Tag Archive for: Chancellor

Chancellor plans up in the air following slight setback

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Plans for Chancellor are again on hold after the promising colt suffered a minor injury when undergoing a stalls test.

So impressive in winning twice at Doncaster from his first three starts, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned youngster returned to Town Moor to contest the Champagne Stakes, but had to be withdrawn after nudging open the gate in the starting stalls with his head and suffering a cut to his mouth.

This weekend’s Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket was quickly identified as a potential alternative for the son of Kingman and Breeders’ Cup heroine Queen’s Trust, but he was not confirmed for the Group Two contest on Monday and connections are unsure of the next move.

“Basically, they put him through the stalls prior to the stalls test and he kicked out and managed to cut his leg,” said Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson.

“It’s nothing serious, but he had to have some treatment and I’m not sure what the plan will be at the moment.

“Obviously, we’re just having to regroup and it’s very frustrating after everything else, but he’s managed to cut his leg and has had to have some stitches, so we’ll give that a bit of time.”

Chancellor holds a Group One entry back at Doncaster in the Futurity Trophy on October 26, but may yet be roughed off until next season.

Richardson added: “We might just have to leave it for this year, but I’ll know a little bit more in 10 days or so.

“He’ll be fine, but it’s just really frustrating, as it came at a very bad time.”



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Chancellor team eyeing Royal Lodge after Champagne problems

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Chancellor could be rerouted to the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes following his late withdrawal at Doncaster on Saturday.

Having already won twice on Town Moor, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned juvenile was well fancied for the Group Two Champagne Stakes, but was automatically ruled out after nudging open the gate in the starting stalls with his head and suffering a cut to his mouth.

Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson reports the son of Kingman to be none the worse for the “frustrating” experience and connections are on the lookout for an alternative target, with a trip to Newmarket on Saturday week under consideration.

“Saturday was obviously very frustrating, but fortunately he seems fine afterwards,” said Richardson.

“Rab (Robert Havlin, jockey) reported that he was fine in the stalls and then another horse kicked out and he thought it was time to go. It was just one of those frustrating, unforeseen events that was very bizarre, but we move on.

“We’ll see how he is, but we’ll have to consider the Royal Lodge – a Group Two over a mile. He’s got a couple of smart entries for later in the year that are still sort of pending, including the Futurity Trophy back at Doncaster, which is once again over a mile.

“We’d like to get a run in before then, probably in the Royal Lodge or something like that.”



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Chancellor hoping to cash in with Champagne celebration

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Chancellor is aiming to make it three out of three at Doncaster in the Betfred Champagne Stakes on Saturday.

John and Thady Gosden’s juvenile has only met with one defeat, when running too free at Ascot in a Listed race, form which has been subsequently franked.

To get back on track he dropped into calmer waters back on Town Moor, where he had made a winning debut in July, easily beating Brave Mission, who has come out and won since.

“Obviously I’m really looking forward to riding him again as his last two races the form has worked out great,” said his regular rider Robert Havlin.

“It was possibly a step too far, too soon on his second run, but dropped back into a novice last time he won and the second came out and bolted up last week.

“He seems to have taken a step forward since his run and I’m really looking forward to it. The only possible downside is he wouldn’t want the ground too quick.

“The two who beat him at Ascot are both racing in Canada this weekend, so you can only take positives from his form. He’s a class horse and he’s got ability. I rode him Thursday morning and he seems to have stepped forward again.”

Chancellor is by Frankel out of the Cheveley Park Stud Breeders’ Cup winner Queen’s Trust, and their manager director Chris Richardson said: “He likes Doncaster so it makes sense to go back there.

“We will learn a bit more about him, sadly Ascot it didn’t quite happen for him, the saddling enclosure and the fact he was right in the mix of things slightly overwhelmed him.

“This has always been the plan for him.”

Righthere Rightnow created a very favourable impression when winning on his Newmarket debut by five lengths for Richard Spencer.

“He’s in good form and I think he has taken a step forward from his debut win and hopefully he can run well,” said Spencer.

“He’s got a great mind and everything he has done at home has pleased us. We thought he could run a big race at Newmarket on debut, but most of ours would go away for a racecourse gallop before they step on the racecourse proper and he hadn’t had that experience.

“We knew whatever he did on the day he would improve on as it was his first day at school and to do what he did was really pleasing for us knowing there would be improvement to come.

“It’s going to be a warm contest, but hopefully he can run well and fingers crossed we get a bit of luck.”

George Scott’s Bay City Roller is unbeaten in two outings, looking a smart prospect.

Trainer George Scott has a nice prospect in Bay City Roller
Trainer George Scott has a nice prospect in Bay City Roller (David Davies/PA)

“We were keen to get a little bit more experience into him before he stepped into this company which he got at Chelmsford and we’re also pleased to see a little bit of rain we’ve had at the start of the week,” said Scott.

“I’ve been very happy with the way he has been training, he deserves his shot in a race like this. It will probably be a little bit tactical, but he’s very uncomplicated and I will leave it up to Callum (Shepherd) on the day. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

“We’ve liked him ever since he started in faster work and even though Saturday is a big day for him, I have every confidence he is going to be a nice horse moving forwards.”

