Owners remove £195,000 Grade 2-winning horse from Gordon Elliott's yard with his blessing and send to his protege
FIND THE SPARK Owners remove £195,000 Grade 2-winning horse from Gordon Elliott's yard with his blessing and send to his protege
GORDON ELLIOTT has given his blessing to a £195,000 Grade 2-winning superstar being removed from his yard - and sent to his protege.
The legendary Irish handler believes a change of scenery at Olly Murphy's Warren Chase stables in Warwickshire could spark him back into life.
Advertisement
2
American Mike actually beat future Ryanair winner Fact To File on chase debut - but has failed to hit the same heights since
Credit: Sportsfile
2
Olly Murphy, who was former assistant to Gordon Elliott, will be tasked with bringing American Mike back to his best, after he left Elliott's Meath yard with his blessing
Credit: PA
American Mike, who is owned by Noel and Valerie Moran's Bective Stud, has some amazing back form but hasn't quite hit the heights expected.
He beat subsequent Ryanair winner Fact To File by more than three lengths on chase debut.
And he got the better of this year's Grand National hero Nick Rockett in a 3m chase on heavy at Navan in February 2024.
But the eight-year-old son of Mahler hasn't won since - finishing in the places only once from seven further runs.
Advertisement
Elliott thinks the time is right to send him to Bet365 Gold Cup-winning trainer Murphy, his former assistant, to work his magic.
Murphy has been busy in the horse transfer market this summer.
He has acquired Cormac Farrell's recent Galway Listed hurdle winner Sticktotheplan.
And former Nicky Henderson inmate Kingston Pride has arrived too after being sold for £285,000.
Advertisement
Both of those come loaded with potential, while the goal with American Mike is to bring him back to his former glory.
Murphy told Racing TV's Josh Stacey: "He's been a horse who hasn't quite reached the expectations as a novice it looked like he might.
"I am just starting to get to know him.
"Gordon filled me in about him and it was actually Gordon who said the change of scenery would do him good.
Advertisement
"I'm very lucky to have a horse like him and hopefully he can be competitive in some handicap chases.
"We're working as a team. Owners Noel and Valerie Moran who sponsor Gordon's yard are also good supporters of me.
"Hopefully just a change of scenery will spark a small bit of a revival.
"Albeit he has some good form from last season so it's not like he's completely gone off the face of the earth.
Advertisement
"We're not just trying to find something that was there three years ago, he has got recent form as well."
FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chases their losses
Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed
Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Former top jockey, 33, hailed as superhero after saving child from drowning ‘who was about to go under'
The former jockey insists he did nothing extraordinary HEROIC ACT Former top jockey, 33, hailed as superhero after saving child from drowning 'who was about to go under' A FORMER jockey has been hailed as a "superhero" after saving a child from drowning. George Chaloner, an ex-jockey who rode well over 200 winners on the Flat before his career was ended by injury at the age of 25 in 2017, was holidaying in Filey in North Yorkshire last weekend. Advertisement 2 Ex-jockey George Chaloner has been labelled a hero after saving a child from drowning Credit: Action Images - Reuters 2 Chaloner recalled how a lifeguard programme he took when he was younger helped him Credit: PA:Press Association But during the family holiday with his partner and kids, he witnessed a horrifying sight. The 33-year-old spotted a youngster - described as being eight or nine years old - out at sea who had been swept out by the strong currents. Chaloner swam out to sea to save them alongside another rescuer, recalling how the lad was "about to go under". He told RacingPost: "We went on holiday to Filey with the kids. We were at the end of Filey Bay, Reighton Sands, with the boys all day. We were just about ready to go and there were some shouts of 'help' from the sea. Advertisement "Everyone stopped and looked but no-one went down. After ten or 15 seconds, I went down with another tall lad. A woman at the side of the sea said 'those kids are drowning, I can't swim'. "The kids were playing in the breakers but the tide had come in and pushed them into a pool and they'd got out of their depth. I couldn't touch the floor there. "There were two girls who were shouting 'my brother, my brother!' and pointing to a little lad about 15 or 20 feet away. "He was eight or nine and when I got to him he was being pulled out by the rip tide, on his last legs and about to go under. Advertisement "I got him and swam him halfway back where someone had come out with a half-bodyboard and we got him on that and brought him back." The incident would not have been publicly known were it not for his partner, Daisy Jones, who shared a Facebook post and praise him as a "real-life superhero". Match of the Day host Gabby Logan cheers on jockey daughter, Lois, as she makes racing debut at Goodwood However, humble Chaloner insisted he had not done anything extraordinary, saying of his "hero" label: "I don't know about that. "You just hope that if it was one of your kids, somebody else would do it for them." Advertisement Chaloner, a graduate from the National Horseracing College, recalled how lifeguard training when he was young helped him cope in the strong currents, despite having not swum properly in years. He added: "The kids were fine but they were jiggered and so was I. "I'm not as fit as I used to be and I'd legged it from the top of the beach, swum out about 50 feet and brought the lad back in. I was ready for a cup of tea! "It turned out two women we had seen were the kids' mothers, but they were deaf and didn't hear them shouting; they just saw them splashing about and didn't know they were in trouble." Advertisement Chaloner's biggest win as a jockey came in the Wokingham Handicap and Northumberland Plate in 2014. The retired jockey now works as a stud manager at Cliff Stud, and will be in York next week as he serves the horseman there. He said: "I work closely with the vets and doctors and monitor the horses from the stableyard, to the pre-parade ring and so on and if there's any bother I'm the first one on the scene."
