switched on and on race days they get quicker with experience. There’s a lot of work that goes into the yearlings, starting with the stud staff who take care of them as foals and prep them for the sales, then the breaking yards who get them started with long reining, then the trainers yards who continue the work until race day comes. It’s an exciting process for all involved and nothing is more satisfying than when they reach race day. So next time you have a bet and it’s a winner, you probably won’t be the only one celebrating!
Written B y Racheal Kneller
Joe Smith’s Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Races With the Cheltenham Festival just round the corner I thought it would be great to go down memory lane and think about some favourite races of mine. It was very hard to narrow it down to 5 but I just felt that these races are the first ones that spring to mind when I think back to why I love the national hunt game. They are in no specific order as that itself is an impossible task. Here goes……… Champion Chase 2016 - Return of the King It was a race when many knew what they wanted to happen but whether they actually believed it would happen was another story. I for one was in the believer camp. I always felt that if Sprinter turned up 85% the horse he was before the problems then he would stand a great chance. I was comforted by his win at Kempton in December. The fact he put his head down and dug in to win. He had added a new string to his bow.In the build up Nico said he just wanted to get upsides Un De Sceaux, eyeball him and see what he was made of. Those who believed in fairytales were somewhat thin on the ground as UDS was a strong 4-6F at the off with Sprinter Sacre at 5-1. I can remember being nervous and the buzz in the crowd was amazing. Nico came past on Sprinter looking steely eyed and he meant business. As expected Special Tiara popped out in front setting ferocious fractions with Ruby happy to sit and wait in second. Nico and Sprinter buried in third. Four from home Sprinter produced a leap from the gods and all of a sudden the crowd began to get animated. Then just like that Ruby allowed UDS to pull himself to the front, travelling powerfully and looking back, Nico didn’t seem 100% happy on Sprinter. How wrong I was. What happened over the next 2 minutes was magical and somewhat dreamy.
Sprinter nodded on landing 3 out but it didn’t seem to affect him and within another 4 strides the black aeroplane was pushing his way in between the front two like a freight train. Nico had made his move and there was no looking back. It was brave but boy was it rewarding. He forged clear and the 2-3 lengths soon became 7-8. The others had no answer to this burst of pace and power. He did tire towards the end but the others could only chase in vein. The King had returned. When Sprinter made his move between Special Tiara and UDS the reaction from the crowd was spine tingling. They sensed something special was about to happen. We roared and pulled him up the famous hill. I must admit, I lost my cool in the winners enclosure. Wow, what a reception he got. Thank you Sprinter Sacre, Nico De Boinville and Nicky Henderson for this magical race. The king had returned to his throne.
Gold Cup 2012 - An Emotional Goodbye This race will long live in my memory. Not for the result but because the National hunt fans showed again how great our sport is and the love for a certain legend of the game. Kauto Star had silenced his doubters in the 11-12 season. He had returned to the top of the staying division with wins in both the Betfair Chase and King George Chase. Image by @mjyharris
The people’s horse was beginning to gain momentum and the Gold Cup was seemingly within his reach on current form. Then one month before the festival some worrying news broke. Kauto had suffered a terrible fall while schooling. He was now touch and go to make the Gold Cup. However he recovered and got the green light to run and was eventually sent off the 3-1 second favourite. Ruby settled Kauto on the front end of the field. 3 fences in and all was going swimmingly as he jumped the first 3 fences beautifully. From this point though the prospect of Kauto winning a 3rd Gold cup began to unravel.
He stepped over the 4th and while the next two jumps were not mistakes, they just didn’t seem right. Then a couple of fences later the alarm bells were ringing. You could sense Ruby was trying to wake Kauto up and get him going again but the response wasn’t there. Just like that they went from 2nd /3rd down to 8th /9th . Then at the bottom of the hill Kautos race, possibly career was over. I can remember the noise just dropping to a near silence for about two seconds. Ruby had pulled kauto up with over a circuit to race. That silence soon turned to applause. All eyes were firmly fixed on Kauto Star at the bottom of the hill. The hill that Kauto knew so well and had provided racing with so many good memories. The biggest steeplechase of the season faded into the background as the crowd showed their admiration and appreciation for Kauto Star. It really was heartwarming and real lump in the throat moment. Gold Cup 2013 - Way of the Warrior Now this lad absolutely loved Cheltenham. He won the Albert Bartlett in 2011, the RSA chase in 2012 and was looking to maintain his unbeaten record at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup for which he was 11-4 favourite for. Image by @mjyharris
Bobs Worth is the small horse with a massive heart. He never knew when to give up but even this race tested my belief in this equine warrior. Always in midfield popping along. It always amazed me how tough Bob was. For the size of him he was quite a sprightly jumper but it seemed to take a fair effort to get over the odd fence but never affected him one bit. Sir Des Champs and Long Run were having a right old duel up front with Silviniaco Conti just sat in behind. They had reached the top of the hill and the pace really began to quicken now. In behind I could see Barry begin to push and shove on Bobs.
