Epsom Monday review: Belgoprince and Billy Coonan win Amateurs' Derby
By Graham Clark
18:16 · MON August 28, 2023
A review of the pick of the action from Epsom on Bank Holiday Monday as Tony Martin and jockey Billy Coonan won the Amateurs' Derby with Belgoprince.
Billy Coonan will be forever thankful for the call he received from Irish trainer Tony Martin on Saturday after securing a "special" victory aboard Belgoprince in the Betfred Nifty Fifty Amateurs' Derby at Epsom ahead of going to university next month.
The 19-year-old joined a roll of honour which includes countrymen, and Grade One-winning Jump jockeys Patrick Mullins and Jamie Codd, when steering the gelded son of Prince Gibraltar to an emphatic success in the £15,000 mile and a half contest.
Receiving a smooth run round, the teenage jockey, who celebrated his first winner aboard Belgoprince’s stablemate Movie King at Down Royal in June, arrived full of running aboard the 12/1 chance as the field hit the final quarter of mile.
Once unleashing his mount the response was instant with Belgoprince quickly putting daylight between himself and his rivals before crossing the 11 lengths clear of favourite, and fellow Irish raider, Liberated Light from the yard of John and Thomas Kiely.
Coonan said: “It is surreal. I came over from Ireland this morning and Tony rang me on Saturday morning saying I’ve got a ride for you. It is just great. We thought we had a bit of a chance, but I didn’t think it would be that easy.
“I wanted to get the rail, but I was one off the rail. Hitting the two (furlong pole) he was travelling so well I went to the lead. He just hit the front running so I let him go and he got the job done.
“It is massive. I’ve only ever had one winner before, so it is extra special to get one here. It means a lot."
While Coonan’s studies will take over from his duties in the saddle when beginning his university studies, he insists he will still try and keep his hand in with his riding.
Coonan added: “I had my first ride last year at the Galway Festival and I’ve been in with Tony Martin most days of the week. I’m just delighted just to get a winner for him.
“I live over in Maynooth in County Kildare and I’m going to university in September. I’m going to study commerce at the University of Galway so it will be back to the books, but I will try and ride at the same time.”
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
Japan strikes for West - and Dream set to go on travels
Adam West hinted at taking in a trip to either America or France with his stable star Live In The Dream, however he was given a warm reception in more familiar surroundings after Satono Japan (12/1) made a returning to winning ways.
Fresh from celebrating his first Group One winner at York on Friday in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Stakes, the Epsom-based handler struck gold on home turf thanks to the success of the Deep Impact gelding in the Churchill Retirement Living Handicap.
However, while delighted to see the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained six-year-old finally get his act together in the mile and a quarter contest, it his plans that he has drawn up for Live In The Dream that has really got West excited
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
With options over here limited for Live In The Dream an outing in either the Prix de l’Abbaye at Paris Longchamp on October 1st or the Grade Two Woodford Stakes Presented By Fan Duel on October 7th will be next on the agenda of the speedster.
West said: “We will only run in France if we have an Indian summer, and the ground isn’t horrendous. Everyone is warning us about how the ground can get bad. The horse is versatile, and he will handle the soft ground, and to be honest it is such a perfect time to bring a horse into a race fitness wise, but it will just be trying to balance that with his head and make sure that he goes there confident.
“I did spot a little race over in Keeneland which is five and a half furlongs, which would probably be an option as well if we can manage to get some stuff organised pretty soon. Ultimately I wouldn’t rule out the Abbaye, but it will be ground dependant.”
As for Satono Japan, who was scoring for the first time since making a winning debut for his previous handler at Kempton Park in 2019, West was full of praise for his assistant trainer, and co-owner Tom Cusden for nursing him back to form.
West added: "It's been a little labour of love for my assistant and co-owner Tom Cusden. He stuck his hand up in the ring, spent the money and he's been a bit of a project ever since then. He's a quirky character but I think we do well with horses who need some extra attention. We sent him hurdling to make him think about racing a little bit and it worked wonders. He's now stuck his nose in front because he doesn't want to go back to Worcester. He's one of the most talented horses I've seen but it's just one of the things we've got to eke out of him is to make him want to do it. It's all about confidence and he's dropped down in grade. He's been able to get a bit of confidence.”
Rest of the action
Few victories are likely to give Aidan Keeley as much delight as the one he celebrated aboard Sir Winston, who provided the apprentice jockey with his first winner at the iconic Surrey venue in the Betfred “Passionate About Sport” Handicap.
Having grown up around 10 miles from the track in Dorking the 22-year-old, who won last year’s bet365 Cambridgeshire aboard Majestic, celebrated a winner at his local track thanks to the half a length victory posted by the Roger Varian-trained Churchill gelding.
Keeley, who joined Newmarket-based Varian in February, said: “That was my first winner at Epsom and it is a bit of a special one really as it is one of my local tracks. I grew up 20 minutes from here in Dorking and went to school there.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
“It is good to get a winner here, especially for my boss Mr Varian as he has given me plenty of support so far. This is my fourth winner for Mr Varian as I’ve won on this lad twice and another horse twice, so it has been going good.”
Although Sir Winston could only finish seventh on his most recent start at Newmarket the five-pound claimer was confident his mount would handle the track having previously won twice this year at Brighton.
Keeley added: “Anything from seven furlongs downwards here would be fairly similar to Brighton as you are running downhill and you are on a left hand turn coming back uphill. The camber here today maybe just caught him off guard a little bit as he was hanging quite badly off the camber the whole way, but he finished off well and he didn’t mind the ground too much.”
Members of the Innovate Racing syndicate had plenty to cheer about after Crimson Spirit opened his account at the third attempt when taking the step up to seven furlongs in his stride in the Juddmonte EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes.
Charting a passage closest to the far side rail the Daniel and Claire Kubler-trained 7/1 chance found extra stamina reserves on his first try over the trip to inflict a length defeat on odd-on favourite Get Jiggy With It.
Richard Kingscote, the winning rider, said: "He was always in a nice rhythm. He wasn't trying to run too free early. He got a nice flow through, found a little gap and picked up nicely. The ground was much nicer than at Nottingham. I was pleased with the way he took me down that hill. We should have some fun with him next year as well."
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
