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March 18th is the big trial at Kempton.
Will the UK and European flat trainers be taking this race seriously or will it be won by some 65 rated rag.
Well here’s the start of the answer. To be honest, I think the talk about balloting is just hype.
As it is in the evening, I might pop along myself. I like pie. Both blueberry and apple.
By Tom Peacock, PA Sport
Kempton report so much interest from leading trainers in the inaugural Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes that they may have to ballot horses out of the race on March 18.
A guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby itself is on offer to the winner, not to mention a
100,000 bonus if they make it to Churchill Downs at the start of May.
The likes of John Gosden and Aidan O’Brien have already expressed a desire to take part.
Brian Clifford, Kempton’s director of racing, said: “Initially, trainers have really embraced the contest.
“We had been thinking about November for the race but Aidan, John and others said if we make it in March they will be able to get their better horses ready.
“John Gosden has four possibilities and hopes to run two, Paul Cole could run two, we hope Aidan may send us two across from Ireland and Richard Hannon is interested.
“We may not even have the space for all of them in the field of 14.
“I wouldn’t rule (balloting) out. The dream is to go from here to the Kentucky Derby and run a good race there.”
There will be no Group One penalties in the nine-furlong Polytrack conditions event, which will be held at 7.50pm on a Wednesday evening.
Kempton are planning an American theme to the occasion and will offer free entry for the public.
O’Brien was the last European trainer to have a Kentucky Derby runner when Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo lined up to little effect in 2002.
He said: “We have three possibilities for at this stage – Born To Be King, Chief Lone Eagle and Great Wisdom.
“It’s a great initiative on Kempton’s part and the fact that the winner is guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky Derby is a major bonus.”
Gosden added: “We have four horses entered in the Triple Crown (Nawaadi, Close Alliance, Mafaaz and Red Spider) and the introduction of this race is a very far-sighted innovation because the closer we bring our racing together with the US, the healthier it will be for the UK racing industry.
“The initiative provides European horses with a wildcard like the Superbowl and will only improve international competition.”
Gerard Butler and John Best were present to announce their possibilities at a launch in London on Tuesday.
Kent-based Best has enjoyed great success on his Stateside forays as Deposer was fourth to former stablemate Square Eddie in the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity as a juvenile.
“We brought him back earlier than otherwise to get him in the race, it’s just a pity for me that Barney (Brian Clifford) has done such a good job in canvassing the other trainers,” he said.
“We intend to take him for a spin at the track at the end of February or early March and I just hope we can run in it and book our ticket.”
Butler has Goodwood maiden winner Pachattack in mind for the Challenge.
He reported: “The filly is by Pulpit, quite a good sire on the dirt.
“I worked for Wayne Lukas, who trained the last filly to win the Kentucky Derby (Winning Colors in 1988) and I think this is a perfect prelude to the race.
“We will take her to Kempton at some point for a look around. I have one or two colts in mind for the race, but she’ll be at the head of the pack.”
Hannon is considering Formula and Weald Park, while Mark Johnston is hoping to run Lingfield maiden winner Haashed.
I find it very interesting that Crowded House is entered in the Triple Crown.
Will he go for an American campaign in favour of a British Classic campaign? I guess we’ll know for sure if he lines up here
All I can say is they are not as match fit as those who go too Kentucky, plus the track at Churchill will be souped up the M62, expsect too see horses coming home jarred up and saw. The dirt track out their is a world aay from the turf friendly alweather course of kempton.
Maybe Churchill Downs won’t be so souped up as usual, after the death of Six Belles last year.
For someone reason, that made a lot of noise last year, including Congressional hearings and whatnot.
All I can say is they are not as match fit as those who go too Kentucky, plus the track at Churchill will be souped up the M62, expsect too see horses coming home jarred up and saw. The dirt track out their is a world aay from the turf friendly alweather course of kempton.
Agree with that assessment. If American dirt racing is on a slow death towards "A/W" racing something which I personally would regret, than you can rest assured even more confidently, that Kentucky will produce asphalt like conditions and even a rail bias would not be out of the question. As often as they have tried to eliminate it, it seems to pop up when not necessarily expected, producing some spectacular prices too boot.
The winner of the Kempton trial should he/she show up on the first Sat.in May will be completely overmatched imo. That said the concept of the trial intrigues me to the point of actually wanting to see it live.
Agree they’ll be beaten out of sight on the first Saturday in May. Sadly British and Irish trainers don’t seem to want to run their top horses prior to April even those targeting the Derby.
Crowded House might not have to run at Kempton – he’d be one of the few who’s GSW’s might be enough to qualify for the big one itself in his own right.
Out of interest does anyone know if the UAE Derby is a Graded Stakes yet? I can never remember.
And more valuable, too.
Pachattack would have to be a certainty! Pulpit fillies in the USA are invincible right now, and extremely valuable.
From my sources in the US – Rachel Alexandra will go off a short price in the KY Oaks the way she’s going.
Thanks Halfway – had a feeling it was a graded race so winning that would be enough to get Desert Party in on it’s own lol
Five day deccies.
I’ll have a look at these this evening, to see if it is worth turning up on Wednesday to watch.
