You Wear It Well remains on course for a crack at more Cheltenham Festival glory in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle after running with credit in defeat at Doncaster last weekend.
Jamie Snowden’s charge produced her best effort as a novice at Prestbury Park when making all to see off 20 rivals in Grade Two company last March, scoring at generous odds of 16-1 under Gavin Sheehan.
She kicked off this term by getting the better of Luccia at Wetherby over two miles before being a well-beaten favourite in the rearranged Fighting Fifth at Sandown.
Snowden opted to step her up to an extended three miles in the Warfield Mares’ Hurdle, with a change of tactics deployed, as she was held up at the back early on.
You Wear It Well came through to challenge Marie’s Rock at the final flight but just found the 2022 Mares’ Hurdle winner too strong on the run-in.
“I think we just got beat by a better horse on the day in that set of circumstances,” said Snowden.
“It was our first try at the trip and the ground was a little bit quicker than ideal. It turned into a little bit of a sprint from three out and we had a bit of ground to make up.
“But Marie’s Rock is rated 150, we’re rated 140, we were carrying the same weight and we only got beat a length and a half, so it was a decent performance and I was glad to get that run into her, it was a nice run.
“The Mares’ Hurdle is the plan and we might look at the Warwick race (February 10) on route.”
William Haggas has decided to keep the King and Queen’s Desert Hero closer to home for his first outing of 2024, with Royal Ascot once again on the agenda before a potential trip to Australia at the end of the year.
The chestnut sparked fabulous scenes last June, providing his owners with their first winner at the big meeting in the King George V Stakes.
He went on to win at Glorious Goodwood and finish third in the St Leger, after which Haggas was contemplating a Melbourne Cup tilt.
That was put on the backburner but the Newmarket handler was considering sending him out to Australia in the early months of the new year, given the success he has had with the likes of Addeybb and Dubai Honour Down Under.
However, those plans have now been shelved and Haggas told RadioTAB Australia: “We decided definitely that His Majesty’s horse will not be coming to Sydney in the autumn.
“We may well come down at the backend of the year in your (Australian) spring, but I just felt he needed a bit more time and they (his owners) concurred.
“Possibly (the Melbourne Cup) or possibly something in Sydney, we’ll see.
“We are going to concentrate on going to Royal Ascot for the Hardwicke Stakes, which will be his first major target.
“He’s done very well this winter. He will benefit from all the time he can get. It’s ‘do we press the button now or wait a bit’ and we plumped for the second option, we’re going to wait a bit.
“He’s pretty useful, he got better and better last year and we think he’s done better again this winter, so I am very pleased with him.”
Haggas will be represented in the big Australian races once again by Dubai Honour, who won both the Ranvet Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes last year before finishing a fine third to Romantic Warrior in the QEII Cup in Hong Kong.
“He’ll go into quarantine on February 15. We’re looking at the same two races as last year,” said Haggas.
“I probably shouldn’t have run him in the Eclipse, as he’d been on the go for a while, but there were only four runners and I thought he ran well for a long way in the Champion Stakes.
“To be honest, his whole summer was based around getting him in top shape to come to you (Australia) in February/March.
“He will be the same horse he was, I hope.
“I’d like him to come back for two years. If all goes well this year and he runs competitively, then basically it will be all the same again.”
Two more could travel with Dubai Honour, as Post Impressionist, winner of the Old Borough Cup, and Mujtaba, last seen finishing second in the Huxley Stakes in May, are both pencilled in.
“Post Impressionist will run in the Sydney Cup, he’s been bought by Lloyd Williams. He’s in really good shape,” said Haggas.
“Mujtaba might well go. I’m really pleased with his condition. He’ll either go Ranvet or Tancred and then hopefully Queen Elizabeth.
“He’s never won a Stakes race, in his only start last year he was second in a Group Two and then got colic.
“He’s a good age, he’s six but has only run nine times in his life.”
West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva has taken the reins from Darren Bravo and will captain the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force for the upcoming West Indies Championship.
Having led the West Indies ‘A’ team on their tour to South Africa late last year, Da Silva isn’t new to the captaincy. However, he will have to also step up with the bat in the absence of Bravo, who was the leading batter for the Red Force last year.
Meanwhile, Bryan Charles was named vice-captain of the squad which includes fit-again pacers Jayden Seales and Terrance Hinds as well as veterans Imran Khan and Jason Mohammed.
T&T will open their campaign against defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles at Conaree Cricket Ground in St Kitts from February 7-10 before facing the West Indies Academy at the same venue from February 14-17.
