Kevin Ryan has the chance to notch the second Classic victory of his training career when Hi Royal goes for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.
The North Yorkshire-based handler saddled The Grey Gatsby to win the Prix du Jockey Club in 2014 and in Hi Royal he has one of the market principals for the colts’ mile Classic.
The son of Kodiac defied odds of 125-1 to pick up a silver medal in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and although the result caused some surprise among connections, hopes are high that he will prove his Rowley Mile performance was not a one-off.
“Of course we were surprised. We were hoping he’d run well, but we never expected him to go that close,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Hi Royal’s owner, Jaber Abdullah.
“I don’t know if it was the soft ground, the fact he got his own way or what, but the form is pretty solid and he did it the hard way.
“Hopefully he should have a chance on Saturday, he should be one of the favourites I would imagine. We’re going there with a good shout, certainly a better shout than he had at Newmarket.
“He’s a strong, powerful colt and you would imagine that he should be all the better for that run.
“His pedigree suggests he’s a miler, but I think he’d stay 10 furlongs later in the year.
“It’s a stiff mile at the Curragh but a different test to Newmarket where you have to handle the undulations more than ever now, so much so that it’s now become a front-runners’ track. You don’t see many come from last now – a few years ago all you had to worry about was the dip, now you have to keep them balanced and keep up at the same time.
“We’re hopeful, but if it rains I’d be happier. It never gets too fast over there, though.”
A place behind Hi Royal at Newmarket was Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman, a high-class two-year-old last season who proved he would be a force once again this term on his return in top-table company.
Keenness dented his chances of truly lasting home over a mile at Newmarket, but he is given another crack at Classic honours having been supplemented into this race earlier in the week.
“He’s in great form, he left for Ireland on Thursday night and arrived Friday morning and has eaten up, so we couldn’t be happier with him,” said Oliver Cole.
“To do what he did at Newmarket, to be keen and pull for four furlongs and then finish shows he’s pretty good.
“He broke the track record in the Richmond at Goodwood and he was in the second fastest ever Dewhurst – his sectionals were amazing after the first furlong in the Dewhurst. He is a very, very good horse, everything just needs to go right for him. We like to think we have a live contender.”
Further UK representation is provided by Roger Varian’s Charyn and the Charlie Hills-trained Galeron, who outran odds of 150-1 to finish fourth at Newmarket and has a Curragh victory already on his CV.
“It was a really good effort at Newmarket, he just got a little bit far back,” said Hills, who won the race with Phoenix Of Spain in 2019.
“He was awkward away and it was a bit rough coming out of the gates, so he wasn’t really in the position we wanted to be but he still ran great. We were delighted with him.
“He has come out of Newmarket really well. Kieran (Shoemark) came and sat on him last week and was happy with him. Unfortunately he can’t ride him, but we’re really happy to have Colin (Keane) aboard him – he knows the Curragh pretty well.
“It’s great that Galeron has been to the Curragh before and won there. Having a bit of course experience and liking the track is going to suit him well.”
Aidan O’Brien is the race’s leading trainer having won it 11 times and is well represented as he seeks a first triumph in six years.
Stable jockey Ryan Moore has elected to ride Tetrarch Stakes scorer Paddington, while Cairo and Age Of Kings will also go to post for the Ballydoyle operation.
O’Brien said: “We’re very happy with Paddington, he won the Tetrarch nicely. We’re looking forward to him, it’s his first step up to Group One company.
“We’re very happy with Cairo as well.”
The home challenge is strengthened by Donnacha O’Brien’s Proud And Regal, who drops back in trip to a mile having finished third on his return in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown.
Although it may have been assumed the Galileo colt would be heading up in trip in search of Classic success following his reappearance, he is a Group One winner at this distance and his handler has no worries about the return to a mile.
“He’s in good form and everything has gone smooth since his run at Leopardstown,” said O’Brien.
“He’s going back in trip but he has good form at this distance – he has won a Group One at this trip – so we’re hopeful he will run a good race.”
Jessica Harrington saddles two in the race with Quar Shamar seeing the form of his Dundalk win boosted recently by the runner-up, while stablemate Bold Discovery has twice placed at Group Three level.
Luke Comer’s Alexander John completes the field of 11.
Supreme Ventures Racing urges review of racing rule after Caymanas Park abandonments
Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), operators of Caymanas Park, have called for a review of Rule 44 (iii) enforced by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) following the cancellation of two races during the April 27 race meet at Caymanas Park.
In a press conference on Monday addressing the abandoned races, SVREL Executive Chairman Solomon Sharpe expressed frustration with the rule, highlighting its potential impact on the racing industry.
