Latest news with #Beckett
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
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. Pride Of Arras was a very impressive winner of the Dante (Mike Egerton/PA) '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 was just beaten by Derby favourite Delacroix last year (Nigel French/PA) 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.'
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
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.'
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Beckett wary of Oaks stamina test for Revoir
It is 17 years since Beckett broke his Classic duck in the Epsom feature with Look Here, who like his latest challenger carried the colours of owner-breeder Julian Richmond-Watson. The trainer doubled his Oaks tally with Talent in 2013 and is out to make it a hat-trick with a filly who impressed on her juvenile debut at Nottingham in the autumn, before being touched off by the reopposing Qilin Queen on her reappearance in a Listed contest at Newbury last month. Beckett said: 'I think she should come forward for the run at Newbury. I felt it was a good starting point, but she was still pretty green through the race. I liked the way she went through the line. 'You would think the step up in trip will probably be in her favour. There are stamina influences on her page, but I have slight reservations in the fact that Regardez (her dam) didn't stay a mile and a half, she got a mile and a quarter well. 'This filly is a slightly different character and is more laid-back than her mother was, but we are taking it on trust. 'Look Here winning the Oaks when we were at Whitsbury is a big part of what is going on here now. It's been 17 years and it's been a big joy to train the family – it's been a privilege. 'Julian and Sarah (Richmond-Watson) are exceptional breeders, they've never had more than six broodmares and to come up with not just Look Here but Remarquee, Scope and Kinross in the space of 15 years from six mares is extraordinary. Hopefully this filly is the next cab off the rank.' One Beckett-trained filly who has already proven her worth at the highest level is You Got To Me, who placed fourth in last year's Oaks before striking gold in the Irish equivalent and makes her first start as a four-year-old in the Betfred-sponsored Coronation Cup on the Oaks card. The daughter of Nathaniel, who will carry the Amo Racing silks for the first time, has been off the track since finishing last of seven in the St Leger at Doncaster in September. 'She's not much different different now, she's filled out (over the winter). She was always a big girl and in that sense not much has changed,' said Beckett, speaking on a Zoom call hosted by the Jockey Club on Thursday. 'This looked a good starting place for her. It looks a deep renewal and she'll have to go a bit, but she's been away for gallops a couple of times this spring and they've gone well, so I couldn't be happier. 'She's been off since the St Leger so that is nine months. Inevitably she'll need the match practice, but this leads us into the year. 'I had intended to start her in the Lancashire Oak, so this is a month earlier than we imagined.' On plans beyond her Epsom comeback, Beckett said: 'I'd like to get her in against her own sex at some point. The Yorkshire Oaks is the obvious one but France Galop, in their wisdom, moved the Prix Vermeille so there is only 17 days between the only two fillies' only Group Ones over a mile and a half in Europe, which makes life somewhat complicated. Those two races are high on her agenda.'
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Beckett wary of Oaks stamina test for Revoir
It is 17 years since Beckett broke his Classic duck in the Epsom feature with Look Here, who like his latest challenger carried the colours of owner-breeder Julian Richmond-Watson. The trainer doubled his Oaks tally with Talent in 2013 and is out to make it a hat-trick with a filly who impressed on her juvenile debut at Nottingham in the autumn, before being touched off by the reopposing Qilin Queen on her reappearance in a Listed contest at Newbury last month. Beckett said: 'I think she should come forward for the run at Newbury. I felt it was a good starting point, but she was still pretty green through the race. I liked the way she went through the line. 'You would think the step up in trip will probably be in her favour. There are stamina influences on her page, but I have slight reservations in the fact that Regardez (her dam) didn't stay a mile and a half, she got a mile and a quarter well. 'This filly is a slightly different character and is more laid-back than her mother was, but we are taking it on trust. 'Look Here winning the Oaks when we were at Whitsbury is a big part of what is going on here now. It's been 17 years and it's been a big joy to train the family – it's been a privilege. 'Julian and Sarah (Richmond-Watson) are exceptional breeders, they've never had more than six broodmares and to come up with not just Look Here but Remarquee, Scope and Kinross in the space of 15 years from six mares is extraordinary. Hopefully this filly is the next cab off the rank.' One Beckett-trained filly who has already proven her worth at the highest level is You Got To Me, who placed fourth in last year's Oaks before striking gold in the Irish equivalent and makes her first start as a four-year-old in the Betfred-sponsored Coronation Cup on the Oaks card. The daughter of Nathaniel, who will carry the Amo Racing silks for the first time, has been off the track since finishing last of seven in the St Leger at Doncaster in September. 'She's not much different different now, she's filled out (over the winter). She was always a big girl and in that sense not much has changed,' said Beckett, speaking on a Zoom call hosted by the Jockey Club on Thursday. 'This looked a good starting place for her. It looks a deep renewal and she'll have to go a bit, but she's been away for gallops a couple of times this spring and they've gone well, so I couldn't be happier. 'She's been off since the St Leger so that is nine months. Inevitably she'll need the match practice, but this leads us into the year. 'I had intended to start her in the Lancashire Oak, so this is a month earlier than we imagined.' On plans beyond her Epsom comeback, Beckett said: 'I'd like to get her in against her own sex at some point. The Yorkshire Oaks is the obvious one but France Galop, in their wisdom, moved the Prix Vermeille so there is only 17 days between the only two fillies' only Group Ones over a mile and a half in Europe, which makes life somewhat complicated. Those two races are high on her agenda.'
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
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.'
