May, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Classic Dreams Spun On The Roodeye

Chester's unique “Roodeye” course swings back into action on Wednesday, with the often-informative three-day May Festival kicking off with the G3 Boodles Chester Vase and Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Cheshire Oaks starting the raft of English trials for the Derby and Oaks.

With the Epsom picture clouded by the outcome of the 2000 Guineas and no obvious candidate emerging from the 1000 Guineas, we are officially into the informative period and the silly season at the same time with the next fortnight set to witness the usual violent fluctuations of fortunes and ante-post prices ahead of the two crowning middle-distance Classics.

Chester's Vase and Cheshire Oaks tend to produce more place prospects than heroes at Epsom, but this is a year where a Ruler Of The World (Ire) could emerge even if the prospect of another Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) might be asking a bit much. The Vase sees Juddmonte's Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) re-engage with Ballydoyle's Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) after they were second and third respectively and separated by six lengths in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October. Given that the race's winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) neither excelled nor let the form down in the Guineas on Saturday, both probably need to do something impressive here to make big waves in the Derby market.

Interestingly, Arrest's prior efforts have also come to take on greater merit. A debut third to the G1 Dewhurst S. third Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) at Sandown in July, the John and Thady Gosden trainee beat Sea Of Roses (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) convincingly at Ffos Las before she went on to beat the Oaks mover Infinite Cosmos (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and finish runner-up to Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Prix Penelope.

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte, has misgivings about the course. “Chester is probably not his ideal track, but we were meant to go to Sandown and unfortunately it was abandoned with the rain,” he explained. “The Vase was Plan C, as originally we were going to the Dee S. but the forecast is giving plenty of rain coming in on the Wednesday afternoon and night, so we said we'd go for the fresh ground on Wednesday.”

“He was a big frame last year and he is definitely a stronger horse this year,” Mahon added. “John and Thady said the other morning that the experience of Chester would do him good. If we ended up going to Epsom, he will have that under his belt. We have seen it in the last few years with Aidan and Barry Hills before that, they all take them to Chester for the reason that they get that experience, with the crowd on top of them.”

Oaks On Her Dancecard…

Aidan O'Brien has won four of the last seven Cheshire Oaks and seven in total, so the yard's likely hot favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the obvious place to start. She may have been 20-1 as she captured the same 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden in which last year's winner Thoughts Of June (Ire)–also by Galileo (Ire)–had been second, but she has made a leap forward from two to three and is as live an Oaks candidate as there is around at the moment. Dash Grange Stud's Listed Koln-Winterkonigin Trial winner Sirona (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is also sure to have more to offer at three, even if she disappointed when trailing as the re-opposing Luckin Brew (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was second in the Listed Silver Tankard S. at Pontefract in October.

Sirona's owner Jayne McGivern said of the Charlie Johnston trainee, “She has wintered really well. She is working well at home and is bred for distance and we were surprised at how well she had done as a 2-year-old over a mile. We kind of were not expecting that. This will tell us a lot about her. She had a fantastic page when I bought her, she's not overly big, but her confirmation's great and she surprised us how good she was and she got black-type. I think the Silver Tankard was a race too far, as she had a few races in quick succession.”

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Jockey Declan Carroll Creates New Video Series On ‘Life Inside And Outside Of The Racetrack’

Declan Carroll is taking racing fans along for the ride.

The idea, one where he would provide viewers with a unique, inside track-type look at the life of a jockey, first came to Carroll last fall.

“I enjoy watching YouTube videos, and I'm always watching horse racing-related videos from Europe,” said Carroll, who began his riding career in fall 2018 and scored his first win at Keeneland during the fall meet. “There is a company, M3 Media, which does a lot of behind-the-scenes videos, where they show different things, like jockey cams and other interesting things. It's great, but I didn't see any jockeys doing something like that on a regular basis.

“So, it was about six months ago when I started thinking, 'Why don't I give it a shot?' Maybe it would be something where people enjoy seeing what we do in the mornings, how we prepare for the races, and things like that. But I also wanted to show what I do on the off days, almost a blog of life inside and outside of the racetrack. People enjoy watching those types of videos these days.”

In late April, Carroll, the son of former trainer David Carroll, who currently works as assistant trainer to Mark Casse, released his first video.

The 46 second video, which includes Carroll narrating over a series of clips, received rave reviews on social media.

“I was talking to my sister, and I told her I went into this with zero expectations, that maybe a few people would like it and others wouldn't really care. It's great to see the support and I really do appreciate it. It's outside of my comfort zone, which I expressed in a video. The more support, the better.”

One of Carroll's primary objectives is to bring more attention to the sport, an opportunity for him to help introduce new fans to racing.

Growing up in Kentucky, Carroll, who rode at several Midwest tracks during the pandemic before taking his tack to Arlington for its 2021 meet, sought out as much horse racing content as he could find.

“I remember when I was a kid, I always looked up to jockeys and it's always what I wanted to be. I'd watch every interview I could, just to catch all the small things here and there. I feel like today, with the technology everyone has, that I can pump out a lot of good things that weren't available when I was a kid. Whether it's things around the barn, nutrition, what you like to do away from racing, I want to showcase things people might be interested in. If that can help bring in new fans, that's great.”

The 23-year-old won't be focusing his content solely on his time at the racetrack.

Carroll, who started riding full-time at Woodbine in 2022, and won last year's Breeders' Stakes with eventual Sovereign Award winner (3-year-old male category) Sir for Sure, intends to share footage of his life outside of the irons.

