Review of Newmarket Champions Day 2007
What a fantastic days racing at Newmarket on Saturday the 20th October. I met up with my old school chums Colin and Peter for the weekend. The weather matched the racing so all in all it was a great weekend break.
In the Dewhurst Stakes New Approach showed that he is the best two year old colt around at the moment with a gutsy win. He was given a hard ride by Kevin Manning but responded in true championship fashion. Fast Company ran him very close and like Raven’s Pass lost his unbeaten record.
In the Champion Stakes Eagle Mountain very nearly proved an able deputy for George Washington but failed by a short head to Literato, from France, who was always holding him cosily. The favourite, Notnowcato, looked as though his hard races this season had caught up with him.
The first four home in the Cesarewitch were horses trained by predominantly National Hunt trainers. There were quite a few well backed horses in the race and I am sure if the winner Leg Spinner had not run so poorly at Listowel in Ireland he would have been much shorter than the finishing odds of 14/1. His trainer Tony Martin is a shrewd cookie. Johnny Murtagh gave him a great ride.
Johnny Murtagh had a quick fire double by booting home Kitty Matcham in the fillies Rockfel Stakes. She looks a nice prospect for next season together with the second and third, Missit and Royal Confidence.
The Jockey Club Cup was won comfortably by Royal and Regal, another from France, trained by that man Andre Fabre for Peter Savill. This race has always been a favourite of mine. I can recall taking my dear friend Dieter to see this race back in 1987. It was his first experience of a race meeting. To him I was the guy who sat in a big office cooking the books, while for me he was a great chef who cooked the food in the kitchens of the leisure group that we were both working for. I went to Newmarket with a strong fancy for Buckley whom I had seen win the Doncaster Cup in the September. Buckley was best on good ground as it was that day. Dieter and I both backed him at 9/1. I could see Ray Cochrane ready to make his move on Buckley as the horses ran into the final furlong. I let out an almighty roar of “come on Buckley” which very nearly knocked Dieter off his feet. Buckley responded impressively and won by two lengths. Dieter was convinced he had heard me and dared not lose. Happy memories. I could have done with a Buckley on Saturday ! However it did not stop us looking up a favourite old watering hole, The White Hart at Great Yeldham, for a very enjoyable dinner after drinks in front of the log fire. Absolute bliss.
For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".