I can remember looking at the floor and thinking to myself that it’s a long way from home to be pushed along. Still 7-8 lengths behind the leaders when Conti takes a crashing fall hampering Barry and Bobs slightly. At this point I’m thinking he’s ran well, just not his day. Why oh why did I doubt this warrior from Seven Barrows. The field straightened up for home and began to climb the muddy hill. Bobs worth had his ears pricked and it was time to move. He ate into the margin and by the second last he was just about upsides and forged clear approaching the final fence. Little Bobs Worth stuck his neck all the way to the line to gain a seven length victory. I hate to think the price he may of hit in play. Bobs Worth just never knew when he was beaten. The way he flew up the hill after an attritional Gold Cup makes me tired just thinking about it. He was a proper warrior. None more so than when he propelled himself to top of the racing tree on this day. Albert Bartlett 2016 - When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going Unowhatimeanharry arrived at the Harry Fry yard in the summer of 2015. He had showed relatively little form beforehand and I don’t think Harry Fry and his team could imagine the journey he would take them on. He arrived at the 2016 festival on the back of unbeaten campaign winning 4 races. Impressive form to say the least but still unfenced for the Albert Bartlett at 11-1. Now I always find the race is always a battle of will. It’s really a race that will find any weaknesses and really does sort the men out from the boys. 2016’s renewal was certainly a battle of will. Out of the 19 runners that started the race 2 fell with the rest pulling up. With every horse pushed along before the turn for home it was all about who wanted it more. Unowhatimeanharry was sat in 3 rd and Noel was pushing and shoving to get every ounce of energy from his mount. Just before they approached the last he began to show an interest in the victory. He crashed through the last but it didn’t seem to stop him and from this point on he was running on heart alone. He managed to hold them all off and he did it with so much desire and will to win. While the Albert Bartlett may not have the swagger and the X factor of many of the festival races it rarely disappoints. Unowhatimeanharry really announced himself on this day and can’t think of many other horses you would rather go to war with. On this day he pulled his sleeves and went to war! A fantastic race horse race.
Triumph Hurdle 2017 - A Class Above It’s always a concern when a horse arrives at the festival unbeaten. If it’s a horse you have connected with, you just want them to do themselves justice. You know they are good enough but it’s what happens on the day that counts. Defi Du Seuil had swept every juvenile away this season and the Triumph was his lose. I can remember driving to Cheltenham hoping and praying for Defi to show the world his class and begin his journey onto bigger and better things. It was the 3rd hurdle from home that I really began to feel confident. Richard Johnson began to make his move on the field and you can just see the confidence oozing from Richards Johnson’s arms. He tanked his way to the front just before the last and when Johnson presses the button he was away and clear. It was brilliant to watch. The way he travelled and jumped was exactly what I wanted to see. Memorable for myself as I had been banging the Defi Du Seuil drum since the first time I laid eyes on him earlier in the season. So to see him produce a performance like that gave me huge satisfaction. Written by Joe Smith @Smithyjoe16
Point to Point A trainer to watch...
Tom Frost – Big Dreams I’ve been in racing all my life my mother and father met in racing. My father was a jockey and then went on to train. I started off at Ian Williams with my dad then moved on to the Nicky Henderson yard. I made a point of not working for my dad and experiencing work in other yards to expand my knowledge. I started training after we picked up 5 horses at Doncaster sales in August for Mr. Dunn. Our yard has a 3f round deep sand a 4.5f aw and a 4.5f grass gallop. We are currently expanding our facilities and are looking to pick up more owners. We have facilities to break horses too. In training right now we have a few decent horses to watch. Champagne West is, of course, one of our favorites who will, I’m sure, retain some if his talent with some tlc. We have Upswing, an ex JP horse who will take some work but ran a very positive race first time out at Warwick. We also have Some Buckle who is a lovely looking son of Milan who doesn’t qualify to run under rules so he will be running under my good friend Richard Bandey and goes straight to the festival this year. Then of course Stellar Notion. Stellar will go to the foxhunters fresh after a decent break having qualified early. I would like Jack Andrews to ride him as he knows the horse and rides him well. Stellar ran a 3m race around larkhill in 3 minutes and 58 seconds and after chatting with jack after the race we were both convinced he still had plenty in the tank. A very convincing race for me and I haven’t seen a hunter chase ran to these times yet this year. I would fear him at Cheltenham the trip is maybe at the edge of what he can handle but I think he would be more than capable in his current form. He will also be a serious contender in the Aintree foxhunters which we very much intend to go for.
