John Gosden | Horse Racing Free Tips

Gosden Talks Up Emily Upjohn For Oaks At Gallops Morning

John Gosden has labelled Cazoo Oaks favourite Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) as being in the same league as Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who he first won the Epsom Classic with in 2014, after overseeing the unbeaten filly work at the track on Monday morning.

Emily Upjohn is a general even-money shot to provide Gosden with a fourth Oaks success following a stylish victory in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York earlier this month.

Gosden, who shares his training licence with his son Thady, also won the Oaks with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in 2017 and Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in 2019, and is set to be double-handed in this year's race after Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was confirmed for Epsom on Saturday.

Speaking at the the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning, Gosden said, “I think she [Emily Upjohn] is in the Taghrooda league. It would be silly to start talking about Enable as that would be completely over the top.”

He added, “It is her ability to travel and quicken over a trip that reminds me of Taghrooda. I know they were playing, if you like, coming down the hill at a half-speed but even the way she quickened today between the three and the two was impressive.”

Emily Upjohn has raced just three times in her career and, according to Gosden, the experience of Monday's dry run around Epsom will stand to the short-priced favourite come June 3.

Gosden said, “Frankie (Dettori) felt that for a filly who has had three races in her life it would be nice to come here and just have a look and feel of the track, which is all that you are doing as you are not trying to do any exploratory work.

“She behaved great, moved very well, got her leads right coming down the hill and quickened up nicely. I think she will come on a lot for that mentally. She is not a filly who raced a lot at two as she only had the one run at Wolverhampton, but you can see by the size of the frame of her why we were patient.”

He added, “She has filled out well and she has rather enjoyed her morning out here. I would hope she has got the speed for the Oaks as she has shown an ability to quicken. The other day in the Musidora she quickened well there at York.

“She did it well at Wolverhampton and at Sandown she sat very handy, then lengthened off the front. She has a change of gear.”

Gosden's Oaks hand is strengthened by the fact that Nashwa, a general 5-1 chance, is second only to her stablemate Emily Upjohn in the betting, with the trainer hopeful rather than confident that she will get the trip at Epsom.

He said, “They [Nashwa and Emily Upjohn] have never worked together and it won't be my intention to do so. This filly [Emily Upjohn] is guaranteed to stay a mile and a half. With Nashwa the speed she has shown it wouldn't be guaranteed she gets a mile and a half.”

Nashwa's participation in the Cazoo Oaks also throws up the possibility of a first ever Classic success for a female jockey, with Hollie Doyle set to ride.

Gosden added: “When Mr Imad Al Sagar asked me about Hollie two or three years ago I said she is a superb jockey that is very talented and horses run for her.

“She has an incredible work ethic. She reminds me a lot of Julie Krone. From my point of view she has been the ultimate jockey type and so I said it is a great idea if you retain her and he did.

“She looks at every detail of everything. She does her research properly and is a great race rider and if it came off it would be wonderful.”

He added, “You had a young lady win the US Open and that captured the imagination in this country and anything to that extent like this is particularly positive for the sport. It has had an image of being a bit crusty and clubby, but it is not.”

The post Gosden Talks Up Emily Upjohn For Oaks At Gallops Morning appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Limiti Di Greccio And Inspiral To Miss Irish 1000 Guineas

Limiti Di Greccio (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) and Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), both of whom held prominent positions in the betting for Sunday's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, have been ruled out of making their respective seasonal return in the Curragh Classic.

Paddy Twomey, who trains Limiti Di Greccio, told TDN Europe that his hugely exciting filly will be aimed at races in the autumn after she encountered “a small training problem” while connections of G1 winning 2-year-old Inspiral are charting a path towards the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot with their charge.

Inspiral failed to sparkle in a key gallop under Frankie Dettori on Saturday, after which, her joint-trainer John Gosden advised connections to skip the Irish 1000 Guineas and wait for Royal Ascot.

Speaking on Monday, Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson said, “She's not going to Ireland. John's recommendation is let's go straight to Royal Ascot for the Coronation Stakes.”

Inspiral, unbeaten in four starts as a 2-year-old, with that brilliant juvenile campaign culminating with G1 Fillies' Mile glory at Newmarket, was also ruled out of the 1,000 Guineas last month with Richardson explaining at the time that the filly had not been “100 per cent straightforward” in the spring.

Connections are now concentrating on having Inspiral in top shape ahead of the Royal meeting.

Richardson added, “Frankie had a sit on her on Saturday and just felt we needed a little bit more time, so we'll give her that and hopefully have her cherry-ripe and spot on for the Royal meeting.”

Time is also what Limiti Di Greccio needs, according to Twomey, who pointed to the G1 Matron Stakes in the autumn as being the new target for Martin Schwarz-owned filly.

