Oisin Murphy: A Tad hopeful | Doncaster Saturday rides | Royal Ascot news
Oisin Murphy reflects on a highly successful QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket and looks ahead to Saturday at Doncaster, with an eye on Royal Ascot, in this week’s column.
Saturday’s Doncaster Rides
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12.00 - Emirati Dirham
He did nothing wrong first time out at Newcastle when fifth on debut, the lads actually thought he’d improve quite a bit for it and the sire, Mehmas, is on fire, so hopefully he’ll go well.
12.30 – Gossip
Martyn Meade and I obviously team up pretty well and this one’s only had the two runs but gets to run in a handicap because of the special dispensation. She improved a little bit from Salisbury to Wolverhampton last season, but she needs to step up again. You hope that off 65 she’s not badly in.
1.05 – Publicist
I rode her at Newmarket and I loved her. She got a little bit lost in The Dip, she’s a filly that’s going to get a little bit further in time, but I think she’ll run very well. Unless there’s an absolute champion in against her I think she’ll be bang there.
1.40 – Longlai
I don’t know much about this horse, other than that he’s by first-season sire Shalaa. Richard Hannon’s two-year-olds are normally pretty clued up first-time out so hopefully this one knows his job.
2.50 – Always Fearless
I’ve not ridden this horse before but he signed off last season with a win at Chelmsford. Owen Burrows’ Danyah could be well treated off 83, it looks a competitive race.
3.25 – Joyful Mission
I’m thrilled I got on this one, he looks typical of Sir Michael Stoute’s in that you’d expect him to improve with age. He looked progressive before Goodwood last year and his trainer always has to be respected when he has a horse in this type of race.
3.55 – Tadreej
She’s a nice horse and has been working well, I saw her on the gallops a fortnight ago. Mukhadram has done well with his fillies, the one that was fifth in the Guineas, Romsey, is by him as well. She’s got plenty of size about her and you’d hope she’ll have improved.
4.30 – Angel On High (Non Runner)
This owner has been lucky the last few years as he had Knight To Behold and this is his half brother. He was a Group Two winner and his last run, a win at Lingfield, was pretty good and his work has been good since, too. I hope off 79 he’d have a good chance, he should end up being a fair bit better than that.
Kameko sheer class in Guineas
We can’t start anywhere else but Kameko.
What a thrill to win the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on such a good horse. It would obviously have been even better in front of a packed crowd, but when it was just me and him passing the winning post in front it was pure exhilaration.
I was just so pleased for the horse, for everyone at Andrew Balding’s yard, for Sheikh Fahad and everyone at Qatar Racing.
For me, it’s the stuff of dreams.
Since I was a child I dreamt of winning a Classic. There have been massive steps along the way, from my first winner to being Champion Apprentice, from my first Group winner to first Group One, from being Champion Jockey to winning a Classic.
There’s been no time for celebration for me, personally. I was talking about Kameko on BBC News early on Sunday morning, I had 10 rides on Sunday and then eight more on Monday. It’s been full on, but it’s that time of year and I love it.
The big question now is whether Kameko will run in the Investec Derby and if he does – will he stay a mile and a half? The honest answer is, I don’t know.
He has so much pace, which gives you doubts over his ability to stay the Derby trip. But then on the other hand he relaxes so well in his races that he’s going to give himself a very good chance of getting it. Perhaps a lot will depend on the pace of the race.
The Derby hasn’t been given the green light yet, but there’s clearly a strong chance he’ll line up at Epsom. With the Coral-Eclipse not open to three-year-olds this year the Derby becomes even more likely.
If Sandown was an option maybe he would’ve gone straight there, it certainly worked out well for Roaring Lion in the Eclipse, but he had of course already run in the Derby.
It’s just great to have these options with such a wonderful horse, one who won the Guineas thanks to his class but also his tenacity. He did extremely well to get up having being behind a furlong out.
I see Kameko is favourite for the Derby and the one challenging him for favouritism is English King, who beat Berkshire Rocco and myself in the Lingfield Derby Trial.
I know English King very well, I’ve been galloping him at home and he’s a lovely horse. I think quite a bit of him and he absolutely deserves to be up there in the market for the Derby.
