Tag Archive for: Jack Channon

Channon sees Attitude fitting the bill for Nunthorpe challenge

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Jack Channon is eager to strike while the iron is hot with recent Deauville scorer Miss Attitude and add her into the mix for the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York next week.

The five-year-old won stylishly at Listed level at the weekend and holds an entry for Naas’ Ballyogan Stakes two days after the Nunthorpe.

However, the West Isley handler would prefer to pay the £40,000 required to supplement and take on the best around on the Knavesmire, feeling his in-form mare has the chance to make her mark in an open division.

Channon said: “I would love to be able to supplement her for the Nunthorpe next week, the quick ground which we should get there and the fast pace which always comes with the Nunthorpe should suit her down to the ground.

“This year and previous years, it’s so tight at the top of the five-furlong division and there is no real standout. On their day pretty much anything in the field could win the race if things go to plan.

“I’m not saying she’ll win it, but even if she could go and be placed in it, it would be massive for her pedigree and she’s a great mare for the team at Norman Court Stud (owners) where I’m sure she will be going at some point to be a broodmare.

“I would be really keen to give it a go, but if we don’t then we do have lots of other options as well.”

Miss Attitude is a 25-1 shot with William Hill for the Nunthorpe and reflecting on her Deauville victory, Channon added: “It was a great performance at Deauville and she did it very well.

“She’s had everything in her favour in terms of the strong pace to aim at and quick ground, but Rob (Hornby) gave her a peach of a ride.

“She’s arrived back and had a day back in the pens and we’ll see her canter tomorrow, but she seems to have come back really well and she travelled well so all looks good to the future.”

Kind Of Blue on retrieval mission in Chipchase

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After missing Royal Ascot, Kind Of Blue attempts to regain the winning thread at Newcastle on Saturday in the JenningsBet Chipchase Stakes.

James Fanshawe’s star speedster claimed Group One honours at Ascot last October and was being teed-up for a return to the Berkshire track for the Royal meeting.

However, after his belated reappearance at Chantilly in the Prix du Gros-Chene went wrong leaving the stalls and with owners Wathnan Racing having a crack team for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the decision was taken to take stock and divert to the slightly calmer waters of this Group Three event.

Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown said: “The plan was to obviously give him the prep race in France and it all just went wrong and he was left standing in the stalls for a very long time, then the horse next to him reared causing him to rear just as they were about to let them go and we missed the break by a very long way.

“We decided to miss Ascot because we wanted to get him back on track before building back up, so we dodged Ascot and obviously we had Lazzat and Flora Of Bermuda for that race (first and third).

“We left Ascot behind in favour of coming here to hopefully give him a chance to start his season properly and we’re looking forward to seeing him run.”

Kind Of Blue’s display at Gosforth Park could determine how the rest of his season maps out, with connections keen to see the same dash of quality that made the son of Blue Point a must have purchase for the Emir of Qatar’s team last autumn.

“I think the July Cup will come too soon, but we will see how this goes before making any firm plans,” continued Brown, when assessing future options.

“At the moment we want to see Kind Of Blue show us he’s as good as he was on Champions Day last year. All the signs are positive and he’s been working very well but he’s got to go and show it on the racecourse.

“We’ll watch him run and make a plan after that.”

However, Kind Of Blue will not get things all his own way with Jack Channon’s progressive Ferrous now stepping into Group company in the form of his life after racking up an early season hat-trick.

“He’s in great form, obviously after his last win we had the Chipchase on our minds so we’ve freshened him right up,” said Channon, whose five-year-old was a winner over course and distance in May.

“He’s had time out in the paddock and has been training really well the last few weeks. He went for a racecourse gallop last week, it went really well so we are all set for Saturday.”

Others with winning form at Newcastle in the race include Clive Cox’s Diligent Harry and Mick Appleby’s Annaf, while Owen Burrows’ Alyanaabi was second to City Of Troy as a juvenile and now scratches the itch of connections to try six furlongs sporting first-time blinkers.

“It’s a stiff six at Newcastle and Jim (Crowley) has always intimated he wouldn’t mind trying that” said Burrows.

“We’re going first-time blinkers as well, so we thought this might be the perfect time to give it a go.

“He was obviously disappointing at Haydock last time and Jim felt he perhaps wasn’t putting 100 per cent in hence the blinkers. But he’s been fine since and goes there in good shape.”

In-form Channon backing Ferrous to show his metal

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Jack Channon is confident in-form stable star Ferrous can give a good account in his bid to continue his perfect five-year-old campaign by landing the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on Saturday.

The son of Dark Angel has yet to taste defeat in 2025 after clinching three victories on the all-weather at Lingfield, Southwell and Gosforth Park, and he will return to the latter in his bid to win the Group Three race over six furlongs.

“He’s going up in grade and taking on better horses, we just hope he’s good enough to take them on,” Channon said.

“He seems to like the all-weather and he’s in great form, so we go there with a great chance.”

Channon and his team at West Ilsley have been in hot form in recent weeks, which included a run of five winners from seven runners earlier this month, and the trainer praised the efforts of his staff.

“We work very hard, it’s not as straightforward as you think, we work really hard to pick the right races with the right conditions and the right people on board,” he added.

“The team at West Ilsley are doing an amazing job to produce all the horses, there’s a lot that goes into it, but I’m just thankful it’s going well.”

Ferrous’ winning streak has convinced Channon that regardless of his performance on his first start at Pattern level, he believes the grey can compete in Group races from now on.

“Looking at his handicap mark now, we will be looking at stakes races for him going forward and hopefully he can progress,” Channon said.

“We just hope he’s going to be a Group horse going forward. Unless he has a big run of disappointments, he will be out of the handicaps now.”

Urban Lion sets up Royal Hunt Cup tilt with Sandown success

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Royal Ascot is calling for Urban Lion, who is set for a quick turnaround after booking his ticket to the Royal Hunt Cup in commanding fashion at Sandown on Saturday.

Jack Channon’s four-year-old has enjoyed a fine start to 2025, winning on the all-weather at Chelmsford before going down narrowly at Newbury in the valuable Spring Cup.

That agonising loss brought the Royal meeting on the agenda, but needing to go up in the weights to guarantee his place in the Royal Hunt Cup field, the West Ilsley handler felt obliged to run his improving gelding in the Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap in hope of securing a penalty.

Sent off 9-4 in the hands of Edward Greatrex, Urban Lion was always in touch with the leaders and after moving stylishly into contention, kept on nicely for a two-length victory that saw him cut to 25-1 from 40s for next week’s Royal Hunt Cup by Paddy Power.

“He did that really smooth and Eddie said he did it really well and when he hit the front he pricked his ears and dossed around so there was plenty left,” said Channon.

“It was a very pleasing performance to see but also quite frustrating that it wasn’t at Ascot off that mark. We’ll have the penalty now and we can go to Ascot off the back of this.

“He’s been trained for the Hunt Cup since going close in the Spring Cup at Newbury and his preparation for next week has been flawless.

Urban Lion won nicely for Jack Channon
Urban Lion won nicely for Jack Channon (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“However, it became apparent earlier in the week he wasn’t going to get in so he had to go and win today and then hope he comes out of it well enough and is also well-handicapped enough to go and perform.

“This is a very nice horse that has taken a lot of patience from his owners and also everyone at home but he’s paying it back in bundles now and I think his trajectory is only going to go up and up.”

Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy enjoyed a double when 6-4 favourite Gladius won the opening Download The BetMGM App Handicap before Dance In The Storm (5-2 joint-favourite) bounced back to form impressively in the Bet £10 Get £40 With BetMGM Handicap.