Aidan O’Brien runs two, Aftermath and Monumental, with Hugo Palmer’s Vintage Stakes runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch another with strong claims.



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Chancellor on the Champagne trail after smooth success

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Another trip to Doncaster for the Betfred Champagne Stakes is next on the agenda for Chancellor following his impressive return to winning ways.

The Kingman colt made a real impression on his racecourse debut on Town Moor in early July and he was then stepped up in class for the Pat Eddery Stakes on King George day at Ascot.

John and Thady Gosden’s youngster was a beaten odds-on favourite in that Listed event, but was not disgraced in finishing third behind Al Qudra and subsequent Stonehenge Stakes winner New Century.

Connections feel Chancellor is better than he showed at Ascot and having since seen him regain the winning thread with a dominant front-running victory back at Doncaster, he is now set for a Group Two assignment at next month’s St Leger meeting.

Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “He got slightly worked up at Ascot in the saddling enclosure. It was too much for him and he got a little bit overwhelmed, I think.

“It was nice to see him nice and calm back at Doncaster the other day and he won nicely.

“All being well, the plan is to head back there for the Champagne Stakes.”



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Chancellor looking to profit in Pat Eddery Stakes

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Chancellor has the chance to take high-rank in the juvenile division when he takes part in a red-hot Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, he was sent to Doncaster for his debut, where he effortlessly overcame a slow start to breeze into contention a furlong from home before surging clear of his rivals in the closing stages.

It was a performance that has connections purring with excitement ahead of the colt’s step up to Listed level, as he also stretches out to seven furlongs, with Robert Havlin in the saddle once again.

“He was pretty impressive as we saw at Doncaster and we were thrilled that he transmitted a bit of what we saw on the gallops to the racecourse,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.

“Everyone seems happy and this looks like a good next opportunity for him and it is exciting to have a colt with a bit of potential I think.

“He seems in great order and John and Thady seem very happy with him. It’s nice that Robert Havlin can retain the ride and we can continue that association.”

Those sentiments we’re echoed by Chancellor’s Clarehaven training team, with Thady Gosden pleased with what he has seen at home since his charge’s winning bow on Town Moor.

He said: “He won smartly at Doncaster first time out, he won in impressive style over six and can get further.

Thady Gosden has been encouraged by what he has seen from Chancellor
Thady Gosden has been encouraged by what he has seen from Chancellor (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He came out of Doncaster well, he’s mentally come forward for the run and he’s been in good order since.”

Sometimes in life things happen for a reason and with the son of Kingman – who is out of Cheveley Park’s own Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Queen’s Trust – attracting little attention when sent to the sales, Chancellor’s owners are making the most of the opportunity to race the high-class prospect in there own famous red, white and blue colours.

“It’s funny, we normally have fillies, but it just so happened that last year when we took him to the sales people weren’t receptive to him for various reasons,” continued Richardson.

“We took a view that we would give him a chance and he’s a nice individual out of a proper mare who was hugely talented, let’s hope he’s exciting.”

Chief amongst Chancellor’s dangers is a fellow impressive winner in South Yorkshire, Andrew Balding’s New Century.

Another to bring a top-quality pedigree to the table, he is a son of connections’ 2000 Guineas hero Kameko and a half-brother to a Group Three winner.

The form of his comfortable Doncaster triumph was given a boost when the third, Field Of Gold, bolted up at Newmarket recently and his jockey Oisin Murphy is confident he will be thereabouts once again at the finish.

“He’s a lovely horse and he’s been perfect since Doncaster,” said Murphy.

“He’s probably not as fast as his sire, on his pedigree he’s bred to get a mile and a quarter anyway, and that may be the direction he may go in as a three-year-old.

New Century in the winner's enclosure at Doncaster
New Century in the winner’s enclosure at Doncaster (Molly Hunter/PA)

“The Juddmonte horse (Field Of Gold) he beat at Doncaster won at Newmarket and New Century is a lovely type. Whether he is quite as fast as Al Qudra or something else is another thing.

“I think he deserves his chance at this level and I expect him to be finishing the race well.”

New Century is owned by Qatar Racing and their racing manager David Redver is already plotting big things for the youngster as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious sire.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “Andrew and Oisin are incredibly sweet on the horse. He’s got a similar career mapped out to his father and we’re taking a swing at the Pat Eddery because otherwise he’s got five weeks until the Solario and he’s bouncing out of his skin, according to Andrew.

“He does take on some promising looking horse – I was rather alarmed how easily Chancellor won for the Gosden team at Doncaster. But it’s a Listed race for two-year-olds at this time of year and it’s hard to find an easy one over seven furlongs.”

New Century finished behind Charlie Appleby’s Al Qudra at Lingfield on debut and the speedy son of No Nay Never brings experience to the table and adds further spice to the mix following his close-up fifth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“Al Qudra brings experience into the Pat Eddery Stakes and I think the step up to seven furlongs can hopefully produce more improvement,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told www.godolphin.com.

“It was a solid effort in the Coventry Stakes and he looks a leading contender with this step up in distance.”

Sylvester Kirk’s Brian and Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s Sandown winner Dividend also take part in an intriguing contest.



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