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER RTF% JOCKEY OR TS RPR
1 47- 3 Agente Parmigiano 180 3 9-3 G A Butler 0 85 72 90
ch c Captain Rio — Kama´s Wheel (Magic Ring (IRE))2 4-1 Akhenaten 13 3 9-3 M R Channon 82 Tony Culhane 94 68 104
b c High Chaparral (IRE) — Lady Adnil (IRE) (Stravinsky (USA))3 21- Born To Be King 224 3 9-3 A P O´Brien 0 93 96 98
b c Storm Cat (USA) — Quarter Moon (IRE) (Sadler´s Wells (USA))4 1- 8 Close Alliance 160 3 9-3 J H M Gosden 0 90 90 96
b c Gone West (USA) — Shoogle (USA) (A.P. Indy (USA))5 61- Crackdown 177 3 9-3 M Johnston 67 Joe Fanning 92 96 99
b c Refuse To Bend (IRE) — Whitefoot (Be My Chief (USA))6 47- Deposer 153 3 9-3 J R Best 0 Steve Drowne 101 95 109
b c Kheleyf (USA) — Bezant (IRE) (Zamindar (USA))7 23- 1 Duc De Savoie 136 3 9-3 D K Weld 0 — 93 93
b c Harlan´s Holiday (USA) — Tee For Three (USA) (Lil E.Tee (USA))8 21- 2 Gitano Hernando 123 3 9-3 M Botti 100 84 98 98
ch c Hernando (FR) — Gino´s Spirits (Perugino (USA))9 01- 6 Grand Admiral 159 3 9-3 A P O´Brien 0 88 99 97
b c Giant´s Causeway (USA) — Myth (USA) (Ogygian (USA))10 1- 5 Haashed 114 3 9-3 M Johnston 67 R Hills 88 101 100
ch c Mr Greeley (USA) — Guerre Et Paix (USA) (Soviet Star (USA))11 -07 Keeptheboatafloat 13 3 9-3 K R Burke 0 92 90 101
b g Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) — The Perfect Life (IRE) (Try My Best (USA))12 15- Mafaaz 165 3 9-3 J H M Gosden 0 R Hills 99 69 97
ch c Medicean — Complimentary Pass (Danehill (USA))13 1-1 Markyg 21 3 9-3 K R Burke 0 Fergus Sweeney 92 70 105
b/br c Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) — Spring Pitch (USA) (Storm Cat (USA))14 13- Mastery 152 3 9-3 M Johnston 67 Joe Fanning 97 100 109
b c Sulamani (IRE) — Moyesii (USA) (Diesis)15 1- 4 Redwood 167 3 9-3 B W Hills 0 88 92 99
b c High Chaparral (IRE) — Arum Lily (USA) (Woodman (USA))16 11- 9 Saint Arch 132 3 9-3 M Johnston 67 Joe Fanning 90 102 100
b/br c Arch (USA) — Halo Silver (USA) (Silver Buck (USA))17 17- Shampagne 144 3 9-3 P F I Cole 0 Martin Dwyer 103 110 111
b c Orpen (USA) — Arndilly (Robellino (USA))18 49- Sohcahtoa 165 3 9-3 R Hannon 50 97 105 107
b c Val Royal (FR) — Stroke Of Six (IRE) (Woodborough (USA))19 1-1 7 Spring Of Fame 13 3 9-3 M A Magnusson 100 Chris Catlin 89 90 100
b c Grand Slam (USA) — Bloomy (USA) (Polish Numbers (USA))20 36- Talking Hands 158 3 9-3 S Kirk 50 97 94 101
b g Mujahid (USA) — With Distinction (Zafonic (USA))21 41- Vocalised 192 3 9-3 J S Bolger 0 92 71 91
b c Vindication (USA) — Serena´s Tune (USA) (Mr Prospector (USA))22 27- Weald Park 144 3 9-3 R Hannon 50 97 111 112
ch c Cozzene (USA) — Promptly (IRE) (Lead On Time (USA))23 53- Nashmiah 166 3 8-12 C E Brittain 63 99 28 77
b f Elusive City (USA) — Frond (Alzao (USA))Johnny Murtaghs coming back to ride in it too
He’s got a ride for Mark Johnson in the listed stakes that follows this race.
From the early declarations I’m quite keen on Markyg. Loves it round Kempton and although this is a slightly higher grade to what he’s used to around there its an interesting direction theyre taking.
Dont discount Mr Best either
Just had another look at the entries.
Did anyone else pick up on the fact Dermot Weld is sending over a runner?
This has to be respected surely.
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I have 2 runners from my book in here; Master and Saint Arch, I shall be backing both if running.
This is only a conditions race, but I’m guessing there are a few future group horses in the entries here, most of them still unexposed.
It’s a shame that the draw may have a big impact on this as well. I’m not sure what loop they are using for this race? If there’s a big field (say 12-14), a low single figure draw is going to be bad news whatever, but especially if this is on the inside loop.
My instinct would be to leave the exposed looking horses alone, and concentrate on horses from big stables which have raced a maximum of a couple of times. Using that theory & a bit of form study, you could argue that Mafaaz may be a contender. He’s beaten a group house on his debut at this track, and his fifth next time out, while not sounding great, was in the Timeform Million. That now looks a very serious horserace. What we don’t know is how he has progressed over the winter.
John Gosden had a few entered on Monday as well. It may be that with this in mind, he has got a little group ready early this year. It could mean he will have a few fit for the Lingfield & Doncaster meetings coming up.
This meeting is free to get into btw..which has encouraged me to try and get there.
I’m sure that the Kempton race will be won by a fairly good horse, probably Irish, maybe one of Dermot Weld’s, or a trainer who has previously sent horses over for races such as the Belmont.
Just had another look at the entries.
Did anyone else pick up on the fact Dermot Weld is sending over a runner?
This has to be respected surely.
Great minds think alike.
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This meeting is free to get into btw..which has encouraged me to try and get there.
Website says
Cost
£12Gates open
5pmFirst race
6.50pmLast race
9.20pmI hope you are right that it is free because I can’t wait to see Dunes Queen, Saint Arch and Mastery hopefully get few good pictures.
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