Tag Archive for: Prydwen

Prydwen booked for Dubai trip after German victory

Prydwen can look forward to further international adventures after landing the German St Leger winner in Dortmund last month.

A winner on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle on Good Friday and even tried in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, the George Scott-trained six-year-old has shot up to a mark of 112 after his most recent success, which has restricted his options domestically and now a winter in the Middle East is on the cards for the son of Camelot.

“He’s really good, obviously off his new inflated rating there is little else left for him here in England, so he’s going to go to Dubai and maybe the Red Sea Handicap in Saudi Arabia,” said Scott, for whom Prydwen was a first runner and winner in Ireland when he took a valuable handicap at Killarney in August.

“I think he probably comes up short in those strong Group races in England, so it’s a matter of thinking outside of the box a little bit, although Dubai is hardly outside of the box.”

Meanwhile, Scott will give his unbeaten two-year-old Bay City Roller the chance to prove his Derby credentials next season.

The New Bay colt has yet to taste defeat on his three career starts, starting with a gallant victory to hold off John and Thady Gosden’s Vecu by a neck on debut at Sandown in July.

He followed that with a more comfortable three-quarter-length success on the all-weather at Chelmsford in August before heading to Town Moor for the Group Two Champagne Stakes on St Leger Day.

Bay City Roller hit the front inside the final furlong and despite a challenge from Aidan O’Brien’s Monumental, Callum Shepherd steered his mount to a half-length triumph to catapult the Victorious Racing-owned youngster into the equation for top-tier contests.

A return to Doncaster for the Futurity Trophy was an option, but connections have opted to head into winter quarters.

“He’s really good, he’s finished for the year. I felt like he’s done enough for this season, he’s a horse for next year,” Scott said.

“It’s early days as to where we will start next season, but we definitely want to give him an opportunity to be a Derby horse. We want to try that first.

“Wherever he starts back, it could be in the Guineas or a Guineas trial, we will see. We will probably see what the spring brings, but very excited by him.

“(It’s) that time of year as well, it’s nice for his profile to go home as an unbeaten two-year-old and he’s got a really exciting year ahead of him next year.”

Scott also provided an update on stable star Isle Of Jura, who suffered a setback after winning the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Isle Of Jura wins the 2024 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot
Isle Of Jura has not been seen since winning the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

The four-year-old was enjoying a stellar campaign which began in Bahrain, taking home large prize money when landing the country’s triple crown at the beginning of the year before returning to British shores to land the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood in May.

The son of New Approach secured the biggest victory of his career at Ascot – his fifth successive triumph – a month later, but he has been on the sidelines since.

“He’s good. He picked up an issue after Ascot that will sadly keep him out of action,” the Eve Lodge handler said.

“Probably the earliest you could see him back is the Jockey Club at Newmarket in the Craven meeting, but it’s not impossible that he will go straight to the Hardwicke. We will see.

“It’s a long way away. His rehab is going really well and if we get a clear run with him, then there shouldn’t be any repercussions of that issue.

“He’s only a young horse in the grand scheme of things. He’s only had one real year of racing so he’s got his whole future ahead of him, but we are keen to make sure we gave him all the time he needs.”



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Prydwen tees up Northumberland Plate tilt with Southwell strike

The Northumberland Plate is likely to be next on the agenda for Prydwen after he continued his lucrative all-weather campaign in the Liz And Izzy’s Hoap Podcast Handicap at Southwell.

An impressive winner on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle a month ago, the six-year-old was a 3-1 joint-favourite for the £75,000 feature on this Premier Raceday fixture in Nottinghamshire.

Carrying top-weight of 9st 12lb, Prydwen sat in the slipstream of the pacesetting Pledgeofallegiance for much of the two-mile contest and was the only horse still on the bridle rounding the final bend.

Callum Shepherd angled his mount towards the stands’ rail once straightening up for home and George Scott’s charge was well on top as he passed the post a length and a half clear of Onesmoothoperator.

Scott said: “I know it sounds crazy at the age of six, but we seem to have unlocked the way to ride him by default at Newcastle. He’s quite a nervous horse and he’s run his worst races when he’s been claustrophobic, so the plan today was always to get up on the pace and sit on the outside.

“I thought Callum gave him a really sensible ride and it was a very good performance from the horse, carrying that weight and giving 13lb to the second.