Three Reasons to go to a Point to Point Meeting 1. Spot up and coming Talent Ruby Walsh, Danny Cook, Paul Carberry and Sam Twiston-Davies are just a few of the big National Hunt names who have cut their teeth in the point-to-pointing world, most National Hunt jockeys have started their illustrious careers taking a spin round the point to point courses of the UK and Ireland. Zak Baker is one up and coming jockey to watch, he has had a few good winners lately for boss Nigel Twiston-Davies.
2. Entertain your non-horsey friends With busy bars, children’s rides and tradestand’s on offer, even the most unhorsey of friends (or family) can be kept entertained. The Meynell & South Staffs stage the pony racing finals as well as hound racing; High Easter has a big screen for Grand National coverage. Even the most unhorsey of friends will still love to dig out their wellies or country boots and indulge in some good countryside fun, with the better weather coming (hopefully) take a picnic and indulge in a few bottles of the fizzy stuff while cheering on your favourites, and placing a cheeky bet with the onsite book makers. Lots of meetings now have trade stands, giving even the most unhorsey person a chance to spend find a bargain.
3. Supporting your local area Support your local area and the countryside, many people don’t really understand all the hard work that goes into keeping the countryside safe, managed and maintained. Not only that these point meetings do an awful lot to support the local farmers and in turn other small business too. Many people who help out at Point to Point meets are volunteers, the back bone of the racing community and they do it for the love of the sport. My advice - experience at least one meeting this year and attend the opening or boxing day meets in your local area. Point to Point Racing is such an experience for people of all ages, they are reasonably priced to enter and it’s a whole day affair so dig out your wellies and warm clothes and go.
A Brief History of the St James Palace Foxhunter Chase The St James Place Foxhunter Chase is a National Hunt chase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped. It is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March, this year being held on the 15th March after the Gold Cup. Sometimes referred to as the Amateur Gold Cup, it was established in 1904 and since 2016 has been sponsored by St James Palace PLC. Qualification for entry in the Foxhunter Chase is based on a horse's previous performances in certain types of race within a specific period. To be eligible a horse must have finished first or second twice in hunter chases, or have won two open point-to-point races, or have won one open point-to-point race and finished first or second in a hunter chase. The most successful horses with 2 wins were: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
The Callant – 1956, 1957 Whinstone Hill – 1958, 1960 College Master – 1961, 1962 Double Silk – 1993, 1994 Fantus – 1995, 1997 Earthmover – 1998, 2004 Salsify – 2012, 2013 On The Fringe – 2015, 2016 Pacha du Polder – 2017, 2018
With Pacha du Polder eager to make it 3 wins being ridden by Harriet Tucker who won on him last year with a dislocated shoulder, trained by Gold Cup Winning Trainer Paul Nicholls who also jocked up Bryony Frost for her winner in 2017. Paul is one of leading trainers with 4 wins, with Earthmover in 2004, Sleeping Night in 2005 and Pacha du Polder in 2017 and 2018. Another horse to remember for 2 wins is the Enda Bolger trained On the Fringe ridden by Nina Carberry to win in 2015 and 2016.
Chloe Boxall – Girl on Fire I have always loved horses but none of my family are horsey. I got the racing bug when I started riding out at weekends aged 15. I worked for various flat and national hunt trainers including out in Australia and America. I rode as an amateur jockey for 20 years. I had over 200 rides and rode many winners pointing on the flat over hurdles and fences. One of my biggest wins was riding a winner at my local track Newbury for Alan king and Henry Ponsby. I also won leading lady point to point rider in south midlands area. I always knew I wanted to train when I finished riding so I spent a season as assistant trainer to Grand National Winning Trainer Oliver Sherwood before training two point to point winners in Bellosgraudo and Santa’s Secret. My training is very much a joint effort with my good friend Andy Llewellyn who always wanted to race ride and started this season aged 35. We decided to put his horse ‘It’s A Sting’ and my horse ‘Santa’s Secret’ into a fun syndicate called the it’s a Secret Partnership which led to getting a 3rd horse in Network Rouge. We both wanted to get people involved to just enjoy the fun of point to points, owning a horse and having a picnic and drinks together as a team. I am hugely ambitious and dedicated to my horses and training and want to be successful. I like to think I do well with horses who have lost their form and possibly fallen out of love with racing. I like to turn them out every day and keep their work varied so they enjoy life. Happy horses win races! The door is always open for new owners. Chloe Boxalls’s Horses Santa’s Secret: won a novice riders last year and placed in a men’s open and conditions race. Very consistent and fun horse. Needs top of the ground. It’s A Sting: rated 127 at his best under rules. Won a bumper and placed over hurdles and fences. Needs 2m4f. Network Rouge: bought at ascot sales for new owner Bart Beswick a 4 time winner under rules he’s made a great start to his pointing career, finishing second 1st time out at cocklebarrow before winning at larkhill giving me my third winner as a trainer and proving the perfect schoolmaster for Andy who gets on with him so well. Written By Chloe Batchelor @ p2pchloeb