“I'm not just going to make it about going to work, going to the room, working out and riding a horse. I want to give some insight into what I like to do in my off time. I think if I was just to pump out my daily routine for racing, it's going to get repetitive and it's going to get boring. I don't want that, I want to keep it fresh, and I want to keep it new. I want to bring other people in, interview people. Some of my best friends in Kentucky who ride, they're going to do some stuff for me for this. I'm looking forward to that, to showing other riders and their lives too.”

He's already reached out to others in the sport for their feedback and the offer to share their stories as well.

While his videos don't have the same polish and production as a company like M3 Media does, Carroll is looking at ways to improve what he films and how he films it.

“I've talked to people, and I will continue to do that, to get their perspectives and their input, and maybe how they can be a part of it. That's what this is all about. I don't have a fancy camera or people following me around. For now, this is what it is, and I hope people enjoy it. Hopefully, we can grow the audience and get more eyes on our sport.”

With new offerings for those who attend the races at Woodbine, including the Stella Artois Terrace, which overlooks the finish line from the third-floor grandstand, Carroll sees opportunities to engage and enlighten a new generation of racing fans.

“There are so many new people that are coming to our racetrack. Maybe we can help put some more attention on our sport through things like this and give those people more incentive to come back. Anything I can do to help draw attention to our great sport, I'm happy to do it. I want to play my part in that.”

While Carroll is the face and voice of the videos, he isn't interested in making any of it about himself.

“Hopefully, it will be good for everyone, for our sport, my fellow riders, and anyone who watches them, and that they are able to take something away from it.”

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Thoroughbreds To Be Recognised In Olympics

Thoroughbreds will now be recognised in the starting lists and results beginning with the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, in an agreement announced on Tuesday.

Previously, retired Thoroughbred racehorses were listed as 'breeding unknown'. The agreement–which applies to dressage, show jumping, and eventing–follows discussions between the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF), the World Breeding Federation for Sports Horses (WBFSH), the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and the International Stud Book Committee (ISBC) and will extend also to all FEI competitions. Historically, under a Memorandum of Understanding between the FEI and the WBFSH, only member stud books of the WBFSH have been credited, as that organisation's members specifically breed horses for the Olympic disciplines.

Dr. Paull Khan, Secretary-General of the EMHF and a member of the Steering Group of the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR), said, “Much effort is made around the world to encourage the owners of retired racehorses to explore second careers for them. This recognition will both further the message that Thoroughbreds do go on to compete with distinction in other equestrian disciples and prompt more Thoroughbred owners to consider this retirement option for their racehorses.”

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Preakness Update: Two Phil’s Out, Blazing Sevens, Perform and Chase the Chaos In

Two Phil's (Hard Spun), a game runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby, will skip the May 20 GI Preakness S., according to a report from Jim O'Donnell in the Chicago Daily Herald.

“Too soon,” trainer Larry Rivelli told O'Donnell. “Phil came out of the Derby great. We shipped back to Chicago Sunday, but the Preakness is just 12 days away. That's just too soon.”

Two Phil's, coming off a win in the Mar. 25 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, was the only runner close to the hot pace to still be around at the wire in Saturday's Derby.

“I'm not a guy who celebrates [second-place finishes], but this was an exception,” said Rivelli told O'Donnell. “So much had to go right for us and all came so close to going perfect. And you have to give major credit to [Jareth] Loveberry for the ride.”

Two Phil's, winner of last year's GIII Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs, opened 2023 with a runner-up effort in the Jan. 21

GIII Lecomte S. and was second in the Feb. 18 GII Risen Star S. before earning his spot in the Derby with his win in the Jeff Ruby at Turfway Park in March.

While the connections of Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) have yet confirm the colt's participation in two weeks, trainers Chad Brown and Shug McGaughey have both thrown their respective hats into the Preakness arena. Brown confirmed that Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), third last out in the Apr. 21 GI Toyota Blue Grass S., will head to Baltimore following one more work at Belmont Saturday.

“If he comes out of the work good, we'll go down to Pimlico either Sunday or Monday,” Brown said Tuesday morning.

After missing the Derby in 2017 with Cloud Computing and again last year with Early Voting, Brown returned to take the second jewel in the U.S. Triple Crown and he hopes to do it again with last year's GI Champagne S. winner.

“[Blazing Sevens] is coming into the race fresh,” Brown said. “He is coming in with a full tank of gas. Off his most recent work I see him moving forward off the Blue Grass. The horse is as good as I have ever seen him. I needed to see the horse really move forward and to see him at his very best. That is what I am seeing.”

Also confirmed for the Preakness, Woodford Racing, Lane's End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward Hudson's Perform (Good Magic) has been supplemented for $150,000.

This represents the first Preakness runner for McGaughey since his Derby hero Orb was seen finishing fourth in the 2013 Preakness.

“It's been a while,” said McGaughey. “Just haven't had the horse.”

A winner at Tampa in March, Perform followed up with a victory in the Apr. 15 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel. The colt will be accompanied by Feargal Lynch, who was also aboard in the Tesio.

“Two turns have helped him a lot,” McGaughey said. “Things changed when we started going around two turns. If I didn't think he fit with these, I would not be running him. We will have to wait and see, but his last two races around two turns have been pretty good.”

Perform is scheduled to work at Belmont on Sunday.

Also confirmed to run Tuesday, Adam Ference and Bill Dory's Chase the Chaos (Astern {Aus}) received the green light from trainer Ed Moger Jr. Chase the Chaos earned an automatic fees-paid berth in the Preakness with his victory in the Feb. 11 El Camino Real Derby on his home track at Golden Gate Fields.

Moger said that Chase the Chaos, who will be his first Preakness starter, will work Saturday and ship to Baltimore on Tuesday.

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