“I think he’ll probably go for the Northumberland Plate. He’ll probably have plenty of weight, but he can clearly give weight away on that surface and the Plate is over a course and distance he’s won over, so it’s an absolute no-brainer.

“If he was to win the Northumberland Plate, we might look at the Goodwood Cup, but we’ll see.”

Derby entrant Sardinian Warrior was an emphatic winner of the Boost Your Football Acca At Planet Sport Bet Novice Stakes.

A promising second on his Kempton introduction in December, the son of Saxon Warrior was the 7-4 favourite for his reappearance and was not hard pressed to scoot four and a half lengths clear under hand driving from Kieran Shoemark, with newcomer T’Challa one to note in second.

“He kind of did everything I expected of him,” Shoemark told Sky Sports Racing.

“We ended up in front a long way from home and I think there was a combination of him being green, which he’s entitled to be, and possibly getting tired as well – he’s having a nice blow.

“We always knew he was going to come on for today, so it was very encouraging.”

On whether Sardinian Warrior could take up his engagement in the Dante Stakes at York on May 16, the jockey added: “I’m really not sure, obviously we’ll see how he comes out of today and that’s not a decision I’ll be making, but I really liked what I felt from him today and I’m sure there’s plenty more to come.”

Blue Day justified short-priced favouritism for the in-form Harry Charlton with victory in the Download The Planet Sport Bet App Handicap.

Not seen since picking up the silver medal on his third career start at Kempton in October, the three-year-old was a 6-5 shot for his handicap debut and got the job done readily under Oisin Murphy.

“Harry Charlton took out the licence in his own right at the start of this year and is doing really well. He said this horse had trained well and it was probably a good spot for him, so it was nice to get it all together,” said Murphy.

“It was a little bit messy, stop-start sort of race, but I was able to get to the fence and it was straightforward. He’s a powerful type and hopefully he’ll go through the grades.”

Murphy made it a quickfire double when Tom Clover’s 5-2 favourite Al Barez got the better of a late battle with Billyjoh in the Read Harry Cobden’s Blog At Planet Sport Bet Handicap over six furlongs.

Charlie Johnston and Joe Fanning teamed up to win the first two races on the card, with Baileys Khelstar (16-5) dominating his rivals in the Race By Race Southwell Specials @planetsportbet Handicap before Francophone (11-1) impressed in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Planet Sport Bet Fillies’ Handicap.



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Tudhope proves super-sub as Prydwen sails clear in Marathon

Benoit de la Sayette’s loss was Danny Tudhope’s gain as Prydwen ran out an easy winner of the BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap.

With former champion apprentice De La Sayette stuck in traffic on his way north, George Scott turned to Tudhope for the six-year-old and few ride Gosforth Park better than the Scotsman.

Sent off a 10-1 chance, Tudhope settled just on the quarters of the pace-making Palace Boy, before he made his move shortly after turning into the straight.

Tudhope headed to the rail and soon accounted for Palace Boy and while the hat-trick seeking Spartan Army and Vaguely Royal looked in prime position to attack, they could not get near the winner.

The race was over a furlong out as long as Prydwen saw out the trip and he ran right through the line. Duke Of Oxford made late gains to claim second, beaten three and a half lengths, with Spartan Army in third.

Prydwen always had matters under control
Prydwen always had matters under control (Richard Sellers/PA)

Tudhope said: “He gave me a lovely ride, I had a nice position early, he was happy where he was and he controlled the pace.

“I was always confident, I was always going well. I don’t know much about his form, it was a late call-up. George said the track might not play to his strengths, but he travelled sweetly and did it the hard way.”

Scott, who was at Lingfield, said: “It wasn’t poor Benoit’s fault at all, there was a crash right in front of him and he couldn’t help it, but we were delighted when Danny was available and took the ride.

“He’s an outstanding jockey and his decision at the start of the race to make up ground easily played a huge part in the way he was able to dictate the race.

“It was a really good performance. He’s been a light-framed horse, so we’ve given him a bit of time and he’s filled into his frame. He’s a bit older and wiser and that performance opens a few doors, I think he deserves a go at Royal Ascot in something like the Copper Horse Handicap.”

He went on: “A huge amount of credit has to go to ARC (Arena Racing Company) for today. They’ve put on two very good meetings, there are big crowds at both meetings, excellent prize-money and very competitive fields.”



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