ROBINS
FARM RACING STEWARDS' CUP -
INITIAL
QUOTES
Rex Imperator landed the
2013 renewal of the £100,000 Robins Farm Racing Stewards' Cup, the six-furlong
heritage handicap on the final day of Glorious Goodwood.
He was successful by two
and a quarter lengths from 66/1 shot Ajjaadd.
Neil Callan, the winning rider, said:
"This means a lot because a friend of mine and I found this horse for my
sponsor and some friends to go the Dubai Carnival last year. He went out there
and it just didn't suit him - it was probably the heat or whatever - he has always
had an issue with the gates - and he just melted out there.
"We literally had to
bring him back to England and go back to basics with him. We sent him to
William and, between him and Gary Witheford, they have done a magnificent job
to get him relax and get him in the gates.
"I always knew that
this horse was going to be good, that's why we found him, and I am glad that he
has won a big one.
"The race was
perfect. He jumped smart and William told me to ride my own race. He told me to
sit on him, wait for that last burst and use him late.
"I got a nice tow
into it off Heaven's Guest and he was running away at the two-pole - I was
climbing over them and just had to wait a little bit longer. He has quickened
like the Group horse which I thought he was."
Maureen Haggas, trainer William Haggas'
wife and assistant, said: "This really has been a team effort because Gary
Witheford had him for a month before he came to us and he has done a fantastic
job on him. Neil actually bought him for the owner. Donovan, who rides him
every day, has done a fantastic job. It's a real team effort and I am thrilled
to bits.
"Sadly, the owner
George Turner couldn't be here today because his plane broke down. Steve
(Parkin) has a bit of the horse with George and a lot of people have put in a
lot of time and effort with the horse.
"He had a terrible
reputation when he came to us - he had played up in the winter out in Dubai -
which is why he went to Gary for a whole month. He and Donovan have done a
cracking job between them."
REX
IMPERATOR - QUITE A STORY
A very hard to handle
horse on his third trainer, Rex Imperator, won one of the most competitive
handicaps, the £100,000 Robins Farm Racing Stewards' Cup over six furlongs, by
two and a quarter lengths.
The four-year-old Royal
Applause gelding was described by Gary Witheford, who specialises in making
difficult horses more tractable, as the most tricky of the 2,000 or so horses
he has dealt with.
Marlborough-based
Witheford, who visits Newmarket twice a week, first dealt with Rex Imperator
last year when the horse was with Roger Charlton. Rex Imperator then went to
Dubai with Dandy Nicholls and when he returned to England went to Witheford for
between six and eight weeks.
Witheford said: "Rex
Imperator does not want to stay in the stalls too long - if he does, he whips
over backwards. He is the worst I have ever had - he has gone under - he has
gone over. He has always been difficult and he was slowly getting worse and
worse which was why he was sold when he was with Roger Charlton.
"He concussed me at
Doncaster on his last run for Roger. He was sold and went to Dubai with Dandy
Nicholls and was sent home because he would not go in the stalls.
"He did not care
about himself - you just don't know what horses like that are going to do. We
built the trust up with him when he came to us after Dubai. There is a key to
everything if you can find it.
"With him, you have
to keep him very tight to you, walking slowly but getting closer and closer to
the stalls. You just drop the chain and get him in. I got a text from Willie
Haggas on Thursday asking what stall we wanted. I said 28 or 26 and we got the
latter, which meant he was due to go in the stalls second last. In fact he went
in last because the 28 horse went in early.
"I had him for six to
eight weeks after Dubai and worked on him and took him to different stalls all
around the country - Kempton, Lambourn, Newbury etc, just to get him to relax.
He was also losing the plot in the paddock, on the way down to the start and at
the start.
"He banged me against
the stalls at Doncaster and George Baker who rode him then hurt his leg - the
horse had a bloodied nose which was why he ran so badly in that last run for
Roger.
"Horses especially
sprinters live on their nerves - flight or fight animals and Rex Imperator is
both which is unusual. He was very relaxed in the paddock today, a bit sweaty
at the start but it is a warm day and we walked around down at the start away
from the stalls until it was his turn to go in. He walked in the stalls no
trouble. That was the best he has been.
"We helped with the
last winner as well, Winsili. She was very nervous and could not keep still,
while my son Craig helped the second Thistle Bird. Not a bad day, two winners
and a second!"
Maureen Haggas, wife of
trainer William Haggas who was not at Goodwood this afternoon, added:
"Gary has done all the work - Rex Imperator was a handful when he came
back from Dubai. He had an interesting reputation over there. He went to
Gary's., who sorted him out. Donovan rides him every day and between them they
have done a fantastic job. It is great Neil (Callan the winning jockey) bought
him for the owner so it has been a big team effort. It is fantastic.
"Handicaps such as
this are hard to win a head let alone by over two lengths. He was good form and
it all fell right. Neil gave him a beautiful ride but he waited today which is
the way to ride him. This horse has got to relax and travel.
"The poor owner,
George Turner, had plane trouble and had to put down in White Waltham and has
not got here. He was flying from Leeds."