Twomey said, “She picked up a minor training setback and is not ready to run at the Curragh on Sunday.”

He added, “The plan is to train her with a view towards the second half of the season where races like the Matron Stakes could be targeted.”

In the absence of Limiti Di Greccio and Inspiral, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Dermot Weld's Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), herself having skipped Newmarket and more recently ParisLongchamp, are general 5-2 joint-favourites for the Irish 1000 Guineas.

The post Limiti Di Greccio And Inspiral To Miss Irish 1000 Guineas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Inspiral to skip Irish 1,000 Guineas in favour of Royal Ascot

Leading Irish 1,000 Guineas fancy Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will not run at the Curragh on Sunday and will instead chart a path towards the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on June 17.

The decision was made after the filly was ridden in a key workout by Frankie Dettori over the weekend and the news was revealed by Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson on Monday.

Richardson said that it was the recommendation of joint-trainer John Gosden to go straight to Royal Ascot and bypass the Curragh this weekend.

He explained, “She's not going to Ireland. John's recommendation is let's go straight to Royal Ascot for the Coronation Stakes.”

In her absence in Sunday's Irish equivalent, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Dermot Weld's Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), herself having skipped Newmarket and more recently ParisLongchamp, are general 5-2 joint-favourites.

The post Inspiral to skip Irish 1,000 Guineas in favour of Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

McGivern Optimistic as Speedy Fillies Catch Attention at Arqana

DEAUVILLE, France–Deliverance came a day early for Katie McGivern at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale as lot 64, a Sioux Nation filly and lot 66, a filly by Siyouni (Fr), finished in the top five fastest times overall in the session.

It was McGivern's fillies, the only two that she brought to one of the premier breeze-up sales in Europe, who emerged from the cavalry of 130 juveniles as being up there with the fastest on show.

McGivern stuck her neck out in going to €68,000 for the Siyouni filly out of Stars So Bright (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at the Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale and she looks like being handsomely rewarded when she offers the speedster under the banner of Derryconnor Stud on Friday.

“I'm delighted,” the in-demand consignor said in between showing the fillies post-breeze. “They put in a solid breeze and had shown some pretty good homework before coming here. They stepped up on what I asked them to do here.

“The Siyouni just naturally knew how to go. There was no teaching in her. The Sioux Nation was very straightforward as well in fairness. I actually came over here on my own with them.

“Everyone was asking me why I didn't bring staff with me but I kept telling them how straightforward they were and they showed that today. I have a girl helping me today and for the sale tomorrow but usually the good ones are horizontal.”

So, too, is McGivern, who knows a thing or two about producing good horses. Daban (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), winner of the 2017 G3 Nell Gwyn S., is one of many high-class graduates from McGivern's nursery and, given the Siyouni and Sioux Nation fillies have passed the vet and pulled out of the breeze in top shape, the popular consignor was feeling optimistic on the eve of the sale.

She said, “They stepped up to the mark. You can do all of the homework you like but some will let you down at the sales. Not these fillies. I'm very proud of them.

“I bought the Sioux Nation in Book 2 at Tattersalls in October. I gave 36,000gns for her out of Sherbourne Lodge and I bought the Siyouni in the Sportsman's Sale off Castlebridge for €68,000, which would be a huge amount for me. We gave a big price for her as €40,000 is normally my maximum but we were lucky in that the mare hadn't produced a winner when we bought her but the first foal out of her has won since and that definitely helps.”

McGivern added, “It's very busy here and hopefully they sell well. I know they vet 100% which is a relief because there's no point in having a fast one who isn't going to pass the vet. I actually had Kaboo (More Than Ready) here last year, and he didn't pass the vet despite being the fifth fastest, so he only made €40,000 in the end. Thankfully, these two have passed so that hurdle is crossed. I'll definitely sleep easy tonight but it will be nerve-wracking tomorrow.”

There was a real international feel to the afternoon session, with Joseph O'Brien, Jean-Claude Rouget, George Boughey, Thady Gosden and Francis Graffard some of the many recognisable faces in baking heat.

Few have concentrated so heavily and reaped such rewards with breezers in recent years quite like Michael O'Callaghan has and, while he hopes to be active at the sale which kicks off at 2 p.m. local time, the Irish trainer admitted it will be tough to compete against the international competition.

“It's going to be very hard,” O'Callaghan admitted in between viewings on Thursday evening. “This, the best breeze-up sale there is, and the consignors keep their best horses for France. It will be hard to buy the best of them but we will give it a good go.”

He added, “Blue De Vega (Ger) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Now Or Later (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}), Letters Of Note (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), they all came from the breeze-up sales and we'll be doing our best to find the next one tomorrow [Friday].”

The post McGivern Optimistic as Speedy Fillies Catch Attention at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post