George Boughey 2023 Stable Tour including Cachet and Missed The Cut

Last season’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet and exciting three-year-old sprinter Al Dasim head a strong Boughey team. However, Missed The Cut, one of Boughey’s stable stars in 2022 who gave him a memorable Royal Ascot winner in the Golden Gates Handicap, has left the yard to continue his racing career in America with Flightline’s trainer John Sadler following his disappointing run in the Neom Cup in Saudi Arabia in February.

Speaking to SBK, Boughey said: “The Spring is very exciting. Each year puts a different spin on it, but we’ve got some nice horses this year, particularly three-year-olds.

"We’re always trying to evolve and change the type of horse and quality of horse that we train. We’ve got a lot more horses that we are trying to lay out for the bigger meetings, and I think that’s where everyone wants to be. We had winners at Newmarket, Goodwood, and Ascot and we want to try and do that again this year, but it takes a bit of planning!

"We’ve had a slightly slower start this year, but that’s been intentional. We’ve been to Dubai which was a success and we’ve had fewer all-weather runners. We’ve got more horses coming through the ranks and more horses who won their maiden and have been put away. We’ve also got a couple of horses for the trials so that’s very exciting."

When pushed for one older horse, one three-year-old and one two-year-old to follow, these were who Boughey put forward:

Older horse to follow

“Via Sistina would probably be the older horse outside of Cachet who we don’t really know about yet. She’s done very well physically, and she’ll have all the right entries. Hopefully, we can win a big one with her."

Three-year-old to follow

“Al Dasim probably has to be the star of the show given what we saw in Dubai. He’s tailor-made for five furlongs and fast ground this summer. Dropping back against his own age is going to be the key. It was only his third birthday last week, so he wasn’t a fully mature horse taking on those older horses. I’m looking forward to seeing him against horses his own age.”

Two-year-old to follow

"The two-year-old to follow at the moment would be Soprano. She’s a striking filly who we saw this morning. She’s still on the weak side but to be doing what she is doing is very pleasing. We look forward to seeing her on the track very soon."

OLDER HORSES

All The King’s Men – 5yo:

“All The King’s Men slightly fluffed his lines a bit the other day. He was drawn wide, so we had to sit at the back and was beaten by a very good horse of Clive Cox’s. Since he won at Lingfield, the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot has been his plan. I think a straight track will allow him to get into the race a bit easier. He’s got a way to go but he reminds me of a horse like Inver Park last year who could be getting there late so we’re going to try to sneak into that race there.”

Baradar – 5yo:

“Baradar is doing great. Quite like Totally Charming they were in the both the Irish and English Lincoln and they are both weak stayers over a mile on soft ground. They both want soft ground, but he will go down in trip for the Victoria Cup. The Buckingham Palace has to be his main target. He does want to get his toe in, so he’ll have a declaration and we’ll make a decision on the day but he’s certainly better with ease in the ground.”

Cachet – 4yo:

“Cachet’s been great. She missed quite a lot of work towards the backend of last year. She had a very busy time going from the Nell Gwynn to two Guineas and then Royal Ascot. With a filly of that quality, they deserve time and it’s great for Highclere to have a Classic winner going on as a four-year-old this year. Her target has been the Chartwell Stakes at Lingfield for some time, so we’ll try and get her there. The fillies' races really start in earnest after Royal Ascot so we’re in no immediate rush with her, but we’d love to get her to Lingfield. We’ve had a wet spring so we’re hoping to get better ground going forward, but she’s been training well and there is plenty to look forward to with her.

She was on fumes in the 1000 Guineas at the end having made the gallop which not many horses have done. I look forward to seeing her back down in trip. More has been made about that because I said I didn’t want to go up in trip - but she was never going to do that. The Chartwell could be a nice starting point for her over seven and she’s likely to have entries in races like the Maurice de Gheest and the six-furlong race at Royal Ascot so I think that will open up more options for her.”

Cadillac - 5yo:

“Cadillac has been gelded since the winter. There is a chance he could start in the Suffolk Stakes at the Guineas meeting at Newmarket on Guineas weekend. He was a very good second behind an impressive winner of Saeed bin Suroor’s (Dubai Future) in the Wolferton Stakes last year. That’s been his aim for a long time. He’s now a gelding and one who has shown a liking for Ascot, so we’d be mad not to programme him around that sort of race.”