ONE-HORSE
YARD TAKES SECOND PLACE IN FAMOUS HANDICAP
Ted Powell's Reigate yard
may only house one racehorse, but it did him proud in today's Robins Farm
Racing Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood.
The Powell-trained Ajjaadd
finished second to Rex Imperator, going down by two and a quarter lengths, but
finishing half a length ahead of third-placed Burwaaz, trained by Ed Dunlop.
Ajjaadd collected just over £16,000 in prize money, yet he cost owners Katy and
Lol Pratt just £2,400 at Doncaster when sold by his breeders, Darley, in 2009.
He has won nine races since.
Powell, whose horse was up
with the pace under jockey William Twiston-Davies, said: "It was a pity
the others weren't fast enough to give us a lead. He's so fast and I would have
loved to have waited until the final furlong to make a challenge. He went too
soon last time."
Powell formerly worked
with ex-trainer Jack O'Donoghue, who saddled Hello Mister to win the Portland
Handicap in 1994 and 1995 as well as Nickel Coin, the last mare to win the
Grand National back in 1951.
The Portland is now in
Powell's mind for Ajjaadd, for he said: "My plan is to win the Portland
Handicap at Doncaster, but I'll have to walk because it's a long way to drive
from my place!"
Twiston-Davies said:
"He's a different horse this year he's improved so much. He won at Epsom
and won well and the last time out he just wasn't himself and sweated up - he
needs a fast pace to run at and he didn't get that today so I had to make the
early running. The winner tracked me and when he went past my horse responded,
but wasn't quite good enough."
Buick on
Winsili
After winning the Markel
Insurance Nassau Stakes on Winsili, William Buick said: "I got a nice
uninterrupted tow into the race and could challenge when I wanted to.
"In fairness to the
filly she battled on really well and has come on leaps and bounds this year. It
was no fluke - I know a few of them had troubled passages and I had a smooth
run, but she is a genuine Group One filly.
"She quickened up
well and has real speed - she just didn't stay at Royal Ascot. She has
surprised me a little bit, but not completely. The lad who rides her every day
at home, Afzal, has done a great job with her because she is tricky, but in a
race she is pretty straightforward."
3.50pm
Robins Farm Racing Stewards' Cup (Heritage Handicap)
£100,000
total prize fund. For 3yo+, 6f. Weights: highest weight not less than 9st 10lb
(Any horse rated above 110 (or 114 if such a horse is 3yo) shall initially be
treated as having that rating and the highest weight allotted shall be 9st
10lb; subsequently, the excess over 110 (or 114if such a horse is 3yo) in any
rating shall be added to the weight allotted to that horse without limitation
to the highest weight to be carried); minimum weight 8st. Penalties: after July
6th, a winner 6lb Weight for age 3 from 4yo+ 4lb. Penalty value 1st £62,250.00
2nd £18,640.00 3rd £9,320.00 4th £4,660.00 5th £2,330.00 6th £1,170.00
1) REX
IMPERATOR (George Turner) William Haggas p4-9-04 Neil Callan [26] 12/1
2)
AJJAADD (USA) (Katy & Lol Pratt) Ted Powell 7-8-09 William Twiston-Davies
(3) [25] 66/1
3)
BURWAAZ (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Ed Dunlop b4-8-11 Paul Hanagan [28] 25/1
4) RACY
(Koo's Racing Club) Brian Ellison 6-8-09 Harry Bentley [7] 16/1
5)
NINJAGO (Jonathan Palmer-Brown & Potensis Ltd) Richard Hannon 3-8-13
Richard Hughes [17] 10/1
6)
TROPICS (USA) (D Konecny, S Branch & A Branch) Dean Ivory h5-9-06 (6lbex)
Jim Crowley [6] 9/2 Fav
7) LOUIS
THE PIOUS (F Gillespie) David O'Meara 5-9-00 Daniel Tudhope [27]
8)
HAWKEYETHENOO (IRE) (Johnnie Delta Racing) Jim Goldie 7-9-08 Graham Lee [5]
9) SECRET
WITNESS (Paul Moulton) Ron Harris b7-8-12 Martin Harley [13]
10)
DINKUM DIAMOND (IRE) (Eight Star Syndicate) Henry Candy 5-9-03 Cathy Gannon
[16]
11)
HEAVEN'S GUEST (IRE) (J Shannon & M Scaife) Richard Fahey 3-8-10 (6lbex)
Tony Hamilton [22]
12)
