Chiefs Race Night proves a great success
OUR Kaiser Chiefs Race Night last Thursday attracted a crowd in excess of 5,500 and was a brilliant night of racing and music. It was a relief to finally get the event off the ground following two postponements due to Covid.
On the track it was a successful evening for three Welsh jockeys – Connor Brace, James Bowen and Alan Johns – who all rode winners. It was James’s first winner back after a spell our injured. Our next fixture is on Thursday, June 16. The first race is at 5.25pm.
Overlooked in the hullabaloo about the Platinum Derby was the achievement of the runner-up, Hoo Ya Mal, ridden by Bargoedborn David Probert.
His huge odds of 150/1 were perfectly understandable. He’s shown good form, but not at this level. He was beaten seven lengths by Nations Pride in his last outing. This time he finished 11 in front of him, at level weights in both races.
It was the first time Probert had been on the horse since his debut almost a year ago. He told the Racing Post: “Hoo Ya Mal saw it out really well and there are better things to come.”
This will be music to the ears of the horse’s owner, Ahmad Al Shaikh, who persuaded trainer Andrew Balding not to run him in the shorter French Derby. Hoo Ya Mal was never going to beat Desert Crown on Saturday, and was nearly caught by the unlucky fast-finishing third Westover. It was Probert’s best result in a Group 1. Success in that elite grade must only be a matter of time.
Sunday jumps fixtures in Scotland often entail Irish trainers such as Gordon Elliott sending over a few horses and Sean Bowen being enlisted to ride them – and, quite often, win.
Such was the case at Kelso a week ago, and there was more of the same at Perth last weekend. Elliott’s Enki Flacke was a 4/7 steering job in the first on the card, a 2m4f novice hurdle, and half an hour later the 6/4 favourite Ash Tree Meadow completed a quick double for jockey and trainer in a 2m novices chase. Elliott has now trained 195 winners at Perth.
Eight winners in the last fortnight leaves Bowen vying with Brian Hughes for the lead in the jump jockeys’ championship.
Sunday jumps fixtures in Scotland often entail Irish trainers such as Gordon Elliott sending over a few horses and Sean Bowen being enlisted to ride them – and, quite often, win.
Such was the case at Kelso a week ago, and there was more of the same at Perth last weekend. Elliott’s Enki Flacke was a 4/7 steering job in the first on the card, a 2m4f novice hurdle, and half an hour later the 6/4 favourite Ash Tree Meadow completed a quick double for jockey and trainer in a 2m novices chase. Elliott has now trained 195 winners at
Perth.