Trainer O’Meara is hoping globe-trotter glitters at Ascot
FORMER Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters is among 11 horses declared for the Betfred Summer Mile at Ascot.
David O’Meara’s globe-trotting seven-year-old runs for the first time since finishing unplaced in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November.
Owned by Geoff and Sandra Turnbull, the horse’s seven wins from 26 starts have yielded just shy of £1.5m in winnerplace prize money – testament to O’Meara’s astute placing of his charges.
It has already been a landmark week for Upper Helmsley-based O’Meara, who saddled his 1,000th domestic Flat winner at Pontefract on Tuesday
A quality field for Saturday’s Group Two includes the Mark Johnston-trained Marie’s Diamond, who was third in last month’s renewal of the Queen Anne.
Marcus Tregoning’s Mohaather, who had no luck in running when seventh, bids to put the record straight. Others from the same race are William Haggas’s Skardu (eighth) and Duke Of Hazzard (13th), trained by Paul and Oliver Cole.
San Donato, trained by Roger Varian, is set to make his comeback after being absent since finishing third to Persian King in the French 2000 Guineas in 2019.
Meanwhile record-breaking jump jockey Lizzie Kelly has announced her retirement from the saddle as she and her husband are expecting their first child later in the year.
Kelly, 27, made turf history by being the first woman to win a Grade One race over jumps with Tea For Two in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day in 2015.
She went on to land a second major success on the same horse, who was trained by her stepfather Nick Williams, in the Betway Bowl at Aintree in April 2017.
In 2018, Kelly claimed her first Cheltenham Festival winner with Coo Star Sivola in the Ultima Handicap Chase and enjoyed a second winner there in 2019 on
Siruh Du Lac in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase.
“I will miss riding in races, the weighing room and everyone in it. Having two Cheltenham Festival winners is definitely something I will remember forever,” she said.
“The big winners are an important part of a jockey’s career; it’s what you put all your hard work and efforts into getting.
“I will remain heavily involved in racing and pre-training. The long-term goal is to train, but I am sure there is nothing that will replace riding in races.”
Kelly’s success, coupled with her effervescent personality, has also helped to inspire a new generation of female jockeys, both over jumps and on the Flat, who have become established names.
She said: “In the time that I have been a jockey the number of female jockeys has grown enormously and I think that there are a huge amount of opportunities for women coming into the sport.
“I think everyone gets good opportunities now.”