Andrew McNamara Bows Out with a Winner, Night of Thunder Retires to Stud and Golden Horn and Gleneagles Ready for Battle
Racing has said a number of goodbyes and this week we’ve got news of some more, though thankfully not as sad as the passing of Peter O’Sullevan. Looking forward we have the Juddmonte International Stakes, a cracking way to get the Ebor festival at York started, and that’s where we’ll begin.
Juddmonte International Stakes: 8 Declared
One of the biggest clashes of the Flat racing season comes at York on Wednesday as Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn fights it out with double Guineas winner Gleneagles in the Juddmonte International Stakes. Day one of the Ebor Festival really is starting with a bang and for more on the race itself check out our Juddmonte International betting tips.
It has been confirmed that Joseph O’Brien will continue in the saddle of Gleneagles, with Ryan Moore still injured, which gives the O’Brien family the chance to complete a hat-trick after father-son jockey-trainer wins on Australia last year and Declaration of War in 2013.
Mahsoob and The Corsican won’t run in the race, with the field confirmed as Cougar Mountain, Criterion, Dick Doughtywylie (who has been supplemented), much-fancied Time Test, The Grey Gatsby, Arabian Queen and, of course, Gleneagles and Golden Horn.
It promises to be quite a race and with no rain forecast between now and the race (at 3.40 19th August) we should see nice fast ground, with the going currently good to firm, good in places. There is the possibility of some very light showers on Tuesday but we expect the ground to stay as it is, or even dry out a little further.
McNamara Finishes with a Win
Andrew McNamara’s retirement won’t get the attention that AP’s did, nor that Richard Hughes’ did but real racing fans will no doubt be happy that the 32-year-old finished with a win in his last ever race. McNamara won on board Shark Hanlon’s Most Honourable, Tramore the site of his last ever winner.
McNamara, who will become a trainer, has struggled with injury for a long time and, at 6ft, with weight too. The brother of Robbie and cousin of JT may or may not have been the best jockey in his family but with highs including wins in the Queen Mother at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006 and the 2008 Irish Champion Hurdle, as well as the Irish National on Bluesea Cracker, he undoubtedly had a great career.
2000 Guineas Winner Goes to Stud
Night Of Thunder, winner of last year’s 2000 Guineas has been retired to stud, Godolphin sending the “the perfect package”, as trainer Richard Hannon labelled him, to the Darley Stud. Success in the Lockinge at Newbury this year showed his speed and determination and having been by Dubawi out of a Galileo mare hopes are high that he will deliver many more winners for the mighty Godolphin.
Night Of Thunder won four times from his 11 races, taking home a very respectable £872k in prize money. Hope you were on him at the right times!