T&T will complete their St Kitts leg of the tournament on February 21-24 against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Warner Park before returning to Trinidad for two matches in March at Queen’s Park Oval.
On March 13-16, T&T will face the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Oval before facing Barbados Pride at the same venue later that month.
The Red Force will then travel to Jamaica to face CCC from April 10-13 at Chedwin Park before ending their campaign against hosts Jamaica Scorpions from April 17-20 at Sabina Park.
The Red Force will leave for St Kitts on Sunday where they will play three matches starting next Wednesday.
RED FORCE SQUAD:
Joshua Da Silva (captain), Bryan Charles (vice-captain), Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Terrance Hinds, Jason Mohammed, Jyd Goolie, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Vikash Mohan, Cephas Cooper, Tion Webster, Khary Pierre.
Sebastien Edwards (manager), David Furlonge (coach), Rayad Emrit (assistant coach), Ruel Rigsby (physio), Shane Burnett (S&C coach).
Royale Pagaille may not run again this season as Venetia Williams reports he is “still very sore” following his final fence fall in Cheltenham’s Cotswold Chase.
The 10-year-old holds an entry for the Gold Cup, as well as being seen as a potential Grand National candidate, and after a career-best performance to win the Betfair Chase in November, he was out to cement his claims for the blue riband at Prestbury Park last Saturday.
However, dreams of a fourth shot at the Cheltenham Festival’s main prize now appear to be on hold after his Trials Day fall, which came when staying on strongly in the hands of Charlie Deutsch, with Williams suggesting his recovery time will keep him off the track for the rest of the current campaign.
“I don’t know for sure, but he is still very sore,” said Williams.
“He should be all right, but it is going to need a bit of time and I’m not sure if we will see him out again this season. It’s a big shame.”
Despite Royale Pagaille looking likely to be out of the Gold Cup picture, there was better news about high-ranking stablemate L’Homme Presse following his successful Lingfield comeback.
Having brought the house down with a terrific display to better Protektorat in the Fleur De Lys Chase, he is now firmly on course for his scheduled pre-Gold Cup stop in the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 17.
Williams said: “He’s fine and I’m happy with him. Ascot is in two weeks and we will see, but all being well, that is what we will do.”
Alongside Shishkin, L’Homme Presse is seen as one of Britain’s best chances of claiming victory in the Gold Cup for the first time since Native River in 2018 and is a best price of 10-1 with the bookmakers.
Delta Work is to follow a tried-and-tested route when he returns to the track in the William Hill Boyne Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott’s 11-year-old ran in the Navan Grade Two event last year, finishing sixth to Blazing Khal, before going on to successfully defend his cross country crown at the Cheltenham Festival and is set to make his first appearance since November in the two-mile-five-furlong event on February 11.
He has finished his campaign in the Grand National the past two seasons and all roads seem to lead to a third crack at the Aintree showpiece in April, having finished third behind Noble Yeats in 2022 before unseating Keith Donoghue when travelling kindly on the second circuit last year.
However, Delta Work will have his well-being to prove on his return to the track this time, having arrived home lame following an outing at Cheltenham earlier in the season.
“He was lame after Cheltenham and is OK again now,” said Eddie O’Leary of owners Gigginstown House Stud.
“The plan is to go Boyne Hurdle, Cross Country at Cheltenham and then Grand National.
“Everything is fine at the moment but he was sore after (his run at Cheltenham). Hopefully we see him at Navan.”
Walbank bids for back-to-back wins at Meydan for trainer George Boughey in Friday’s Dubai Sprint.
The son of Kodiac looked a potential star juvenile a couple of years ago for Dave Loughnane, winning by seven lengths at York before finishing second in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and third in the Molecomb at Goodwood.
However, he was well beaten on his reappearance last season and a switch to Dominic Ffrench Davis failed to yield improvement, prompting owners Amo Racing to move him from Lambourn to Newmarket.
After seven months off the track, Walbank made an impressive stable debut in handicap company four weeks ago and Boughey is looking forward to raising his sights to Listed level.
The trainer said: “He won well on his first start for us and it was one of those situations where you hope they transfer their work to the track, because he had been working nicely.
“He put it all together that day and they went a good gallop, which I think is what he needs stepping up to six furlongs. He is a fast horse though, and I think he’d be versatile over five and six.
“He’s drawn in the middle and I think there should be few excuses. Amazingly, it looks like there’s quite a bit of rain coming, so I just hope it’s dried out by Friday.