It’s shaping up to be a great renewal already.
Dashing will be kept fresh
Dashing Willoughby surprised us with the manner of his win in the Listed Buckhound Stakes.
It was such a competitive race, but obviously Andrew’s horses are in super form and I was thrilled with his performance.
He’s such a tough horse and he’s been very good for my career, having won the Queen’s Vase for me at last year’s Royal Ascot.
One thing to note with Dashing Willoughby is that he clearly performs very well fresh, so we’ll bear that in mind as the season progresses.
He won’t be going to Royal Ascot this year, we’ll keep him for targets later on in the campaign.
Run Wild has Coronation chance
I love Run Wild and she was superb in the Pretty Polly. She’s massive, big, strong and powerful and I feel like a passenger on her, like a centipede on her back!
She’s very good and I adore her, it’s likely she’ll go for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, but it looks like I won’t be able to partner her as I’m likely to be on Sharing for the Americans.
But she’ll be a very good ride for someone and she’ll be right up there in the betting.
Sharing won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for Graham Motion and she won at Churchill Downs last month, paving the way for her Royal Ascot trip. It’s fantastic Royal Ascot still has an international flavour this year and it’s exciting to be in line to ride this filly.
Bell Rock could go for Royal rumble
Bell Rock, who just got there to beat Ouzo at Newmarket on Sunday in a mile handicap, could go to Royal Ascot, as well.
The horse is still quite green, he probably didn’t learn much in his last few starts last year, but he had been moving really well at home and we were happy with him.
The penny didn’t quite drop until late on at the weekend and he could go to Ascot for the Hunt Cup or the consolation race, depending on the entries.
Juveniles teed up for Ascot
I rode some really exciting juveniles at Newmarket last week, I adore Andrew’s three colts for different reasons and they could all run at Royal Ascot next week.
Bright Devil, the Dark Angel, he’s going to go for the Chesham Stakes at Ascot and I think stepping up to seven furlongs will really suit him. He’s a horse with a future and he’s got new owners, he’s going to run for Team Valor and partner now.
Imperial Force would’ve won if he had the rail at Newmarket. William Buick had the rail and it makes a big difference on a first-time out two-year-old, I didn’t knock him about and I really like him, he’s a Camacho that’s been training really well.
And the speediest of the lot would be Tactical for The Queen. He ran over five furlongs and finished third, he just didn’t ping out of the stalls and I got in traffic problems, while he fell in The Dip, but he’s a beautiful horse and he’s come out of the race very well.
He might go for something at Ascot yet but we haven’t finalised plans on that score. I would say they’ll all split up with Bright Devil in the Chesham and the other two won’t run in the same race at the meeting.
And the horse that will most benefit from his Newmarket run…
The half-brother to Teofilo, Future Vision for Saeed bin Suroor. He’s another Dark Angel and he’s a gorgeous horse with loads of size and strength.
He was a little bit slow out of the stalls and then I was on the back foot, the front runners got away from us. He was babyish but he will come on for that and he’s one to keep an eye on.
Catching Pigeons – Via De Vega
I’ve only ridden work once this week and that was Wednesday morning. One of them was Via De Vega who might go to Ascot, we haven’t decided yet. His work has been very good, I think everyone knows how much I love the horse from last year, but they haven’t picked a target for him yet. He has been entered for the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot next Wednesday, but look out for him wherever he goes.
Royal Ascot
I can’t wait for Royal Ascot next week and I’ll be giving my thoughts on all my rides and how the week’s going every day on Sporting Life.
However, I’m particularly excited about a couple of juveniles I’m down to ride starting with Sheriff Bianco in the Windsor Castle.
He’s come over from America for Wesley Ward and Qatar Racing own him. I sat on him on Monday and he’s a big, powerful beast, absolutely massive, loads of strength.
And finally in the Norfolk I ride Michael Bell’s horse The Lir Jet, who Sheikh Fahad has purchased this week.
He won in a very fast time at Yarmouth first time up, breaking the all-age track record. He’ll be one of the favourites and on form he deserves to be, I’m thrilled to be on him.
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