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Paddy Woods, Work Rider Of Arkle, Dies At 93

Paddy Woods, who once rode three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Arkle (Ire) (Archive {GB}) to victory, has died at the age of 93, according to published reports.

The Irishman was born in 1930, and began his career in racing at Dan Moore's yard before a few years with Charlie Rogers before returning to Moore. However, he is best known for his association with Tom Dreaper's Greenogue stable which began in 1956. Besides riding work aboard Arkle each morning for Dreaper, the jockey did capture the 1963 and 1965 Irish Grand Nationals for that trainer–with Last Link (GB) (Fortina {Fr}) and later Splash (GB) (Fortina {Fr}) among other victories. Arkle won the 1964 edition of the race, but Woods was not in the irons. He did receive a leg up on the champion in a race once, the 1962 President's Hurdle, and prevailed that day. Later in life he became a trainer. Woods's riding gene carried over to his son Frannie, who also won two editions of the Irish Grand National, in 1994 and 1996.

Jim Dreaper, who took over the training licence from his father before handing it off to his own son Tom, told the Racing Post, “Paddy was a great, cute man. He'd known when a horse was right and when a horse was wrong. He was a pivotal part of the team when there were proper horses here.”

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Danny Gargan Joins the TDN Writers’ Room

The GII Fountain of Youth S. may have received a few key scratches that diminished the overall quality of the field, but Danny Gargan won't let that take anything away from the victory earned by his trainee Dornoch (Good Magic). As this week's Green Group Guest of the Week on the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland, Gargan recapped Saturday's Fountain of Youth score and made a case for why we still haven't seen the best from Dornoch.

“We've just gotta get someone fast enough to get next to him,” Gargan explained. “If someone will get next to him, you're going to see a fast horse. I mean, he does explode working. But Luis [Saez] was just sitting there playing around. He'll wait on competition because he wants to play. He's a big boy and wants the competition.”

While the goal was originally for Dornoch to get some experience coming from behind horses, the game plan changed after a late scratch from Todd Pletcher trainee Speak Easy (Constitution), who got loose behind the gate. Gargan had to break out his running shoes to get to Saez before the horses started loading.

“Right where the stand is where they do the interviews and they're on TV, I ran down to the track where the horses walk on and Luis was right around that area. We had to have a conversation again, but he knew what we wanted at that stage. He's a pretty smart kid…I had to change our game plan completely because I didn't want to be behind one of those horses and have them get in our way. So we went ahead and decided to just go to the lead.”

The plan was a success as Dornoch, who is a full-brother to last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, wired a field of five and earned 50 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Gargan has said that he is considering either the GI Florida Derby or the GI Blue Grass S. for the colt's next start. On the show, he reported that he's leaning toward the Blue Grass, but should have a final decision at some point later next week.

Until then, he plans to soak up the experience of the Derby trail. A native of Louisville, Gargan has been to the Kentucky Derby once before in 2019 with Tax (Arch), who finished fourteenth, but this time around he said his outlook is a bit different.

“We're just going to enjoy where we're at right now,” Gargan said. “We're lucky enough that we didn't have to run that hard to get the points. We're already probably in the race. I believe we have a horse that, if we get him in the gate on the first Saturday in May, he'd have a chance to win it. So it's a totally different ballpark and it's a fun thing to be a part of. Hopefully we get lucky and we're there.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is sponsored by Coolmore's Epicenter, WinStar Farm's Global Campaign, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, 1/ST Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and XBTV.com, the team of Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and T.D. Thornton reviewed all the major Kentucky Derby and Oaks prep races from coast to coast and questioned the implications the many scratches might have had on the weekend's results. They also took a look at the new Tapeta track at Santa Anita, as well as the announcement of 1/ST's new racing series and the GI Preakness S. purse increase.

Click here to watch the show.

Click here for the audio-only version.

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“He’s A Group Horse” – Davison Has Royal Ascot Plan For Rapid Improver

Trainer Jack Davison says he is convinced that rapid improver Bergamasco (Ire) (Cappella Sansevero {GB}) is a Group horse in the making and is preparing the colt for a tilt at the Britannia S. at Royal Ascot following a career-best performance in winning the Patton Race at Dundalk on Friday.

