Tag Archive for: Green Impact

Green Impact set to miss rest of season

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Jessica Harrington has been forced to rule Green Impact out for the remainder of the season.

A smart juvenile, he beat Delacroix in his maiden and in the Champion Juvenile Stakes at the Curragh.

This season he finished sixth to Ruling Court in the 2000 Guineas before winning a Listed race which teed him up for a crack at the Irish Derby.

Sixth again there, he was last seen finishing fourth in the Sky Bet York Stakes, but he picked up an injury on the Knavesmire.

“Green Impact won’t run again this season. He got an injury in York,” said Harrington.

“He’ll be back next year.”

Fellow smart juvenile Hotazhell, who also beat Delacroix in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, has had a frustrating season waiting for his preferred soft ground.

He has not been far away in three Group Ones, the most recent of which was the Saratoga Derby where he was beaten a length and three-quarters into fourth.

“We’re waiting with Hotazhell and he could run at the Irish Champions Festival, he could go to France and there is also British Champions Day,” said Harrington.

“We’ll run him when we get suitable ground.”

Harrington hoping for maximum Impact in Irish Derby

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Green Impact winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby would be “top of the list” according to Jessica Harrington, eclipsing her Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Chase-winning exploits over obstacles.

Harrington is perhaps mostly known for the long and distinguished career of star two-mile chaser Moscow Flyer and the subsequent blue riband win of Sizing John, but she has also made her mark on the level and having bagged the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Irish Oaks previously now has her eye on the Curragh’s elite contest for three-year-old colts.

Harrington said: “These are very important races and ones that are recognised worldwide – just like winning a Champion Chase and Gold Cup in the National Hunt sphere, but winning an Irish Derby would be fantastic.

“It would very much be top of the list, so I would love to win the Irish Derby.”

Green Impact has won three of his four starts since narrowly beaten on debut at the Curragh during Irish Derby weekend 12 months ago.

He impressed when winning the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown earlier this month, a welcome confidence booster after losing a shoe at a vital stage of the 2000 Guineas on his return.

Harrington added: “I wouldn’t say he didn’t get the run of the race in the 2000 Guineas as he travelled into the race great, but when he got down to the dip he went to change his legs and went to go and try to win the race and he then just lost a shoe and got a bit unbalanced and ended up finishing sixth.

“At the time I was disappointed but coming out of that race afterwards he was sore and so we gave him a bit of time. The intention was to go to the French Derby but we didn’t get there, so we gave him the run in Leopardstown and all roads lead to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby after that.”

Trainer Jessica Harrington would love to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
Trainer Jessica Harrington would love to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Mike Egerton/PA)

Now the son of Wootton Bassett is a best price of 10-1 for his Classic assignment, as he prepares to tackle a mile and a half for the first time in a race that could feature the first three home from the Epsom equivalent.

“I think he’ll benefit for the step up in trip, he won over a mile as a two-year-old and usually if they do that they stay,” added Harrington.

“He’s by Wootton Bassett and out of a Galileo mare and he’s also a very laid-back character and very relaxed and easy to do anything with, so I think he will stay.

“It’s a big task and everyone looks and sees only 10 runners, but the majority of those 10 runners are quality horses.”

Green Impact gunning for Irish Derby following Glencairn glory

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All roads lead to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for Green Impact following his victory at Leopardstown last week.

Jessica Harrington’s son of sire-of-the-moment Wootton Bassett returned to winning ways in the Glencairn Stakes having finished sixth in the 2000 Guineas.

He made all the running that day but with Epsom hero Lambourn more than likely to adopt those tactics at the Curragh, Green Impact’s connections are more than happy to take a lead.

“After Thursday we were just hoping there would be some pace in the Irish Derby but now it looks like he is going to have a lead,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to owner Marc Chan.

“Green Impact will improve for that race. Had he been 100 per cent then he would have been in the French Derby four days before.

“He just hadn’t had the ideal preparation since Newmarket to go and run in France, I’d say he was around 85 per cent ready.

“It looks a good Guineas this year and Green Impact lost a shoe and didn’t handle the dip.

“We’d liked to have gone to France but it was smart not to go as he’d had a problem with a muscle.

“He was only getting 5lb instead of 10lb off the older horses so that was a fair effort I thought.”

Chan also part-owns the Ralph Beckett-trained Stanhope Gardens, who finished fifth at Epsom, but no decision has been taken as yet on his next target.

“I think it was a good run. It’s too soon to say where he might go next,” said McCalmont.

“We’ll discuss it in a week or so. Wherever he does go next he can only improve given his preparation.”

Chan’s stalwart Kinross proved the fire still burns bright when narrowly beaten on his return to action at Haydock.

“We knew he’d come to hand a lot earlier this year,” said McCalmont.

“At the end of last year we were wondering if was still what he was but if you give him time between his races he definitely is. When he’s fresh he’s a very good horse.

“The three-year-olds this year look very good so I’d say the July Cup this year might be a long shot so the races at Goodwood (Lennox) and York (City of York) are more than likely where he’ll turn up, ground permitting.”