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Beckett hoping he might just reach the ‘summit' this weekend

Beckett hoping he might just reach the ‘summit' this weekend

Beckett has only had four runners in the premier Classic, coming closest with Westover three years ago. However, he has won the Oaks twice, with Look Here and Talent.
His yard is now one of the biggest in the country and while he is well represented in all three Group Ones at Epsom this weekend, he is unequivocal when asked which race he would like to win above all others.
'I was asked by a member of the French press if the Arc was the race I'd wanted to win above all else and my response was 'behind the Derby only' and I stand by that,' said Beckett.
'I think if you are an Englishman and you train racehorses, the Derby is, and hopefully always will be, the summit. Few people get to do it and if it ever came off it will be more than I ever could have hoped for when I set off training, that's for sure.'
Pride Of Arras won the Dante Stakes at York and remains unbeaten in two starts to date, with Beckett not too worried about a lack of experience.
'Inevitably it is a concern, but given how he went round York, I know it's a flat track but everything else is a test, and how well balanced he is, it is not a primary concern – but I could be wrong!' said Beckett on a media call organised by the Jockey Club.
'I'm not going into it with that as a concern, but we'll find out on Saturday.'
Stanhope Gardens has not had a traditional preparation, as though he pushed Derby favourite Delacroix close in the Autumn Stakes, this season the only suitable race Beckett could find was over a mile in a conditions race at Salisbury.
He said: 'The two have had very different preps. If I'd had a conventional prep with Stanhope Gardens I'd hope they'd be a bit closer in the betting.
'Bookmakers are rarely wrong, so I think it's likely they'll finish in that order, but I never thought Talent would finish in front of Secret Gesture in the Oaks in 2013.
'If Ruling Court and Delacroix both stay we'll all have to go a bit, but it's a question of whether they both will.
'It's the same every year with people saying 'I think he'll stay', but we never know until they try. I think that's the biggest single factor, whether those at the head of the market get home.'
In recent years the Derby has been dominated by Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore. But Beckett thinks the loss of super-sire Galileo may bring about a change to the race's complexion.
'It's not daunting taking on Coolmore and Godolphin. Whatever happens it's great to be there with two of the front seven in the betting,' he said.
'The sport relies on horses coming out of anywhere and Coolmore's domination of the Derby hasn't necessarily done the race any favours in the wider sense.
'We all applaud what Aidan and Coolmore achieve, but the fact Galileo and Montjeu aren't here might just change the dynamic of the race and that has got to be great for the sport.'
At the draw on Wednesday, however, Beckett was done no favours by former champion jockey Willie Carson when he drew stall 16 for Pride Of Arras and two for Stanhope Gardens, from which no Derby winners have so far emerged.
Beckett said: 'I can't worry about it because I can't do anything about it. Westover was drawn in two and there'd been no winners out of there and my heart sank when I read that.
'I wasn't aware there'd been no winners out of 16. The Great Gatsby was second from 16 a while back (2003). That would concern me less than two.'

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Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits
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The Herald Scotland

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Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits

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Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits
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timean hour ago

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Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits

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Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits
Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits

North Wales Chronicle

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  • North Wales Chronicle

Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits

Second to Lambourn in the Chester Vase on his three-year-old debut, Charlie Johnston's colt was a widely unconsidered 50-1 shot for the premier Classic but outran his odds to again finish best of the rest behind Aidan O'Brien's all-the-way winner, much to the delight of the Middleham Park Racing team. Middleham Park's director of operations, Mike Prince, said: 'It was a brilliant day and it was surreal watching him as he was coming round the bend and into the straight travelling so sweetly. 'There was just a split second where you thought 'he might just do it'! I think Christophe (Soumillon) thought that he would get past him (Lambourn), but the winner is obviously a good horse and he was super tough in that final furlong.' A huge thank you to @itvracing for capturing the incredible scenes after Lazy Griff's brilliant 2nd place finish in The Derby. This is syndication at its finest, sharing unforgettable moments together!💙🧡 📽️ITV Racing#TeamMPR #Derby2025 — Middleham Park Racing (@MprUpdates) June 7, 2025 Prince insists Lazy Griff's performance was not a huge surprise to his connections, particularly after the rain that fell on the Surrey Downs in the lead-up to the race. 'He'd worked well in the spring and he just missed a week before Chester, so we knew we were going into Chester undercooked and we knew he'd come on for it. So having seen him run such a big race there, that kind of cemented us going for the Derby,' Prince continued. 'The only issue was Charlie didn't want to run him on super fast ground, that was the only reason he wouldn't have gone to Epsom, but obviously the rain came which was helpful. 'We were thinking we could finish in the top six going in there – we weren't going there just for a day out that's for sure and Christophe obviously won a Group Three in France on him last year and I know he couldn't understand why he was such a big price either.' A trio of Group One assignments are on the table for the Protectionist colt's next start, while another tilt at Classic glory in the St Leger at Doncaster appears an obvious target. Prince said: 'There's the German Derby, the Irish Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. No decision has been made as yet and obviously the ground will play a part – if it's fast anywhere we won't go. 'I think it will be one of those three and I'd say the percentage call at this point would be the Grand Prix de Paris, but it's certainly not set in stone and if it came up heavy in Ireland with proper soft ground that might change things. 'The St Leger would make sense later in the year as although he was quite fleet of foot there coming down the hill at Epsom, there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree, being by a Melbourne Cup winner, and I know after Chester Charlie said 'this is a Leger horse'.' Wherever Lazy Griff turns up next it should be an exciting second half of the season for his 24 individual owners, which include George Griffiths, after whom the horse is named. Prince said: 'We have a policy where the first person to buy a 15 per cent share gets to name the horse and George also got his name on the racecard. He and his wife Amy were obviously on cloud nine on Saturday.'

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