“I think the last day he produced a quicker time than Al Dasim did when he won on Super Saturday last year over the course and distance, but it is a step up.
“He was getting well beat in handicaps (last year) and didn’t beat much when he won the other day, so he’s certainly got it to prove, but I couldn’t be happier with how he’s training.”
Walbank’s rivals include Charlie Appleby’s Mischief Magic and the Johnny Murtagh-trained Ladies First.
Boughey has two other runners at Meydan, with Naxos making his second start on dirt in a seven-furlong handicap and stablemate Koy Koy tackling turf in a nine-furlong handicap.
The trainer is particularly keen on the chances of the former, adding: “Naxos drops in grade and drops in trip for the seven-furlong race. He showed up well on his first start on dirt and just didn’t get home over a mile and a quarter.
“He was taking on an absolute machine in the winner (Kabirkhan), who won a Group One last week.
“Naxos has adapted really well out there, he’s a pretty relaxed horse now and if he handles the preliminaries like he did the last day, I think he’ll be hard to beat.”
Willie Mullins has decided to skip a clash against Marine Nationale with Gaelic Warrior in Saturday’s Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
Positive noises had been made that the exciting Gaelic Warrior would drop down to two miles to take on Barry Connell’s unbeaten Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner.
However, Mullins will instead field Facile Vega, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah in opposition.
Two others will go to post, Gordon Elliott’s promising Found A Fifty and Vincent Halley’s Senecia.
Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs will only face three in his attempt to win the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for a second successive year.
He bounced back to form to win at Christmas and will meet his Punchestown Festival and John Durkan conqueror Fastorslow.
The only two other runners are Conflated and I Am Maximus.
Also appearing on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival is A Dream To Share, one of the feelgood stories of last season as he went through his campaign unbeaten, culminating with champion bumper wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
He had been favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for months but a setback delayed his hurdling career and he will remain in the bumper sphere for now.
A Dream To Share will be attempting to win the Donohue Marquees Future Stars Flat Race for a second successive year.
Mullins runs My Great Mate, You Oughta Know, Hens Tooth, Joystick and Redemption Day against him.
The champion trainer has four of the six in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over two miles and six furlongs.
Dancing City, I Will Be Baie, Loughglynn and Predators Gold will face Elliott’s Stellar Story and Jessica Harrington’s Jetara.
Mullins also fields six of the 11 in the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
Bunting, Ethical Diamond, Highwind, Majborough, Storm Heart and Kargese will face the most competition from Elliott’s Kala Conti.
The Closutton maestro is a big fan of the Dublin Racing Festival, stating: “It’s one of the best initiatives to come from HRI in the past few years – it’s two days of pure, hardcore racing.
“Grade Ones – bang, bang, bang, one after the other. I don’t think there’s any other festival in the British Isles or France that has high calibre horses in so few races, where you can see them all and it gives you an idea what’s best and what’s looking good for the other spring festivals.
“This is one of the best two days in Irish jump racing and probably English jump racing or French jump racing – it’s a fantastic festival.
“When you have a good horse, you have to run in good races and I’m a believer in that, you put them in and they have to take their chance.
“Some of them seem obvious that they’re going to win but then we get surprises every day of the week, that’s why bookmakers are so successful!
“Our opinions aren’t always right, we all have opinions; from the punter, to the trainer, to the owner. You’ve got to get out there on the track and prove which is the best horse.”
In the wake of Shamar Joseph's stellar performance in the just-concluded two-Test series against Australia, West Indies' white-ball coach, Darren Sammy, finds himself grappling with a welcome selection headache.
Joseph, the hero of the historic Test victory at the Gabba, where he took 7 for 68, has set tongues wagging with his remarkable debut in the longer format of the game.
The young bowler had already announced his arrival in style by claiming a maiden five-wicket haul in his debut Test in Adelaide, a feat that included dismissing none other than Steven Smith with his very first ball in Test cricket. The cricketing world couldn't help but take notice of Joseph's incredible talent and composure on the grand stage.
Despite Joseph's absence from the initial white-ball squads for the upcoming limited-overs series against Australia, Sammy is eager to integrate the Test hero into the T20 and ODI squads. While Joseph has limited experience in T20 cricket, having played only two matches and yet to take a wicket in the format, Sammy sees him as a potential all-format star for the West Indies.
"He will definitely be an all-format player," asserted Sammy. "I can't wait to get my hands on him in this squad. But look, everything has a process to it. That's the way myself and the chairman of selectors operate. What he's done, he's created a really good headache for me with the World Cup coming up, building forward in the ODI team."
