Tag Archive for: migration

Migration seeking to recapture sparkle in Lincoln

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David Menuisier is keeping his fingers crossed that Migration can recapture his old sparkle when bidding for back-to-back wins in the Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday.

The veteran gelding finished strongly up the stands’ rail to storm past well-fancied duo Awaal and Baradar 12 months ago, scoring at 18-1.

He struggled to reproduce that form thereafter, trailing in well beaten on three subsequent outings, but they were all hot contests.

Migration stepped up to Group Three company in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown, had to carry over 10st in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot and signed off his season in a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud.

The handicapper has thrown him a lifeline by dropping his mark to 4lb above last year’s Lincoln triumph and Menuisier is hoping the fire still burns as brightly at the age of eight.

“Obviously, it’s a hard task but he is well, we know he likes the course and he likes to run fresh and he always runs well at this time of the year, so fingers crossed that the stars can align again,” said the trainer.

“He kind of lost his form late on last season, so it’s hard to predict what’s happening with those older horses.

“He stayed in the yard all winter, I didn’t give him a holiday this time around because he had a long break last summer, so we tried to keep him up to his work a bit more.

“We’ll see if it makes a difference. The ground will probably be very similar and maybe we just need a bit of luck.”

Doncaster Races – Saturday April 1st
Migration and connections after last year’s Lincoln (Nigel French/PA).

Awaal is the ante-post favourite to go one better this term after 56 entries stood their ground for the one-mile contest.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s five-year-old is back on the same mark after also going on to be placed in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot and Newmarket’s Bunbury Cup before faltering in the second half of the season.

September course and distance winner Liberty Lane is also prominent in the betting for Karl Burke after being gelded over the winter.

John and Thady Gosden will seek to strike for the second time in four years via Mostabshir, while Jack Channon will bid to match the exploits of his father Mick with 2022 hero Johan.

“Awaal had to settle for second place behind Migration 12 months ago but Simon and Ed Crisford’s runner is being well backed to go one place better this time in the opening major handicap of the Flat season,” said Coral’s John Hill.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield added: “Last year’s runner-up Awaal, who has been our best-backed horse ante post, remains in the reckoning at the five-day stage and sits proudly at the front of the market as favourite for the Flat turf season’s traditional pipe-opener.”



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Migration back for Balmoral bid

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Migration will aim to land his second major handicap of the season off top weight when he runs in the Balmoral at Ascot on Champions Day.

Trained by David Menuisier, the seven-year-old won the Lincoln at Doncaster on the opening weekend of the season and is aiming to bookend his campaign in fine style.

He has only run once since, when failing to get involved in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown, but Menuisier hopes the return to testing ground and, more importantly, a big field will see him recapture his best.

“We gave him a break in the summer to try to run him in this race. We know he loves the big fields and it looks like he will have his ground, so we are looking forward to it,” said Menuisier.

“We know he can carry big weights and the hustle and bustle of the big handicaps suit him, so we’ve aimed at it.

“Look, off his weight I’m not saying he’s going to go and win, but I know he’ll give his best and we’ll see where he ends up. I’m not a statistician but I assume winning handicaps off 113 has not been done very often. Hopefully class rises to the top.”

Sunway is on course for an outing at Saint-Cloud
Sunway is on course for an outing at Saint-Cloud (PA)

It could be a big weekend for Menuisier who is sending Champagne Stakes second Sunway to France for a Group One, though whether he runs in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs or the Criterium International over a mile is not quite decided.

He said: “The plan is for Sunway to run I’m just not sure which race yet. I’ve left him in both races to have a look but sadly it looks as if all the other trainers did the same!

“It’s pretty much the same horses in both races. I think our preference is to run him over a mile but I have little doubt he would stay 10 furlongs.

“I’ll have a chat with the owner but at this stage we’re favouring the mile. His Doncaster run was good and the form, with Rosallion winning the Lagardere and Mountain Bear winning a black type race in Ireland, has worked out.”



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Migration campaign hinges on handicap mark

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David Menuisier is awaiting the handicapper’s assessment of Migration’s victory in the Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday before considering plans for the rest of the season.

