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The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Lazy Griff team hoping to secure Soumillon's Derby services
'He ran really well at Chester and wasn't fully spot on for that and wasn't too far behind Lambourn, so we're expecting him to improve fitness wise,' said Middleham Park's Mike Prince. Another favourite comes in! 🔥 Lambourn wins the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @ChesterRaces — ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 7, 2025 'Lambourn is around a 12-1 chance and we know our lad is a guaranteed stayer and there will be a few in the field who are not, so he definitely warrants being in the race, that's for sure. 'We do need it to rain a little bit and he's a German bred and would need a little cut. Good ground is fine but if it was good to firm, we would then have to take a view. There is some rain around and we'll certainly declare and then hopefully the rain arrives.' In comparison to those towards the head of the betting like Ruling Court who cost Godolphin €2.3million and Ballydoyle candidate The Lion In Winter who was a €375,000 purchase, Lazy Griff was a relative bargain from Baden-Baden's BBAG September Yearling sale in 2023 at €75,000. Prince continued: 'It's very hard to compete at middle distances against the big owner-breeder conglomerates and we don't actually buy that many horses of that mould for that reason. 'We do try to just buy one or two horses each year that we hope would give us a chance and through bloodstock agent Jeremy Brummitt, that has come off this year. 'It's lovely to be there mixing it and he will be plenty long enough in the market. But we know he'll stay and there will be a few who won't, so it would be great to see him run well.' Christophe Soumillon is poised to ride Lazy Griff (Steven Paston/PA) Lazy Griff was ridden by the aforementioned Soumillon when scooping Group Three honours in the Prix de Conde as a juvenile and the Belgian pilot – who has made no secret of his desire to one day land Epsom's showpiece event – is now pencilled in to ride having taken a shine to the son of Protectionist at Chantilly. 'Christophe said when he won the Group Three that he loved the horse, he gave him a good feel and he'd love to ride him again,' added Prince. 'It made sense to try to book a jockey of that pedigree for the ride.'
South Wales Guardian
09-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
The Foxes swoops for Huxley glory
From his position in stall one, Oisin Murphy got the perfect run round aboard the son of Churchill, always travelling smoothly and in the ideal spot to pounce at the business end of the Group Two event. The champion jockey angled out the 13-8 favourite rounding the home turn and he had plenty of horse underneath him to gallop on to score by a length and three-quarters from Alice Haynes' 40-1 outsider Cairo. It was the perfect way for the Andrew Balding-trained five-year-old to build on an opening run of the year in Qatar in February, with a host of big-race options now available. Class is permanent ✨ The Foxes surges away in the Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @ChesterRaces | @oismurphy | @AndrewBalding2 — ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 9, 2025 Balding, speaking away from the course said: 'We're delighted with him and he's a very good horse on his day. 'He had a few niggles mid-season last year but he's come back strong with a couple of good runs abroad and he looked there like he was somewhere near his best, which is encouraging for the season ahead. 'This horse is effective at a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half really, but we will probably explore mile-and-a-quarter options and possibly look at Royal Ascot.' Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: 'He was superbly prepared by everyone at home as it wasn't completely smooth sailing from Doha to here and Andrew is going to be delighted with that. 'He was push button and one of the easiest rides you will have round here. It's all down to the work at home and he wasn't always that easy to ride or have that gate speed, but it has come together over the last few starts and that was a joy to be a part of. 'Andrew was happy for me to do whatever and it is important to have big winners for owners King Power Racing, they invest a lot into the sport and it's great to ride for them and have winners for them. 'Andrew will have a think about what he could run in at Royal Ascot and we also had a Group Two winner the other day in Bellum Justum and they kind of fit in the same category. They are both 10-or 12 furlong horses and one is four and one is five, so Andrew will have a think.'
Rhyl Journal
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
East India Dock flies home for Chester Cup honours
Successful aboard Hugo Palmer's Zoffee 12 months ago, Davies is now forming a blossoming relationship with Newmarket handler James Owen and delivered the Triumph Hurdle third to perfection in the prestigious £170,000 handicap. It was Ryan Moore who set the fractions aboard Joseph O'Brien's Leinster and when the leading jockey allowed his mount to stride on passing the five-furlong marker on the second circuit, the four-year-old appeared full of running. The field swarmed rounding the home turn with George Scott's progressive Caballo De Mar laying down a stern challenge and hitting the front a furlong out, but East India Dock was staying on with every stride as the 9-4 favourite turned Cheltenham Festival disappointment into Roodee delight. 🏆 East India Dock wins the Ladbrokes Chester Cup! 🏆 Harry Davies does it AGAIN!#ITVRacing | @ChesterRaces — ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 9, 2025 Owen's charge returned a length verdict over Caballo De Mar, with defending champion and Davies' old favourite Zoffee an honourable third, and the winning trainer was delighted to see a plan come together for his owners. He said: 'He travelled lovely and hit his flat spot like he usually does but he stayed on well. 'Tim and Mr (Bill) Gredley had this plan and it's great that we have pulled it off. There are some big pots on the Flat and he's a lovely dual-purpose horse now. 'To win the Chester Cup is fantastic, we've hit the crossbar a few times coming here, but it's nice to have a winner here and we've won the big one.' Davies told Sky Sports Racing: 'I'm very lucky to get the rides in this race I have and every time I have ridden in it I don't think I've had a bad ride. 'He got a good draw which always helps round here and he jumped good, I was able to hold my pitch and then he was gutsy. He stays well and had the perfect profile coming into the race. 'He loved that dead ground and while everything else was sort of half struggling, he just cruised on through – what a tough horse and I'm delighted for connections. 'He's a strong traveller and when horses have run over hurdles they learn how to relax better and in a race like this where you have to really rev them to hold their pitch, if they can then relax and drop the bridle there is nothing better. 'James has been very supportive of me and the Gredley Family have also been happy for me to ride their horses and I was delighted when I got the ride on this fella.'