Faugheen was no stranger to dazzling on the big occasion, but as the curtains began to close on his decorated career, he saved one more moment of magic for his adoring home supporters, lighting up the Dublin Racing Festival with a heroic display that sent Leopardstown into a frenzy.
One of the best Champion Hurdle winners of modern times, injury setbacks saw him reinvented first as a staying hurdler and then a novice chaser, as his trainer Willie Mullins eked out Grade One-winning performances with the twilight of his career approaching.
Although a dual Cheltenham Festival scorer, it was Leopardstown that played host to some of his finest displays and he arguably saved his best until last at the Dublin track when his final outing in the Irish capital saw him bring the house down with a brilliant swansong success.
Sent novice chasing at the ripe old age of 11, Faugheen had made the perfect start to fencing and arrived at Leopardstown having dispatched Samcro to taste Grade One glory at Limerick over Christmas.
Eyeing more success at the highest level, Faugheen was sent off the 13-8 joint-favourite for the Flogas Novice Chase and showed all of the qualities and class that had made him such a mainstay of the National Hunt racing scene as he held off stablemate Easy Game for a fairytale victory that would go down in Irish racing folklore.
“Going into Leopardstown, we knew he had been in good form, but for him it was a big day,” said Joe Chambers, racing manager for Faugheen’s owners Rich and Susannah Ricci.
“You were kind of harking back to the Danoli days and days of yesteryear where people were just leaping over tables trying to take advantage of every vantage point. There are a few wonderful pictures of the crowd and they were however many deep around the ring, and every balcony and vantage point was filled.
“Paul (Townend) nearly came off him at the back of the last and it wasn’t without drama, but it was a wonderful day and a pretty emotional day as well. It was a day where I saw Willie get emotional and you don’t often see that.”
It was also a huge occasion for Townend, who in the early stages of his tenure as Closutton number one, finally got his highlight-reel moment aboard Faugheen, having watched on as Ruby Walsh and many of his weighing room colleagues enjoyed great days alongside the popular gelding.
“It was great for Paul as well, because he hadn’t actually ridden Faugheen that many times,” continued Chambers.
“Faugheen was very much a part of Ruby’s career and David (Mullins) had won a Grade One on him and Emmet (Mullins) had won a Grade Three on him and Patrick had won a Grade One as well on him.
“Paul and Danny (Mullins) were somewhat the odd ones out and ultimately, when the music stopped, Danny was the only one left standing.”
The noise reverberating around Leopardstown as Faugheen made a triumphant return to the winner’s enclosure that day could be heard for miles around and although their great warrior will always be associated with the track, Chambers points out Faugheen often received a hero’s reception wherever he went.
He said: “I think you could be anywhere (in the world) with a crowd like that and a horse like that to celebrate and it was just one of those days where everything came together.
“He reincarnated himself as a novice chaser and he had two great days really – you can’t forget the Grade One he won under Patrick (Mullins) at Limerick when he beat Samcro.
“At some tracks in Ireland, the more rural you get, the greater the affinity can be with horses – especially ones who have been there, climbed to the mountain top, fallen back and then come back and managed to achieve again.”
So, having reached the summit of the sport once again at Leopardstown, there was one final peak left to conquer, with his Flogas triumph signalling one last return to the Cheltenham Festival in a quest to add a third Prestbury Park victory to his CV.
Sent off the 3-1 favourite for the March Novices’ Chase in what would be the final start of his career, Faugheen would go down on his shield to finish third, as Samcro gained Limerick revenge and conjured up his own resurgence story in a race where Closutton stalwart Melon also made the podium.
Chambers added: “I think at Cheltenham in the novice chase, but for a mistake at the second-last, where he just didn’t meet the fence quite right and Samcro winged it, he could have gone out in another blaze of glory as well.
“He got a wonderful reception that day. There might have been a few thoughts privately amongst people (about retiring after Leopardstown), but I don’t recall anything specific being discussed about it.
“Part of me thinks it would be the natural thing to do, but then again why would you do that having won a Grade One with Cheltenham round the corner.”
A winner of 17 of his 26 career starts, he was given the title ‘The Machine’ after mercilessly destroying the opposition as he racked up a 10-race unbeaten sequence at the beginning of his time under rules.
He won 12 of his first 13 outings before injury agonisingly kept him sidelined for almost two years when arguably at his pomp.
However, such was his resilience and brilliance, Faugheen was still able to win Grade Ones at two miles, three miles and over fences upon his return, thanks to the sublime handling by Mullins and those at Closutton.
