PAT HEALY: In this week’s blog Pat looks back at Newmarket’s 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas and hopes ‘Fantastic Frankie’s Farewell Tour’ will take in Listowel …
2000 Guineas
It was disappointing from an Irish point of view. Obviously, it’s now back to the drawing board with Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear. Their runs on Saturday were just too bad to be true. Aidan [O’Brien] will have to muster all of his intuition and all of his training instincts to get both of them back into the winners’ enclosure, but I’m sure that will happen in time.
It was a fantastic victory for Andrew Balding, Juddmonte and of course Frankie [Dettori] with Chaldean. Would you believe it, on his retirement year and he goes and wins the 2000 Guineas.
Fantastic Frankie
Frankie’s just an amazing man. What a sportsman, what a jockey and what a personality. I think it’s only when Frankie is gone that we will truly realise what he’s brought to the racing game. It’s going to be a fantastic final few months watching him. Hopefully he’ll have more big race winners, and we’ll see more of his celebrations and enthusiasm.
My fingers and toes are crossed, and he’s told me, that he will be in Listowel for the Harvest Festival. He was supposed to come last year, but he got suspended after riding in Germany. I know the people of Listowel and the whole county of Kerry are hoping and praying that he will be able to rock up in Listowel in September on his farewell tour.
1000 Guineas
On the Sunday, Tahiyra and Chris Hayes threw everything at the 1000 Guineas. It was a great battle between them and Mawj and Oisin Murphy – they served up a great race. They look two fantastic fillies so it’s going to be an exciting season watching them going forward.
Tahiyra lost nothing in defeat. DK [Dermot Weld] said she was probably two weeks short of her peak fitness, of where he needed her to be to win the 1000 Guineas. That augurs well for the rest of the season. I’m sure we’ll see her and Mawj rocking up in all the main races and dancing all the dances.
Oisin Murphy back with a bang
You couldn’t write it for Oisin Murphy or ‘Onion’ as we call him. He’s come back from his drugs ban and since then he’s been banging in the winners. He’s definitely put his head down and I think he’s showing the racing industry how good he is.
Oisin is a world class rider, we know that now. He’s climbed the rungs of the ladder. He’s been around the world, he’s ridden in Japan, in Australia, in America, and I think when you have all that worldwide experience it does you good and it improves you. He’s up there with Ryan Moore, William Buick and Dettori.
Jockeys’ Championship
It’s going to be an interesting season with Oisin and William Buick, if they both decide to give the Jockeys’ Championship a run. It’ll be at the back of their minds at the minute, but when August and Glorious Goodwood comes round, that’s probably when they’ll make up their mind if they’re going to give it a serious run or not. I think if you have a good August, it means a lot on the road to being Champion Jockey. They’re two world class riders and there are going to be fantastic duels ahead for both men.
Derby Trials
I was at Leopardstown on Sunday for the Derby Trial, which was won by Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley with Sprewell, a colt by Churchill. I was impressed with the winner, and he did it well. We’ll see how he gets on going forward.
The Derby trials start this week with Chester and then we have York the following week. Everybody’s going to be throwing their hat into the ring and there’s no reason why Sprewell won’t now be aimed at the English or the Irish Derby.
Fine riding from Paddy Harnett
Hats off to Paddy Harnett who rode the final winner of the day at Leopardstown, without any irons! He lost his irons inside the final few furlongs aboard a horse called Amusement for Donnacha O’Brien, but still managed to get him home, winning in a photo finish from his stablemate Teutates, ridden by Gavin Ryan.
It was a great riding performance from Paddy, we have to say well done and I just hope he wasn’t too sore the following morning!
Until next week.
PAT
