Tag Archive for: Redcar

Waterlogging claims Redcar action

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Monday’s fixture at Redcar has been called off due to a waterlogged track.

The venue was due to stage a seven-race card but significant rain overnight left clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson with no option but to abandon.

He said: “The forecast changed yesterday afternoon and while we were expecting rain, it changed from a couple of millimetres to a significant amount overnight.

“We’ve had seven millimetres since 1am and it is still raining now with probably another 7mm forecast.

“It’s just been so wet all winter that it’s taken relatively little rain to push us over.”

Wednesday’s card at Nottingham, which was due to feature the Listed Further Flight Stakes, has also been called off.

Officials inspected the track at 8am on Monday but parts of the course remain unraceable following further overnight rain, with little prospect of sufficient improvement ahead of racing.



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Hayley Turner managing to smile after dramatic Storm Babet rescue

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Hayley Turner made it safely to Ascot for Qipco British Champions Day after requiring a dramatic rescue from her flooded car on Friday.

The record-breaking rider is currently hunting down her 1,000th career victory and was hoping to arrive in Berkshire on 999 winners with a fancied ride on Docklands in the closing Balmoral Handicap.

Turner was expecting to ride Run Zarak Run at Redcar on Friday – but never made it to the north-east track after having to place an emergency call when her car was swamped in the midst of Storm Babet.

While Turner emerged unscathed, Run Zarak Run duly romped home under replacement PJ McDonald to add to her woes.

She told ITV Racing: “My dream was nearly in place, but I had a bit of an incident yesterday. Basically my car is floating down the Great North Road somewhere on my way to Redcar.

“I had to call 999 and get the fireman to come and rescue me – I actually got a fireman’s lift out of my car window!

“The horse then won about 15 lengths so a very frustrating day. I’m car-less and win-less as well.”



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Dragon Leader on the hunt for another big pay day at Redcar

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Dragon Leader has already proven to be a real money-spinner this season and will be chasing more sales race riches in the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar.

Following a Salisbury double, the Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds-owned juvenile picked up just under £150,000 for winning a similar contest at York in August.

Clive Cox’s son of El Kabeir then had to settle for second best behind Room Service in a Weatherbys-backed event at Doncaster, but still collected almost £60,000 for his efforts that day.

With the weights for Saturday’s Listed-class race again framed around auction ring activities, the bargain buy is once more favoured by conditions.

Dragon Leader won by a wide margin at York
Dragon Leader won by a wide margin at York (Nick Robson/PA)

Sam Hoskins, racing manager for Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds, said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing him run again and it’s a perfect fit in terms of where he sits in the weights because of his sire’s median price.

“The ground was just a bit too soft for him at Doncaster but he still ran a very game race to finish second and it was another good day all round. Hopefully, it will be a little quicker at Redcar on Saturday, as that will suit him much better.

“He doesn’t owe us anything and we’re obviously aware of the fact that it’s the end of a relatively busy first season for him.

“But Clive says he’s going well at home and showing no signs of being over the top, so fingers crossed he holds his form.

“It’s quite nerve-wracking being odds-on for such a valuable race, but we’ve got 15 of his owners going up to Redcar and it promises to be another great day out.”

There is always the temptation for syndicate owners to cash in on a star juvenile, but Dragon Leader’s 16 patrons appear to be in it for the long haul.

“There were quite a few enquiries about him after his win at York but his syndicate are in it for the sport and a bit of fun, so it would have taken an exceptional offer to tempt anyone,” added Hoskins.

“He’s a horse that’s got plenty of scope and we’re all very excited about where he could take us again next season.”

Karl Burke’s Kylian looked the main danger but was taken out on Friday morning when he was found to be lame.

Richard Fahey’s Flaccianello was two and a half lengths adrift of Dragon Leader when fifth at Doncaster last month but has since secured her third success in an Ayr nursery and is the second choice of the bookmakers.



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Ground key to autumn campaign for Dragon Leader

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Connections of Dragon Leader were left feeling proud of his valiant second in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster last week.