BARNET FAIR (Donald Wheatley) Richard Guest 5-8-11 (6lbex) David Probert [10]
13)
PRODIGALITY (Paul Moulton) Ron Harris 5-9-00 Tom Queally [9]
14)
SHROPSHIRE (IRE) (The Hon Catherine Corbett & Chris Wright) Charlie Hills
h5-9-03 Ryan Moore [21]
15) HOOF
IT (Chubby Chandler & Lee Westwood) Michael Easterby 6-9-12 Kieren Fallon
[19]
16) DR
RED EYE (The Red Eye Partnership) Scott Dixon p5-8-09 Silvestre De Sousa [3]
17) REGAL
PARADE (Dab Hand Racing) Milton Bradley t9-8-09 Matthew Lawson (5) [11]
18) FREE
ZONE (R Levin) Bryan Smart 4-8-12 Royston Ffrench [20]
19)
HUMIDOR (IRE) (Delancey) George Baker t6-9-04 Pat Cosgrave [8]
20) YORK
GLORY (USA) (Salman Rashed & Mohamed Khalifa) Kevin Ryan b5-9-09 Jamie
Spencer [4]
21)
BLAINE (Matt & Lauren Morgan) Kevin Ryan 3-9-00 Joe Fanning [15]
22)
POLSKI MAX (Market Avenue Racing & Tremousser) Richard Fahey 3-8-05 George
Chaloner (5) [1]
23) MAC'S
POWER (IRE) (Broughton Thermal Insulation) Willie Musson 7-8-09 William Buick
[24]
24)
WHOZTHECAT (IRE) (Simon Bean) Declan Carroll v6-8-08 (6lbex) Luke Leadbitter
(7) [23]
25) FACE
THE PROBLEM (IRE) (Dr Marwan Koukash) Jamie Osborne 5-9-01 James Doyle [2]
26)
PABUSAR (Ken Gundlach) Jamie Osborne 5-8-09 Martin Dwyer [12]
27)
TIDDLIWINKS (Exors of the late Guy Reed) Kevin Ryan 7-9-07 Brian Hughes [18]
27
ran
Non-runner:
Harrison George (Self Cert - Lame)
Time: 1m
10.35s
Distances:
2¼, ½, ½, hd, nk, nk, nk, ½, sh, nse, nk, 1, hd, ½, 1¾, ½, nk, nk, 2, 1¼, nk,
½, hd, 1¼, ¾, 3½
Breeder:
Christopher Mason
Breeding:
Royal Applause - Elidore (Danetime (IRE))
Tote
Win £13.60 Place £3.20 £26.60 £8.00
£4.90 Exacta £1,635.90
Winning
Trainer: Name Haggas, William John Date of Birth: 23/8/60 Trains at Somerville
Lodge, Newmarket Suffolk Date of first trainer's licence: 20/11/86 First
winner: Tricky Note, Newmarket, April 15, 1987, EBF Bartlow Stakes Previous
Occupation: Assistant trainer to Sir Mark Prescott and John Winter British
Classic wins (2): Shaamit (1996 Investec Derby - his first (and so far
only) runner in the Classic); Dancing Rain (2011 Investec Oaks) Other Major
wins include: Stewards' Cup (2008 Conquest, 2013 Rex Imperator), Italian
2,000 Guineas (2002 Dupont), German 2,000 Guineas (2002 Dupont, 2004 Brunel),
Audi Stakes (2008 Enticing), Betfred Classic Trial (2006 Primary), Champagne
Stakes (1990 Bog Trotter), Park Stakes (1991 Bog Trotter), Joel Stakes (1996
Yeast), Victoria Cup Handicap (1996 Yeast), Watership Down Stud Sales Race
(2002 Sharplaw Venture), Molecomb Stakes (2003 Majestic Missile), Pretty Polly
Stakes (2004 Chorist), Gimcrack Stakes (2006 Conquest), Prix du Petit Couvert
(2006 Majestic Missile) Challenge Cup (2007 Candidato Roy), William Hill
Lincoln (2007 Very Wise, 2010 Penitent), Diadem Stakes(2008 King's Apostle),
Dee Stakes (2009 South Easter), Prix Maurice de Gheest (2009 King's Apostle),
Preis der Diana (2011 Dancing Rain), QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares
Stakes (2011 Dancing Rain), Gimcrack Stakes (2010 Approve), Jaguar Cars Lowther
Stakes (2012 Rosdhu Queen), Jaguar Cars Cheveley Park Stakes (2012 Rosdhu
Queen), Sky Bet York Stakes (2013 Mukhadram), Richmond Stakes (2013 Saayerr) Royal
Ascot wins (8): Jersey Stakes (2008 Aqlaam), Hampton Court Stakes (2008
Collection), Royal Hunt Cup (1996 Yeast), Norfolk Stakes (2010 Approve, 2000
Superstar Leo), Ribblesdale Stakes (2006 Mont Etoile), Wokingham Handicap (2009
High Standing), Britannia Handicap (2012 Fast Or Free) First Royal
Ascot Win: Yeast (June 19, 1996 - Royal Hunt Cup) First Goodwood Winner:
Munadhil, Pilley Green Stakes, September 12, 1987 Total Goodwood Wins:
26 (7 at July Meeting) Number of horses in training (1993-2013): 47; 37;
37; 42; 45; 49; 53; 58; 72; 63; 70; 82; 88; 96; 102; 106; 110; 129; 130; 143 Wins
in a Year (1991-2012): 25; 13; 13; 22; 19; 27; 12; 24; 46; 45; 39; 43; 44;
46; 53; 59; 66; 86; 69; 59; 76; 83 Wins This Year: 59
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