1 day Ago By Elliot Corbel
Bobsbest reports...
Always a popular fixture with racegoers, this year’s opener has the added interest of several new-to-Jersey horses. The entries also include a handful from UK training establishments. George Baker used to be a regular rider, but has been absent for a few years so it is good to see his name reappearing along with those of two trainers who will be making their first visits.
Daniel Steele, who trains a small team in Henfield, West Sussex, has entered two, including Blue Collar Lad, winner of a sprint handicap at Chelmsford last September. Archie Watson is based at Upper Lambourn where he has developed a highly successful yard sending out 27 Group race winners, but he is also a regular competitor at the smaller venues and it good to see Throne Hall and Blue Yonder among entries. The latter is one of his lesser lights, but has three wins to his credit.
Neil Mulholland, who so often sweeps up prizes at the first meeting, is absent from the entries; it is to be hoped the omission is temporary. It was interesting to see his Les Landes regular Man Of The Sea, with 13 Jersey notches on his belt, winning a stayers’ handicap at Bath this month. There are some likely looking newcomers to local yards who will be seeking to repel the raiders.
They may not all be ready to run at Easter, but it will be interesting to follow them as the season progresses. Adrenaline Rush, a three-year-old previously trained in Ireland by Jessie Harrington, has joined Karl Kukk and will race for Fiona Carmichael. He is bred to be quick and has done all his racing over five and six furlongs.
He is yet to win after only six goes. Bank On Kent is a three-year-old gelding recently arrived at Alyson Malzard’s yard from David Evans’ Welsh stable. He is by Massaat, second in the 2016 Two Thousand Guineas, but he gets plenty of speedy types and this is a sprinter having won over six furlongs in February.
He is looking for an owner. Al Farabi is the first of three new horses to race here for Hawk Racing. He is now with Karl Kukk having left Stuart Williams’ team.
A five-year-old Kingman gelding, he is a winner and has been placed multiple times between five and seven furlongs, Bigz Belief has transferred from Barry Brennan’s stable to that of Celine De La Haye in the UK and has travelled to her Jersey yard. He is a dual-purpose horse with winning form over hurdles and on the flat. His owner, Charles Cole, a new owner to the Island, lives in Cornwall.
Caustic has also joined Karl Kukk. Previously owned by Michael Watt and trained by Owen Burrows, Caustic is beautifully bred by Galileo out of a Dynaformer mare and staying is his game, but has the speed to have been tried at a mile and a quarter. He is another of the new horses to run for Hawk Racing.
Countess Ciara has been acquired by Celine De La Haye to race for Tony Guiton and Yvonne Stead, strong supporters of local racing. She is a three-year-old with six runs and one win so far, the success coming in a Nottingham maiden race when trained by Archie Watson. Grecian Jewel: this four-year-old Iffraaj filly was bred and raced in France before transferring to Alyson Malzard’s string.
She has had just a couple of runs and must have shown ability because she was made favourite for her second start over a mile at Béquet, running well without winning. Lixi is another French import to join Alyson Malzard. She is a lightly raced four-year-old with one success to her credit.
She was bred to get a trip, has been racing at around a mile and a half and will run for a new local syndicate. On Song is another new inmate for Karl Kukk and Hawk Racing. He has won over seven furlongs, but seems to get a mile; he was an unlucky loser at that distance at Brighton in October when he suffered major interference.
Formerly trained by George Boughey, he is by the exciting young sire Calyx. Tuck Your Shirt In has raced only in National Hunt flat races. He was a good third in a big field second time out, at Worcester, when trained by Joe Tickle.
He is bred to be versatile, being by St Leger winner Sixties Icon who gets winners in both codes. He has joined Karl Kukk and will run for the Molly’s Crew team. In all, 47 horses have been entered for the five races on Easter Monday, including some dual entries, so it is shaping up to be a highly competitive start to the local racing year.
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