Trained by Clive Cox, the son of El Kabeir headed to the St Leger meeting with an unbeaten record and lofty reputation to maintain having scooped a valuable prize at York’s Ebor meeting last month.

Encountering soft ground for the first time, Dragon Leader failed to pick up with his usual zest and had to battle for a place on the podium as Kevin Ryan’s Room Service took home the spoils.

However, despite tasting defeat for the first time, he added just over £59,000 to the £147,540 he collected on the Knavesmire and Sam Hoskins, racing manager for owner Kennett Valley Thoroughbreds, is confident there are more big days to come.

He said: “We were really proud of him. The ground was all wrong but we kind of had to run off that weight.

“It wasn’t for him and he didn’t enjoy it, but he was so game at the end getting up for second, which meant a lot for the syndicate because the prize-money is huge. He earnt more there than the Mill Reef winner will win on Saturday.

“He’s really game and he does want the quicker ground and he just couldn’t quicken off that ground at Doncaster. However, it was still a really good run and there’s plenty to look forward to in the future.”

The future could include another venture north for Redcar’s William Hill Two Year Old Trophy on October 7.

The Listed event, where Dragon Leader would again carry a featherweight, appears the preferred option. But with the potential for soft appearing in the going description, connections will bide their time before confirming their next move.

“We’ll have to see how he is and Clive says he’s fine, but he had his first hard race last week,” continued Hoskins.

“The Redcar race would make a lot of sense for him because he would have a low weight in that as well, but again the ground would be a major question mark potentially. If it came up soft, I’m not sure we will go again in the ground.

“There is also a very valuable race up at York (British EBF £100,000 Final, October 13) and other Pattern races, but the horse will tell Clive if he’s ready and then Clive will tell us!

“If he doesn’t run again this season he owes us nothing, but if the ground came up dry at Redcar, that race would make a lot of sense.”



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Curragh forced to abandon Sunday’s action

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Sunday’s meeting at the Curragh failed to survive an early morning inspection, with racing abandoned due to areas of waterlogging at the track.

Racing went ahead at the Kildare venue on Saturday with Savethelastdance’s Irish Oaks win the highlight, but persistent heavy rainfall began midway through the card and continued throughout the evening which brought about Sunday’s 7.30am check on conditions.

The highlight of Sunday’s card was set to be the Group Two Romanised Minstrel Stakes, where Joseph O’Brien’s Jumbly and Dermot Weld’s Irish 1,000 Guineas fourth Tarawa were disputing favouritism, but with areas of the track found to be unfit for racing and further rain forecast, officials were left with no option but to abandon the meeting.

Brendan Sheridan, IHRB clerk of the course said: “We have had 23 millimetres of rain since around 4pm yesterday and parts of the track are waterlogged and unfit for racing.

“It is currently still raining and having spoken with Met Éireann this morning, they are forecasting a further 5-10mm of rain today so unfortunately, we have been left with no option but to cancel the fixture today.”

The Minstrel Stakes has been rescheduled for Thursday’s evening card at Leopardstown, with the cancelled Curragh card moved to August 13.

In a series of calendar changes, the Group Three Rathbride Fillies Stakes has been moved to Gowran next Saturday, with the Listed Hurry Harriet Fillies Stakes due to be run at Gowran on August 16 now added to the switched Curragh meeting.

Racing at Redcar was called off on Sunday
Racing at Redcar was called off on Sunday (Richard Sellers/PA)

Heavy rainfall has also seen the abandonment of Sunday’s Flat action at Redcar, with the track failing to pass an 8am precautionary inspection.

A tweet from the racecourse’s twitter account said: “Unfortunately today’s race meeting has been abandoned due to significant rainfall overnight and more expected today.

“We are desperately disappointed, Circus Family Fun Day is one of the family highlights of our season, and a key part of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival.”

Monday’s jumps card at Cartmel has also been cancelled following a midday inspection on Sunday, with the track waterlogged after 15mm of rain overnight and further rain expected.



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