Glasgow Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
The Foxes swoops for Huxley glory
From his position in stall one, Oisin Murphy got the perfect run round aboard the son of Churchill, always travelling smoothly and in the ideal spot to pounce at the business end of the Group Two event. The champion jockey angled out the 13-8 favourite rounding the home turn and he had plenty of horse underneath him to gallop on to score by a length and three-quarters from Alice Haynes' 40-1 outsider Cairo. It was the perfect way for the Andrew Balding-trained five-year-old to build on an opening run of the year in Qatar in February, with a host of big-race options now available. Class is permanent ✨ The Foxes surges away in the Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @ChesterRaces | @oismurphy | @AndrewBalding2 — ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 9, 2025 Balding, speaking away from the course said: 'We're delighted with him and he's a very good horse on his day. 'He had a few niggles mid-season last year but he's come back strong with a couple of good runs abroad and he looked there like he was somewhere near his best, which is encouraging for the season ahead. 'This horse is effective at a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half really, but we will probably explore mile-and-a-quarter options and possibly look at Royal Ascot.' Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: 'He was superbly prepared by everyone at home as it wasn't completely smooth sailing from Doha to here and Andrew is going to be delighted with that. 'He was push button and one of the easiest rides you will have round here. It's all down to the work at home and he wasn't always that easy to ride or have that gate speed, but it has come together over the last few starts and that was a joy to be a part of. The Foxes storms home at Chester (Martin Rickett/PA) 'Andrew was happy for me to do whatever and it is important to have big winners for owners King Power Racing, they invest a lot into the sport and it's great to ride for them and have winners for them. 'Andrew will have a think about what he could run in at Royal Ascot and we also had a Group Two winner the other day in Bellum Justum and they kind of fit in the same category. They are both 10-or 12 furlong horses and one is four and one is five, so Andrew will have a think.'
Glasgow Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
East India Dock flies home for Chester Cup honours
Successful aboard Hugo Palmer's Zoffee 12 months ago, Davies is now forming a blossoming relationship with Newmarket handler James Owen and delivered the Triumph Hurdle third to perfection in the prestigious £170,000 handicap. It was Ryan Moore who set the fractions aboard Joseph O'Brien's Leinster and when the leading jockey allowed his mount to stride on passing the five-furlong marker on the second circuit, the four-year-old appeared full of running. The field swarmed rounding the home turn with George Scott's progressive Caballo De Mar laying down a stern challenge and hitting the front a furlong out, but East India Dock was staying on with every stride as the 9-4 favourite turned Cheltenham Festival disappointment into Roodee delight. 🏆 East India Dock wins the Ladbrokes Chester Cup! 🏆 Harry Davies does it AGAIN!#ITVRacing | @ChesterRaces — ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 9, 2025 Owen's charge returned a length verdict over Caballo De Mar, with defending champion and Davies' old favourite Zoffee an honourable third, and the winning trainer was delighted to see a plan come together for his owners. He said: 'He travelled lovely and hit his flat spot like he usually does but he stayed on well. 'Tim and Mr (Bill) Gredley had this plan and it's great that we have pulled it off. There are some big pots on the Flat and he's a lovely dual-purpose horse now. 'To win the Chester Cup is fantastic, we've hit the crossbar a few times coming here, but it's nice to have a winner here and we've won the big one.' Davies told Sky Sports Racing: 'I'm very lucky to get the rides in this race I have and every time I have ridden in it I don't think I've had a bad ride. Harry Davies excelled aboard East India Dock (Martin Rickett/PA) 'He got a good draw which always helps round here and he jumped good, I was able to hold my pitch and then he was gutsy. He stays well and had the perfect profile coming into the race. 'He loved that dead ground and while everything else was sort of half struggling, he just cruised on through – what a tough horse and I'm delighted for connections. 'He's a strong traveller and when horses have run over hurdles they learn how to relax better and in a race like this where you have to really rev them to hold their pitch, if they can then relax and drop the bridle there is nothing better. 'James has been very supportive of me and the Gredley Family have also been happy for me to ride their horses and I was delighted when I got the ride on this fella.'