Bergamasco has gone from strength to strength at Dundalk over the winter by winning three times, including when accounting for Nerano (War Front) and the 104-rated Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the one-mile contest, which was recently downgraded from Listed status.

Despite that silky smooth success, the handler confirmed that no offers have been levelled at connections, who are happy to roll the big dice with a horse that was acquired for just €12,000 as a yearling.

Davison said, “Bergamasco has loads of options now. I think he'll get nine or 10 pounds for Friday, which would get him into the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. Hopefully he'd have a live chance in a race like that.”

He added, “I think he's a Group horse. I really fancied him on Friday because I thought it would take a Stakes horse to win it. I watched his replay of his previous win and, when a race is run to suit, he's capable of quickening up off a fast pace. The time of the race on Friday was quite good as well.”

Bergamasco races in the colours of the trainer's parents, John and Paula, who are hugely distinguished breeders in their own right under the banner of Killarkin Stud. Davison explained how, from humble beginnings, Bergamasco has provided the family with a great amount of enjoyment, and says he is confident that there is plenty more fun to be had with the improving three-year-old.

He said, “I bought him off Tally-Ho Stud and a good friend of mine, Tommy Burns, who bred him, for just €12,000 at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale. I bought a lot of yearlings that year–some expensive ones–and then my parents said that they'd quite like a colt to race and he was the cheapest one we bought. He's pretty highly-rated now and has won almost €50,000 in prize-money so he has worked out well. It's a good story.”

Davison added, “There hasn't been much interest in the horse since Friday. I think people underestimate a horse like him just because of his sire, really. It was just a three-runner race at Dundalk and I suppose all of his winning has been at Dundalk. Maybe people want to see some turf form from him? I haven't had any solid offers for the horse since he won on Friday and I certainly won't be giving him away either because I think there is loads to come from him. He could be a horse to go to a London Sale with an entry in the Britannia Stakes. That could be an option.

“I'm very much a, 'have horse will travel,' kind of trainer, which is why I won't be giving this lad away. If you look beyond Ascot, there is a lot of money on offer in places like Saudi Arabia, which could be right up his street. He could be ideal for big-race international targets. We're under no pressure with him.”

Away from Bergamasco, Davison has big plans for classy prospect She's Quality (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), talented sprinter Thunderbear (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) and some smart youngsters who have yet to hit the track.

He explained, “I think highly of She's Quality. She might make a reappearance in a six-furlong conditions race at Dundalk in a fortnight's time. She was always going to be more of a three-year-old as she's very big. I'd say she's a nice sprinter in the making. Thunderbear really thrives for soft underfoot conditions. We might run him in a handicap on the opening day of the season at the Curragh. He'll be top weight, no doubt, but we'll probably claim off him and try and get a bit of confidence into him.”

Davison added, “I have one really nice three-year-old colt but I won't say his name for fear of jinxing him! But he's a nicer horse than Bergamasco and he hasn't even seen a racecourse yet. “We have a lovely team of 25 horses. Everything we have is worth having in training in Ireland so we're really happy with how things are building towards the season ahead. It's all about stats now. If I bring a runner to the races, I want people to take note. If we can keep that going forward, we'll be very happy.”

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Trainer Sarah Delany Seriously Injured at Delta Downs

Sarah Delany, who trains along with her husband Benny Martinez, was injured Wednesday morning at Delta Downs when she was kicked by a horse in the back of her neck, according to family friend and client Brian Poppenberg. The local Lake Charles hospital sent her via CareFlight to Houston, where she underwent emergency surgery.

“She was kicked in the back of the neck, and had spinal surgery as well as fusion,” said Poppenberg, “and luckily enough she has feeling in all extremities but recovery will be lengthy.

“Let me express that her and her husband are a small barn outfit, and absolutely love the horses, and this will be a difficult time for her as the trainer and her husband.”

According to EquineLine's official statistics, Delany made her first start as a trainer in 2012. She has 280 wins from 1,941 career starts.

A GoFundMe campaign has been established for Delany and can be accessed here.

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