Missed The Cut – 4yo:

“Missed The Cut was frustrating in Saudi. He’s now headed onto warmer shores in America, so we wish him the best of luck. He was one of our first Royal Ascot winners and is a very imposing and physical type. He gave us some great days and the partnership remains with Ed Babington and Lanes End Stud, so I look forward to seeing him run out there. He showed a real liking for the dirt when we took him to Saudi and in a different world, he may have run on dirt for us. We wish him the best of luck and what a horse he was for all of us.”

Raadobarg – 5yo: *This quote was from before his run at Newmarket on Tuesday

“Raadobarg is a nice addition to the yard. We gelded him when he arrived and he’s nearly there but will probably improve for the run. He’s a very big horse and looks a bit lighter now having been gelded. He was beaten five-and-a-half lengths in the QEII at Ascot last year. I think he’ll enjoy the soft ground this week and he comes to Newmarket in good shape.”

Simply Sondheim – 4yo:

“Simply Sondheim took me a bit by surprise. I didn’t expect him to improve as much as he did. He’s not a flashy work horse and his work is considerably below his current mark. He probably saves himself for the track. I hoped he’d run well on his return which he certainly did and won cosily in the end. The Duke of Edinburgh has been a lofty plan for him for quite a while, but his mark is getting there. He could run at Chelmsford on Thursday, and should he win, he may be put away for Ascot.”

Sun King – 4yo:

“Sun King is one we bought halfway through the summer last year. He’s a horse for Opulence Thoroughbreds who want to turn up at the big meetings. He’s still got a bit of leg work to do in order to get into the Duke of Edinburgh, but he’s been training well. He ran well at Kempton, and we haven’t had the right race for him since then. We didn’t get in the Roseberry, but we’ll see him on the track soon. He’s a lovely horse by Galileo who is fit and ready to go and will likely stay a mile-and-a-half.”

Totally Charming – 5yo:

“Totally Charming is a horse to really look forward to this year in those big handicaps. He’s a Victoria Cup or Buckingham Palace type of horse so his next target is the Victoria Cup. He was a good winner at Doncaster at the backend of last year, and he didn’t quite see out the stiff mile at the Curragh when he possibly hit the front too soon. He’ll be fun over seven furlongs this year.”

Via Sistina – 5yo:

“Via Sistina is a nice filly who was a good winner in the south of France. She won her last start for us at the backend of last year, and she’s come back bigger and stronger as a five-year-old this time. Her work has been good, and she’s stepped forward again. She could go to the Dahlia Stakes on Guineas weekend. She’s also entered in the Middleton Stakes at York, but I’d be favouring Newmarket. Her handicap win and then her placed effort in a Group 3 were two of her better efforts on the track so she is an exciting filly for the year.”

THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Al Dasim – 3yo:

“Al Dasim exceeded our expectations. When the list of horses came out for the pool that he was going to be running against (in Dubai) we were hopeful he would show up well. He travelled out there well and showed a liking for fast ground and the straight track. I didn’t think he would get to where he did, and whilst it was a little disappointing, for a horse who hadn’t even turned three to be beaten a couple of lengths in the Al Quoz Sprint was a huge credit to him. He had a nice break when he got back and went straight into the paddock and looked super.

I think the main target has to be the Commonwealth Cup. He could also go to The Sandy Lane at Haydock on the 21st May. He’s back in work at the minute and cantering away.

I think I would lean toward running him on faster ground. I don’t think it would be fair if it was very soft at Haydock to launch him back into soft ground and then want to run him at Ascot on fast ground. He could easily go straight to Ascot. The track with the stiff six furlongs is tailor-made for him.”

Believing – 3yo:

“Believing was a filly who was possibly a little immature after the Breeze Ups. She won her maiden well after missing the kick very badly. She just seems more mentally mature this year. She’s had a wind op over the winter, and I just hope that may allow her to relax a little bit more during her races, although she looked better at Newmarket than she did at Newbury. She’s by Mehmas and out of a Kodiac mare and she may well return to sprinting, but she holds an entry in the Guineas, and we’ve got to try her in either a Nell Gwynn or a Fred Darling.

Beautifulasalways - 3yo: *This quote was from before his run at Newmarket on Tuesday

“Beautifulasalways is a nice, unraced filly by Kingman who hasn’t done any serious work yet. It’ll be nice to get her on the track. She has a very good pedigree and is one who I expect might get a little further, but she has a super nature and is a filly who we like at home.”

