Tag Archive for: Carmers

Carmers all set for Doncaster as 15 remain in final Classic

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Paddy Twomey’s Carmers will turn his attention to the Betfred St Leger after his fine run to finish second in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

The Wootton Bassett colt arrived on the Knavesmire unbeaten in three runs, with a maiden and a Listed win followed by victory in the Queen’s Vase at the Royal meeting in June.

Stepping down to a mile and half for the first time in a field that included the dual Derby winner Lambourn with a penalty for his Ascot win, he did connections proud when beaten only a length, setting himself up nicely for a return to a longer trip in the Group One St Leger at Doncaster in mid September.

“We were very happy with him at York last week, finishing second in the Great Voltigeur on his first time dropping in trip to a mile and a half,” said Twomey.

“He travelled through the race well and hit the line strong, I thought it was a very good trial for the St Leger at Doncaster in a few weeks.

“On numbers it looked his best run to date, he’s a progressive horse and I think stepping back to a mile and six at Doncaster will really suit him.”

Carmers is one of 15 remaining in the hunt for Classic honours on Town Moor after the latest entry stage, with Aidan O’Brien responsible for over half of those to stand their ground.

Goodwood Cup hero and red-hot favourite Scandinavia heads Ballydoyle’s eight possibles, with dual Derby hero Lambourn also still in the mix along with Stay True after both finished behind Twomey’s Classic hope on the Knavesmire.

Surprisingly Minnie Hauk also remains in the Leger picture despite O’Brien’s suggestion she had alternative big-race alternatives, but stablemate Whirl is one of the more notable scratchings.

With Twomey and Joseph O’Brien’s Derby third Tennessee Stud making it 10 Irish challengers in total at this stage, it is left to Lazy Griff to lead a five-strong home defence made up from just four trainers.

Joining Middleham Park Racing’s dual Classic-placed contender among the potential runners is William Haggas’ Great Voltigeur third Arabian Force, Andrew Balding’s pair of Furthur and Melrose scorer Tarriance and Roger Varian’s Rahiebb.

Carmers in good shape for York clash with Lambourn

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Paddy Twomey’s unbeaten colt Carmers is aiming for more success on British soil when he lines up in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday.

The Wootton Bassett three-year-old did not run at two, and has not put a foot wrong since making his debut with a win in a Ballinrobe maiden in early May.

He then took the Listed Yeats Stakes at Navan by a comfortable three lengths, after which he stepped up to Group Two level at Royal Ascot to claim the Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs.

The colt is now heading for English shores again with his eye on another Group Two prize, this time stepping back to a mile and a half with Colin Keane booked to ride on the Knavesmire in the absence of the injured Billy Lee.

“He’s in very good form,” said Twomey.

“He’s trained really well since Ascot and has pleased us in everything he’s done, we’re really looking forward to getting him back out again.”

Carmers’ Queen’s Vase win at Ascot has looked like an increasingly solid piece of form – the runner-up, Furthur, has won the Geoffrey Freer since and the fifth-placed horse, Scandinavia, has subsequently struck twice when taking both the Bahrain Trophy and the Goodwood Cup.

Those performances bode well for Twomey’s runner, who will meet dual Derby winner Lambourn at York on quick ground the trainer feels his St Leger contender will relish.

“The race looks like it’s worked out really well, the form is very good from Ascot,” he said.

“I think the track at the Knavesmire will really suit him, it’s a big, galloping track and it will be fast ground which he really likes.

“He’d be very happy with the ground as it is, it was very quick ground at Ascot and he was very happy on that.”

Aidan O’Brien has chosen the Group Two as the next port of call for Lambourn, who has the option of the Leger or Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after this.

Impressive at Epsom, he was made to work extremely hard when following up at the Curragh by then stablemate Serious Contender, who had been beaten in a handicap at Royal Ascot and has since been sold to Hong Kong.

“Lambourn has obviously had four races this year, he’s fit, so he hasn’t done too much since the Curragh,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve just kept him ticking over really. Los Angeles came from the Curragh and Epsom to this race last year

“Mount Kilimanjaro had a break after winning at Chester. He’s just ready to start back really.

“It’s the same with Stay True, he just got beat in the Lingfield trial by another of ours (Puppet Master) and we gave him a break as that was just his second run, he’s just ready to start.

“They’ll improve a lot for the run.”

O’Brien also runs Thrice, seventh in the Irish Derby when last seen and prior to that the winner of the Gallinule Stakes.

William Haggas is represented by Glasgow Stakes runner-up Arabian Force, while Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, so impressive in the Dante but disappointing since, returns to York having been gelded.

Carmers collects in Queen’s Vase for Paddy Twomey

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Carmers maintained his unbeaten record with a determined display in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

A first runner at the Royal fixture for trainer Paddy Twomey, the Wootton Bassett colt had been successful on his two previous starts at Ballinrobe and Navan and was a 9-2 shot to complete his hat-trick in this one-mile-six-furlong Group Two.

Always to the fore in the hands of Billy Lee, Carmers took over from Shackleton rounding the home turn and answered his rider’s every call to repel the staying-on pair of Furthur and Rahiebb, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.

“I knew he’d stay and I knew turning in that Billy looked comfortable,” said Twomey.

“I was happy to see a horse come up alongside him and help him at the front, he looked comfortable when the bell rang and I knew he had a chance.

“I think staying is his game and I think he’s a pretty good horse.”

Ladbrokes installed the Fiona Carmichael-owned winner as the 8-1 second-favourite for the Betfred St Leger, and Twomey added: “He’s done everything we’ve asked, he’s obviously going to have an entry in the Leger at Doncaster – we’ll see.

“He’s done what was asked of him today, he’s run three times, he’s won three times and hopefully he continues to win.

“We’ve nice horses, we’ve good owners and it’s fantastic to be able to bring them here.

“It’s nice to have good horses to win on the big days for a small stable.”