The burden of top-weight proved no barrier to success for the seven-year-old in the traditional feature on the first day of the British Flat season as he was produced with a withering late run by Benoit De La Sayette to emerge triumphant.

The win came off a mark of 107 and Menuisier will be better placed to scour the programme book for future options once the assessor has had his say on Tuesday.

“He has come out of the race well and all is good,” said the Sussex-based Frenchman.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does, but he is seven and doesn’t need to run 15 times this year.

“It’s all up in the air really. I think there’s a decent chance handicaps will be out, but I can’t completely discard races like the Hunt Cup (at Royal Ascot).”

David Menuisier at Doncaster on Saturday
David Menuisier at Doncaster on Saturday (Nigel French/PA)

While Migration’s Lincoln success came over a mile in testing conditions, he has previously won over a mile and a quarter on good ground at York, suggesting he is not reliant on soft ground.

Menuisier added: “I think he’s quite versatile. I actually thought in the past he was probably better over further than a mile, but obviously that was a career-best at the weekend.

“Maybe the handicapper was on holiday and didn’t see him! It goes without saying handicaps are going to be a long shot now and he might have to go to the next level in a Listed race or a Group Three.”



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Migration provides De La Sayette with second Lincoln success

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Benoit De La Sayette produced top-weight Migration with a perfectly-timed challenge to claim his second victory in the Pertemps Network Lincoln at Doncaster.

Previously successful in the traditional feature on the first day of the British Flat season aboard Haqeeqy in 2021, De La Sayette was crowned champion apprentice last term and it is not hard to see why.

Migration, trained by David Menuisier, won valuable handicaps at Goodwood and York in the summer of 2021 but only made it to the track three times last season.

Making his first appearance since finishing fourth in a Listed event at Newmarket in October, the seven-year-old was an 18-1 chance for his Town Moor return and benefited from the coolest of cool rides from his young rider.

Entering the final furlong it looked like proven mud lover Baradar might emerge triumphant after travelling smoothly into contention, with the well supported Awaal also right in the mix.

But having raced at the rear of the field for much of the straight-mile contest, Migration powered home against the stands’ rail and had a length- and-a-quarter in hand over Awaal at the line.

De La Sayette said: “He’s a horse that likes to come from off the pace. He came from off the pace in the Balmoral on Champions Day but I could never find the gaps. He finished off that race really strong, so we thought we’d try the same tactics today.

“The Lincoln is the Lincoln and it is very hard to find the gaps, so I’m very happy I found them at the right time. He really ran on in the last furlong and hit the line strong.

“To carry top-weight in that ground, it was a great performance. I ride a lot for Mr Menuisier, we have a good connection, and he told me to just do the same as at Ascot, as he just loves to come from off the pace. Luckily he was right.

“Last year went so well for me and to win this again, two years after winning on Haqeeqy right at the start of my career, is a fairytale.”

Menuisier said: “Not many top weights who are seven win the Lincoln but he’s so lightly raced, he doesn’t have much mileage.

“He’s been giving us the right signals all the way through so we were actually quite confident. He flies on this ground, anything from good to soft to heavy is absolutely fine.

David Menuisier saddled Migration to win the Lincoln
David Menuisier saddled Migration to win the Lincoln (Simon Cooper/PA)

“We’ll have to go into Pattern races now. He’s won that off 107 with a 3lb claim, he’ll be around 110 now, so I think that’s the end of handicaps and we’ll look at black type races – hopefully he can handle it.

“We’ll be patient anyway, because he’s very good fresh. He’s already made his money for this year and next – it’s a great way to start the season.”

Joint-trainer Simon Crisford said of the runner-up Awaal: “He’s run really well, I’m very happy with him. We’ve got a lovely horse for the rest of the season ahead of us and he likes that ground.

“It’s the name of the game and you’ve got to take it (defeat) on the chin.

“We might step him up in distance.”

Of the third-placed Baradar, trainer George Boughey said: “I’m very happy, he’s run a big race and I think seven furlongs is his ideal trip.

“He bolted up here over seven on this ground. Kevin (Stott) said he just didn’t quite see it out as well as possibly stouter-bred horses.”



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