Dante day double for jockey Murphy at York
OISIN MURPHY stole the show with a Dante day double at York on Blond Me and Here Comes When which reaffirmed his position as the pre-eminent young rider in Britain.
He’s not finished yet – the 21-year-old will be hoping 2015 St Leger winner Simple Verse can beat defending champion Clever Cookie in today’s Yorkshire Cup.
Sporting a black eye after an errant horse lashed out earlier this week, the former champion apprentice was pleasantly surprised by Blond Me’s unexpected victory in the Middleton Stakes.
Although sent off the rank outsider of the quartet to go to post in the extended mile-and-a-quarter test, the Andrew Balding-trained five-year-old filly took her form to new heights to claim the second Group Two of her career.
As early leader and favourite The Black Princess, ridden by the ever canny Frankie Dettori, attempted to turn the race into a sprint halfway down the home straight, it appeared those tactics might be a winning move.
The pacesetter had seen off the attentions of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Turf winner Queen’s Trust, and looked set to back up her Group Three win at Chantilly last month until Murphy got a good tune out of Blond Me to deliver her fast and late.
“The ground was a concern, but fair play to Andrew and Mrs Keller as they took a chance to run her and it’s paid dividends,” said Murphy, who does not look out of place in such illustrious company.
“It’s a big York meeting and I wanted a winner.
“Looking at her action, you would think she wants firm ground so maybe she’s just improved a bit.”
Balding, so instrumental in the nurturing of Murphy through his formative years in the saddle, was not at the track but was represented by his wife Anna Lisa, who said: “We’re over the moon as we didn’t think she would handle the ground.”
While Blond Me will have higher-profile dates later in the summer, the Balding-trained Here Comes When – now a veteran seven years of age – rolled back the years to take full advantage of his sliding mark with an authoritative success in the Hambleton Stakes.
Murphy said: “I’ve won on him before, but he’s quite a tricky ride. Listed Langleys Solicitors British EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes. She ran very well to win on her debut for me at Ripon – and that was on an undulating surface that wouldn’t have suited her best.
The top five in the betting in the contest at 2.20pm have all run once – and all won. Much will depend on which fillies adapt best to slightly softer going.
Reflecting on the first day of the Dante Festival, I picked out two performances on Wednesday. The first was Tasleet who won the Group 2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stales I’m delighted he’s won a big pot. He’s a Group horse on his day when he gets cut in the ground and is relaxed.”
The jockey also believes the rain-softenend ground won’t be under Jim Crowley. He’s a horse with which I am very familiar having ridden him more than a few times in 2015 and 2016 for Sheikh Hamdan. He won the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes at York two years ago.
The other one for the notebook was It Dont Come Easy, my ride in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novices Stakes. He ran very green and the softer ground didn’t suit, and he finished fourth. It was his first run and he’ll certainly come on for it. Watch out for him.
After riding in the first at York a hindrance for Simple Verse who provided him with a 21st birthday to remember when coming from an improbable position to win Doncaster’s Park Hill Stakes last September, cementing his position today, I’m off to Newcastle for the evening card on the all-weather.
Of my six booked rides, I would pick out Indomeneo in the novice stakes at 5.45pm. Although this is his debut and one never knows how horses will perform when they see a racecourse for the first time, he’s going well at home at Richard Fahey’s and is ready.
Tomorrow I’m off to Newbury where I take the reins on Toscanini in the Lockinge Stakes.
He’s a good horse, but it is a very hot race as one would expect in a Group 1. Stablemate Ribchester must have a very big as retained rider to Qatar Racing.
Next month’s Ascot Gold Cup is the target and trianer Ralph Beckett said last night: “She’s in good form and went well when chance. My best chance would probably be Andok who runs in the handicap at 2.55pm.
He has won two of his four career races to date and I think he can be excused his middivision finish on his seasonal debut at Newmarket last time. The step up to a mile-and-aquarter tomorrow will suit.
I’ll be back at York on May 27, the first Saturday meeting of 2017 when I hope to be riding winners in front of a big crowd.
Find out more and book tickets at www. yorkracecourse.co.uk. she worked on Monday morning. The ground should be ideal, as should the track and trip.”
However Peter Niven’s Clever Cookie, victorious 12 months ago, will relish conditions. Though nine years of age, the horse – bred by the trainer’s mother – thrives at York.
“He has had a bit of an interrupted sort of ‘prep’.
“But for the last six weeks he has been good. He has done enough to warrant a run, put it that way,” said Malton-based Niven ahead of this one and three quarter mile stamina test.
“He has got a little bit lazier, like the rest of us as we get older. But he is still very enthusiastic.
“He loves going out every day – he loves the routine. He is very happy in himself.” JOCKEY Ben Curtis has paid a moving tribute to Richmond trainer Alan Swinbank following his sudden death on Wednesday.
The 72-year-old became one of the country’s foremost dual purpose trainers, saddling nearly 800 winners after taking out in a licence in 2001.
Riders at York Racecourse wore black armbands yesterday in tribute to the genial Swinbank who will be remembered for his handling of top Group-race performers Collier Hill and Turbo Linn.
Curtis developed a fruitful association with Swinbank, riding over 50 winners for him, and said: “When I came over from Ireland when things dried up, the reason I made the move over was because of Alan.
“We had lots of good days and winning the Cumberland Plate on Kinema a few years ago was a real highlight.
“He loved winners at York and in the north of England, but he was also a hell of a man to buy a horse. You could follow him around at the sales and you wouldn’t go far wrong, as he had great judgement and great knowledge on breeding. He was a grand man and will be badly missed.”
Born in Sedgefield, Swinbank hailed from a farming family and learned his trade with, among others, legendary National Hunt trainer Arthur Stephenson.
He was renowned for turning his classy National Hunt horses into Pattern contenders on the Flat.
Collier Hill developed from a bumper and hurdles performer into a three-time Group One winner.
He won the 2005 Irish St Leger before going on to claim glory in the Canadian International at Woodbine and the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin the following year.
Turbo Linn landed a Listed bumper at Aintree in 2007 before progressing to win that year’s Lancashire Oaks.
Swinbank was also instrumental in helping Brian Hughes to become established as the North’s top jump jockey.
Classic-winning handler Ralph Beckett was among those to pay tribute to Swinbank on Twitter, recounting their early days in the training ranks.
He said: “RIP Alan Swinbank. Did the trainers course with him, and from then on he used to tell folk we were at school together.”
Renowned jumps handler Jonjo O’Neill was another to offer his condolences.
He said: “Very sad to hear Alan Swinbank has died. A good friend and brilliant trainer. His family are in our thoughts.”