Murphy: Do not write off Cheval Grand
Jockey rates Japanese raider’s Ascot chances Horse ‘felt good’ in six-furlong gallop
Enable, Crystal Ocean and Anthony Van Dyck, with their portfolios of marquee northern hemisphere Group Ones, need little introduction ahead of what looks a vintage renewal of the £1.25 million King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
It is a different story, however, with the Japanese runner Cheval Grand. He may be seven, but the chestnut horse, trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, won Japan’s premier mile-and-a-half race, the Japan Cup, in 2017, and while he was beaten 5½ lengths in last year’s race by the brilliant filly Almond Eye, in 29 starts he has rarely been out of the first four.
It may have the look of a farewell world tour, but Oisin Murphy, who has picked up the ride by virtue of the fact that he rode 25 winners in a 10-week stint in Japan and is the country’s favourite Irishman, says the “big horse” should not be written off.
Yesterday, before travelling to Wolverhampton to continue hunting down Danny Tudhope in the jockeys’ championship, Murphy rode Cheval Grand in a gallop.
“His only run this year was in Dubai in the Sheema Classic, when he stayed on well to finish second to Old Persian,” Murphy said. “I am under no illusions about what he’s up against, neither are the Japan camp – Enable and Crystal Ocean are the best horses in Europe.
“He’s very versatile, runs over anything from 10 furlongs to two miles and, at seven, has been there and done it all. But we need to appreciate Japanese mile-and-ahalf horses are of a very high standard. He felt good, but he only did a normal everyday piece of work over six furlongs on the all-weather this morning. I didn’t ask him any questions.”
Although the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe is considered the holy grail of European races for Japanesetrained horses, four have tried to win the King George. Heart’s Cry, Cheval Grand’s sire, came closest when a length third to Hurricane Run in 2006.
Murphy could also hook up with another Japanese horse, the filly Deirdre, in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood a week tomorrow, although he has not yet committed to the ride.
“She finished sixth behind Crystal Ocean in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but the ground went against her at Ascot,” he explained. “She came up soft, but she wants it fast. Back to her best Hong Kong form on her ground, she will definitely be overpriced for the Nassau.”
Yesterday, Murphy, who will return to Japan for another 10-week stint this winter, rode a double which went unanswered by the title leader Tudhope, who drew a blank at Musselburgh. Tudhope now leads by 78-73.
Speaking about his title challenge, Murphy said: “I’m doing my best, but it seems like for every winner I ride, he rides a couple now. I’ll give it my best shot, but top speed in racing is 45mph and I can’t go any faster!”