Seamour up for the Cup ELLISON EYES OZ GLORY
APOLLO LANDING FOR EASTERBY AT YORK
TIM EASTERBY has made the Catherine Kinloch Handicap his own in recent years and Golden Apollo continued his run at York yesterday.
The improving three-year-old enjoyed the frenetic pace before coming through and getting up in the dying strides. It was a fifth success in the race for Easterby and Golden Apollo was backing up a victory at Pontefract just five days earlier.
Easterby said: “He was always a nice horse last year. I was never bothered about the draw in one. I was very happy drawn there. “He’s a horse that comes off the bridle and picks up, so I told James not to panic but he rode a really good race.
“I’d like to run him in the Ayr Gold Cup one day but it would have to be soft.” Meanwhile, Fran Berry is leaving his position as stable jockey to
He wants to become the first UK trainer to land the famous “race that stops a nation”.
But Seamour has two massive dates in Britain before he makes the long trip Down Under in November.
The six-year-old will first try to make it third time lucky in the Northumberland Plate next month at Newcastle.
The horse was mugged on the line in last year’s Plate after looking certain to win at the furlong pole. He will then be targeted at the Ebor at York in August.
Ellison, who was born on Northumberland Plate day in 1952, said: “We took Seamour to Pontefract the other day for a gallop and he is absolutely flying.
“The plan is the Plate, the Ebor and the Melbourne Cup.
“For the last two years he has been drawn so wide in the Plate that he has virtually been in the car park. He just needs a good draw for a change.
“Last year, although people said he was unlucky, he ran four horses wide the whole way round and still got in a winning position.
“I need him to go up 7lb to get in the Melbourne Cup.
“He would cope with the travelling. He is a sensible enough horse. He would have a massive chance of winning.”
Last year Ben Curtis and Seamour looked all over the winners after bursting clear two furlongs out in the Plate, also known as the “Pitmen’s Derby”, but he was mugged on the line by Godolphin’s Antiquarium.
The trainer said he had not decided who would ride the horse this time.
Ellison, who has trained more than 1,000 winners from his dual purpose yard in Malton, North Yorks, has had a long-held ambition to triumph in the Melbourne Cup.
The desire remains despite not having the best of luck in his previous forays Down Under.
In 2005 he was preparing Carte Diamond for a crack at the race when the horse collided with a rail during a gallop and had to be scratched.
In 2011 he fulfilled an ambition when Moyenne Corniche, who had won that year’s Ebor, and Saptapadi ran in the cup but never landed a blow.
“Seamour is the best I’ve trained. He is the best chance I’ll have,” he said. Ralph Beckett by mutual agreement so he can ride as a freelance. Berry joined Beckett ahead of the 2016 Flat season, one that saw him ride a record number of winners for the Kimpton Down Stables handler. Berry said: “I have enjoyed riding for Ralph Beckett and his owners as stable jockey. I wish JASON HEAVEY Ralph, his owners and the team at Kimpton the very best for the future.” “Since moving to the UK, I’ve built up some very good relationships with many trainers and owners and I’m really looking forward to the future.” Beckett said: “It has been agreed by mutual consent to discontinue the current arrangement of Fran Berry (left) as stable jockey. Both Fran and I feel that this is the right decision.”
JASON HEAVEY