Having captured the hearts of the racing public due to his on-track exploits, he now welcomes them into his own home, residing at the Irish National Stud in retirement alongside fellow Closutton icon Hurricane Fly and the likes of Beef Or Salmon and Hardy Eustace.
Chambers added: “The fact he had been so successful and had been unbeaten and had this ‘machine’ moniker and a fan base, combined with his trials and tribulations and still having the resolution to come back and do it, is a testament to the horse and also a testament to Willie’s training of him.
“He was a wonderful animal and he is enjoying a great retirement at the Irish National Stud.
“He’s there with Hurricane Fly and a couple of others and they take really good care of him – and the people who were associated with him, and also people who were fans of him, are able to go and see him as much as they see fit.
“He was absolutely brilliant on his day and the way he won the Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown beating Arctic Fire and Nichols Canyon – that was ultimately the day he hurt himself – but on the figures and ratings, it was a great performance.
“He gave us great days at Kempton when winning two Christmas Hurdles and also some wonderful days at Cheltenham – even the runs in defeat were great.”
SEC honours were awarded to a pair of Razorbacks this week with Romaine Beckford named Field Athlete of the Week while John Kendricks earned Freshman of the Week.
Beckford set an indoor best of 2.27m in winning the high jump at the Razorback Invitational prior to attempt the Olympic qualifying standard of 2.33m. Beckford is the current collegiate leader and his mark ranks equal sixth in the world for the 2024 season.
The performance by Beckford, the defending 2023 NCAA indoor & outdoor champion, moved him to No. 4 on the Arkansas all-time list and No. 3 on the Jamaican all-time indoor list with the equal No. 4 performance. Germaine Mason holds the Jamaican indoor record of 2.30m, which was set in 2003 and Christoff Bryan ranks second with a 2.28m from 2015.
Trinidad and Tobago's Football Association (TTFA) recently took a step closer to a return to self-governance when members voted unanimously in favour of revising statutes to its constitution, as stipulated by FIFA.
The revision took place during an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) hosted by TTFA at the Home of Football in Couva.
Revision of the existing constitution was mandated by FIFA in order to effectively dissolve the TTFA’s normalisation committee, which was installed in March 2020 to replace the elected executive, led by William Wallace.
With this latest development, the highly anticipated election to install a new TTFA executive will take place before March 31, when the normalisation committee’s tenure ends.
All 30 eligible members voted in favour of the changes at the meeting, where FIFA and Concacaf officials observed. The recent EGM was arranged after FIFA declared that the proposed TTFA statutes “(fully comply) with the requirements and standards of FIFA and Concacaf,” and are therefore endorsed by both.
The elected administration was controversially taken over by FIFA after the world governing body said it observed “grave violations of FIFA statutes,” and other problems within the TTFA, such as debts, which put it at risk of insolvency.
As such, the normalisation committee was installed by FIFA primarily to run day-to-day business; settle debts; make recommendations for constitutional amendments to align with FIFA statutes; and to call the TTFA elections, of which it would oversee.
TTFA general secretary Amiel Mohammed said a copy of the new statutes “will probably be published on (TTFA’s) website this week.”
“There are many provisions (to assist) in ensuring there is accountability and prudent financial governance as per policies, controls and signing authority,” Mohammed told T&T Newsday.
The voting structure has been amended and slate elections have been introduced. The executive committee will consist of nine members.
T&T Premier Football League Tier One clubs (maximum of 12) have a delegate and two votes each, along with the top six clubs from the second tier at the end of the most recent campaign.
Each of the regional associations and T&T Women’s League Football also have two votes and a delegate, while the remaining associations: beach soccer, futsal, referees, coaches, Secondary Schools Football League, Primary Schools Football League and the Veterans Football Foundation of T&T, all have one vote and delegate.
Leopardstown is “set fair” for its biggest National Hunt fixture of the year in the two-day Dublin Racing Festival.
The meeting takes place on Saturday and Sunday and features no less than eight Grade One contests.
The highlight of day one is the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, where Galopin Des Champs will bid to retain his title against the horse that has beaten him twice since last year’s Anglo-Irish Gold Cup double, Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow.
The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase is another eagerly-anticipated event on the opening day, as Barry Connell’s unbeaten Marine Nationale will look to maintain that record, possibly against Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior.
On Sunday the headline race is the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle and although Constitution Hill is predictably absent, there is the next best around in State Man to lead the field.