"This rule, unique to Jamaica, imposes a strict five-minute limit after the published post time for races at Caymanas Park," Sharpe stated. "It fails to account for various factors that can delay race starts and penalizes all stakeholders when races are abandoned, affecting punters, jockeys, grooms, trainers, owners, promoters, and the government."
Last year, Caymanas Park contributed over $260 million in combined taxes to the government's coffers. Sharpe urged the JRC to engage SVREL in discussions on Rule 44, emphasizing the need for constructive dialogue to address the rule's impact.
"We were not consulted during the initial discussions on this rule, and now, with two races abandoned in a single race day, our concerns have materialized," Sharpe explained. "SVREL is open to collaborating with the JRC to review and refine this amended rule."
Representatives from the Grooms Association, Jockeys Association, and the United Racehorse Trainers Association echoed SVREL's concerns and supported the call for a review of Rule 44.
Sharpe concluded by appealing to regulators, stakeholders, and the public to support the growth of the horseracing industry in Jamaica. "Horseracing has immense potential in Jamaica and can become a significant foreign exchange earner. Realizing this potential requires collaboration among all stakeholders."
SVREL has been operating Caymanas Park since March 2017 after the government divested the property. With investments exceeding J$4 billion in product enhancements and innovations like the Mouttet Mile, which boasts the largest purse in the English-speaking Caribbean, SVREL remains committed to advancing the horseracing experience in Jamaica.
Supreme Ventures Racing regrets abandonment of two races at Caymanas Park on Saturday
Supreme Ventures Racing & Entertainment Limited (SVREL) has expressed regret and disappointment following the abandonment of two races during the Saturday, April 27 race day at Caymanas Park in St Catherine, Jamaica.
The decision to abandon these races, SVREL said, was made in compliance with regulations set forth by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), leading to the refund of all related pools according to SVREL's Pari-mutuel rules.
According to the statement released by SVREL late Saturday, the abandonment of races number one and six, respectively, was declared by the stewards of the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) due to delays that exceeded the permitted time frame as stipulated by Rule 44(iii).
Specifically, in race number one, scheduled to commence at 12:00 pm, a saddling issue with horse number five and a mandatory veterinary check for horse number eight, which reared and fell after exiting the saddling barn, resulted in delays beyond the allowable limit.
Similarly, race number six, slated for 3:10 pm, was delayed due to a horse running loose, ultimately leading to its abandonment by the stewards of the JRC.
SVREL explained that the recent amendments to Rule 44(iii), which came into effect from April 1, 2024, mandate strict adherence to race start times with a maximum allowance of five minutes after the published post time. SVREL noted that Jamaica is unique in enforcing such a rule without prior consultation with the sole promoter of horseracing in Jamaica.
The enforcement of this rule has led to financial losses for industry stakeholders, including owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, punters, and the promoter and as such the disruption caused by the abandonment of these races understandably resulted in unrest among stakeholder groups.
Despite the challenges faced, the race meet resumed with race number seven at approximately 4:00 pm, SVREL noted.
SVREL has now issued a sincere apology to valued customers and stakeholders for the inconvenience caused by the abandonment of races one and six by the JRC. SVREL also emphasized its readiness for open dialogue with the JRC and all impacted stakeholders to ensure the continued success and integrity of the horseracing industry.
As the sole promoter of horseracing in Jamaica, SVREL said it remains committed to addressing challenges collaboratively and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and service within the industry.
Light seeking to shine again at Sandown
Kitty’s Light is taking aim at his usual season finisher in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
The gelding has been a star for trainer Christian Williams, winning big handicap events like the Eider Chase and the Scottish Grand National and going close in the Charlie Hall and the Coral Trophy.
He has particularly good record in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the season, missing out only due to interference when second in 2021 and coming home third in 2022.
Last year he was completed the set of podium finishes when winning by two and a half lengths under usual jockey Jack Tudor.
The two are well acquainted and teamed up for Kitty’s Light’s Grand National bid at Aintree earlier in the month, where he ran a valiant race to finish fifth behind four Grade-One winning Irish chasers.
Williams was incredibly proud of his stable star and is now hoping the gelding can shine again in the Sandown contest he has found to be lucrative in the past.
“It was wonderful, we trained him to win the race and we thought he could, but you couldn’t be disappointed with what he did,” Williams said of the National performance.
“We were thrilled, the horse tried his best and we were very, very proud of horse and jockey.
“He’s come out of it very well, if the race was run today even then he’d be running, he’s in good form.
“He loves it at Sandown with the big fences, his jumping has come on now but even as a five-year-old he nearly won the race.
“He was third the year after that, it really seems to suit him.
“I think he likes going right-handed, he hangs a little bit right at home and he seems to really enjoy it there.
“We’re taking our chance anyway, he seems well and we’ll hope for the best.”
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