Conquistador – 3yo:

“Conquistador was a Hurworth Bloodstock purchase at the backend of last year. He’s been a revelation since being gelded and dropping back in trip. He’s going to be laid out for the five-furlong handicap for three-year-olds at Royal Ascot. On recent running’s of the race, he should get in and I think the stiff five furlongs there is just what he needs. He’s an exciting horse in the same ownership as Inver Park who was a winner at Royal Ascot last year. The excitement is building for them.”

Marmara Star – 3yo:

“Marmara Star was possibly a bit short of work the other day. It’s a long year and she’s a filly that the Racing League has been a plan with for a while. I think we need to get her on turf. She was a bit numb around Wolverhampton the other day and when she ended up in front and was there to be shot at. She’s a progressive filly who I think we’ll see back in the winners’ enclosure soon.”

Naxos – 3yo:

“Naxos was impressive at Newcastle the other day. We are very pleased with him, and he has the pedigree to improve as he goes up to ten furlongs. Being by Saxon Warrior, you’d imagine that as a three-year-old we’ll see him come into his own, but he’s done very little wrong at the moment and is one that we could work back from the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot with.”

Pastiche - 3yo:

“Pastiche is doing good, she’s quite far forward in her prep now. She’s nearly ready to run and the plan is to go to Lingfield on the 24th for a Fillies Novice. She’s wintered well and I think Zoustar is starting to warm up as a stallion now because he had a Group 1 winner at the backend of last year and he himself was a late maturer. Pastiche is a very good-looking filly who has strengthened up over the winter and we’ll see where we go but the Sandringham has been the plan for a while. She’s on a mark now which would nearly get her in, and her work has been pleasing.”

Queen Olly – 3yo:

“Queen Olly is a new addition to the yard and a filly who has been training well through the Spring. She’s nearly there in her coat and we’re looking forward to stepping her back up to seven furlongs. She was second at Newmarket at the backend of last year so going back up to seven furlongs may just allow her to travel that bit better. Her work has been pleasing and we’re looking forward to seeing her.”

Proverb – 3yo:

“Proverb was a little disappointing at Chantilly at the start of the year. He slightly caught his trainer by surprise. He looked fitter than he was and just blew up coming to the furlong pole. They went a decent gallop and lack of fitness showed on the day. He’s a horse who we’ve always held in high regard. He was a Listed winner at the backend of last year and is a horse who may spend most of his time travelling abroad. He was very good at Longchamp, and I think there are races out there to be won with him.”

Perdika – 3yo:

“Perdika was a little disappointing in the all-weather finals race at Newcastle, but I think in all honesty she probably ran closer to her mark she was on before she went to Chantilly. It’s fantastic for Sally Nicholls to have bred a Listed winner and she’ll return to her at the end of this year. She’s going to be busy and she’s in the Lansdown at Bath. She showed a liking for soft ground both in Dubai and here so we’re very pleased with her. She looks super and could be busy this summer.”

Thunder Moor – 3yo:

Thunder Moor was busy as a two-year-old for Kevin Ryan but showed some very good level of form. He has been gelded since we bought him and is a nice horse. He is another who will be aimed at the Palace Of Holyrood House at the Royal meeting in June. He is a very easy-going horse who takes his work well and is a useful addition to the stable.

TWO-YEAR-OLDS

Military Medal – 2yo:

“Military Medal is a nice colt by Siyouni who is showing up nicely at home. He’s a big strong horse who has just come back from a bit of a break and he’s thrived for that. He’s a horse I imagine we’ll see in the seven-furlong races when they start, but he’s a very imposing horse and his work looks pretty good.”

Novation – 2yo:

“Novation is a nice two-year-old. He is by Havana Grey and is a brother to Navello and is a big, strong horse who has been showing up well. He’ll probably take a little more time than his brother. He’s a lovely horse owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede so it will be nice to have a good one for them.”

Quantum Force – 2yo:

“Quantum Force is a nice two-year-old by Land Force. He’s a first season sire who people seem to be talking about a little bit. He did his first bit of work the other day and is strengthening up well. We’re delighted with how he’s going. I thought he may go a touch weak, but he certainly hasn’t and he’s one to look forward to going into June and July.”

Soprano – 2yo:

“Soprano has been doing super. She’s a big, rangy filly who I didn’t expect to be working in the early Spring. She’s by Starspangledbanner and is showing plenty at home now. She’s owned by Highclere and could be one to look forward to. I was speaking to Harry (Herbert) the other day and there is a plan to possibly go to the Fillies race on 1000 Guineas Day at Newmarket. She seems to handle the dip well and it would be great for them to have another filly to go to war with.”

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

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.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org