The weather has been damp in Dublin, but bright and breezy days are expected to dry the turf out ahead of a mild weekend for racegoers to enjoy.
“We had a wet weekend, we’ve had 30 millimetres of rain altogether in the last week,” said Jane Hedley, racing operations manager at Leopardstown, on Wednesday.
“We started the week in the region of soft to heavy but we had a lovely dry, sunny day yesterday.
“This morning the going description was yielding to soft, soft in places on the chase track and soft, soft to heavy in places on the hurdle course.
“Today is a very windy day and we are expecting a few blustery showers this afternoon, maybe in the region of two to three millimetres, but beyond that we look set fair.
“It’s a bit breezy but with bright spells and quite mild (temperatures) at the weekend, so lovely weather for racing.”
The Dublin Racing Festival has been well attended since its inception in 2018 and this year is no exception as hospitality and premium level access tickets are sold out, although there are general admission tickets still available in advance and on the gate.
“We’re expecting a really good crowd, we’re completely sold out in hospitality and our Premier Level access is sold out and has been for some time,” said Hedley.
“General admission tickets are still available, we’re encouraging people to book online but there will be a few tickets that are still available on the gate.”
Of the calibre of racing expected over the weekend, Hedley added: “We’ve got the presence of Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup and State Man in the Champion Hurdle, we’ve always known those horses were going to run and they are incredibly strong.
“In the supporting races there is a lot of strength in depth, the novice races are going to be really exciting and informative and there are some very strong handicaps, too.
“It’s going to be a great weekend, we’re really looking forward to it.”
Saeed bin Suroor is considering a return to America with his top-class filly Mawj following her disappointing return to action at Meydan last week.
The Exceed And Excel filly provided her trainer with a first British Classic success in 14 years when edging out Tahiyra in last season’s 1000 Guineas at Newmarket – and while she missed the summer through injury, she made a triumphant comeback in a Grade One at Keeneland in October.
Mawj very nearly followed up in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, going down by just a nose to fellow Godolphin runner Master Of The Seas, but weakened quickly to trail home last of nine runners on her four-year-old debut in the Group One Jebel Hatta in Dubai.
Bin Suroor reports his stable star to be none the worse, but has now shelved plans to run her again in his homeland and is instead eyeing a trip to the United States before her eventual return to Britain.
“She has come back well after the race, she was a little bit quiet afterwards and we were disappointed with her,” the trainer admitted.
“There is nothing wrong with her at all, she has come back sound, but she was quiet after the race.
“Now we will look for a race for her, maybe in America in April time. There is a race over a mile at Keeneland and that could be one of the options, then she’ll be back in Europe to run in European races.
“Sometimes things happen in racing, but I spoke to Oisin (Murphy) after the race and there was nothing wrong with her, but it was not her day.
“There are no more races for her in the UAE, as we want to come back to the mile. I know she has won over nine furlongs in the past, but that was against fillies and I think she is better at a mile.”
Nicky Richards’ Famous Bridge will head next to the Virgin Bet Grand National Trial at Haydock after a luckless run in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster.
The eight-year-old was well fancied for the Town Moor contest and sent off as the 13-2 joint-favourite under rider Sean Quinlan, with Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Kid sharing the same starting price.
Famous Bridge’s popularity in the market can be attributed to his fine start to the season, with the gelding finishing a close fourth at Ayr and then winning two competitive Haydock chases, including the Tommy Whittle.
However, the field of 18 did not get away cleanly at Doncaster and there was a false start initially, meaning the horse lost his position and was left at the rear of the pack when they did begin to race.
He never really progressed from that spot and, as the race got away from him behind the successful front-running ride given to Annual Invictus, Quinlan made the call to pull up Famous Bridge and save him for another day.
Richards reports the horse to be none the worse for the run and hopes to have a little more luck in the Grand National Trial at Haydock in just over two weeks’ time.
“He’s fine, he’s had a little steady canter this morning and he seems well,” said Richards.
“The race was won and lost at the start, they were all coming in grand and if he’d been able to get away first time, he’d have been in the perfect position.
“It ruined it for him, the winner bobbed out and made every yard but as soon as you’re out of it in a race like that, it’s over.
“Sean made a very sensible decision, he felt there was no point going on with him. If he’d have gone the whole trip, he probably would have finished in the same place.
“Hopefully, we’ll get him freshened up and we’ll go for the Grand National Trial at Haydock.
“He seems fine, he only went a mile and a half and Sean did the sensible thing.
“Hopefully, we’ll get him nice and fresh and well and he’ll be grand.”
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