Sunday World
an hour ago
- Sunday World
Parents of US nurse allegedly murdered by Irishman attend special tribute to her
Mackenzie Michalski, a 31-year-old American nurse, went missing on November 4 from a nightclub in central Budapest The parents of Mackenzie Michalski who was murdered while traveling in Budapest last November, have attended a special soccer match in her honour. The local Portland Thorns FC paid tribute to the nurse ahead of their Sunday match with Seattle Reign. According to KPTV, her parents, Bill and Jill Michalski flew in from Buffalo, New York, on derby day against Seattle. 'Mackenzie loved Portland and she loved Portland soccer,' Bill Michalski said. Their 31-year-old daughter, who was a neurosurgery nurse practitioner at Providence St Vincent, was a major soccer fan. Jill Michalski said there were humbled and grateful for the Thorns honouring her daughter. 'She lived a humanitarian life of service, but she was also a huge adventurer, traveller, loved to live life large and even she would be completely blown away the way she is being honoured today.' Ahead of the match, Thorns assistant coach Vytas Andriuškevičius presented both parents with a custom jersey. 'It's a very sad story, but to celebrate someone's life and to remember good stories, good memories and then to cheer each other and just to have a moment together, I think it's very special,' Andriuškevičius told KPTV. 'Maybe it becomes the thing that they do yearly, and it's something that we can remind of her, and remember her and remember her stories, and keep her present with us daily.' Mackenzie Michalski lived in Portland for four years, where, Jill Michalski, said they had been 'showered with love'. 'Although this is a celebration for a day, it's still a really difficult time and everyone has gone beyond and above to make us feel comfortable and to just love on us,' she said. Mackenzie Michalski with her parents 'She was always involved in the community, and she loved history, she loved the culture of Portland because it's very unique, coming from Buffalo, New York,' Bill Michalski said. 'She embraced it and she really loved it.' Mackenzie Michalski News in 90 Seconds - August 13th Mackenzie Michalski, a 31-year-old American nurse, went missing on November 4 from a nightclub in central Budapest. Her body was later discovered in a suitcase in a wooded area 140km outside the capital. A 37-year-old Irish man was arrested in connection with her murder after the discovery of her remains. The man, who works in marketing and has not been named, has appealed his ongoing detention. Last April his lawyer, Dr Gyorgy Magyar, said: 'My law firm is defending an Irish citizen who is suspected of the crime of murder committed against a US citizen. 'In relation to the case, I can inform you that the investigation conducted by the police is still ongoing, which is to obtain further expert opinions and evaluate the available evidence. Mackenzie Michalski was killed last November 'The court has extended the detention of our client for two months, against which our office has filed an appeal. The next court decision regarding the extension of the detention is expected in early May.' The man's ongoing incarceration is the second extension Budapest's Metropolitan Prosecution Office has secured in relation to the Irish suspect. He was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Ms Michalski on November 7 after police reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area where the young woman was last seen. Ms Michalski, who worked as a nurse in Portland, Oregon, last made contact with friends on the night of Monday November 4 from a nightclub in central Budapest. She was reported missing the next day by her friends after she did not check out of her Airbnb accommodation in the Hungarian capital. According to a statement released by Budapest police, Ms Michalski and the male suspect met at a nightclub in central Budapest on the night of her disappearance before going to another nightclub and later to the man's rented apartment in the city. The same police statement noted that the Irish man maintained that Ms Michalski's death was accidental. According to the police, following Ms Michalski's death, the suspect cleaned his apartment and drove to Lake Balaton, two hours west of Budapest, with Ms Michalski's body placed in the suitcase, before hiding her body in a wooded area. After his arrest, the suspect travelled with police to Lake Balaton to reveal the location of Ms Michalski's body. Mr Magyar previously told a Hungarian media outlet that Ms Michalski's death was 'an accidental act without intention'. Under Hungarian law, a suspect is formally charged after the conclusion of an investigation. In cases of suspected murder or manslaughter, an investigation period can take a number of months, and, in some cases, more than a year to conclude. In an interview with this newspaper earlier this year, Ms Michalski's father said he did not believe his daughter's death was accidental. 'The main thing for us now is to be patient and allow the police to continue to carry out their investigation,' Bill Michalski said. 'Everyone wants to know the details. We have faith in the police investigation, and they are keeping us updated.' Ms Michalski's mother, Jill, added: 'Our daughter was kind, compassionate, independent and adventurous. And she loved to laugh. People ask us how we are doing… all we can say is we are doing as well as we can be.'
The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
Brooks Koepka confirmed for Irish Open
BROOKS KOEPKA, TYRELL Hatton and Sergio Garcia have all been confirmed for next month's Irish Open at The K Club. The Kildare venue hosts the event from 3-7 September, with the three LIV golfers now due to take part. Five-time Major winner Koepka, 35, is a headline addition for the tournament. Garcia was an Irish Open winner at Druid's Glen in 1999, marking his first title on the European Tour. Advertisement Irish golfers Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Seamus Power and Padraig Harrington will also be competing.
