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“The form was there in the book,” said Nick Taylor as Go Down Rockin, the 6/4 favourite, was led in after winning Sunday’s first GB Pointing Bonus Young Horse Maiden race of the season, which was sponsored by Tattersalls Cheltenham.
Taylor was not wrong, for the Irish-bred five-year-old, who was ridden by Ed Vaughan (green and yellow colours above), was stabled last season with multiple champion Irish point-to-point trainer Colin Bowe, for whom he ran three times and was placed on each occasion. On his final run he was beaten just a length by Jerry The Dreamer, who has been declared to run in a maiden hurdle at Chepstow on Wednesday for his new trainer, Neil Mulholland, while the third horse has been placed in each of five runs under rules. Go Down Rockin was subsequently bought at Goffs’ February Sale for €64,000 by Taylor’s boss, bloodstock agent Tom Malone. Quite clearly his horse is no mug and with experience on his side it was easy to see why he was made favourite to win Sunday’s race, which formed part of the new season’s curtain raiser held at Lower Machen near Caerphilly in South Wales.
Vaughan said: “Tom rang me a couple of weeks ago to offer the ride and said he felt the horse would come here with a good chance. He jumped and travelled throughout and rode like the best horse in the race. Having run in Ireland has to be an advantage – he would probably have taken part in schooling races and then he ran three times, which means you can go in and ride them like a handicapper. You don’t have to worry about getting over the first few and then seeing how you go. However, he definitely has a touch of class and I was quite confident that we would catch the leader on the run-in.”
Ed Vaughan is all smiles as Go Down Rockin is led into the winner’s enclosure (Ce)
Twelve horses went to post, and while many observers would have loved to see an unraced British-bred winner further investigation says there was no disgrace for horses who finished in the places.
In the event he had to work hard for a neck victory over Monty Leburne, a British-bred son of Telescope, but who had also run three times in Irish point-to-points last season. Ridden by JohnJoe Murphy Knight he led at the last but was reeled in on the run to the line. Defeat could not hide a superb training performance by Lauren O’Connor, who is based near Bridgend and who was saddling her first point-to-point runner. Monty Leburne, who was bought by O’Connor for just £1,500 in May at Goffs UK’s Spring Sale, was led up by her partner of 12 years, jump jockey Adam Wedge.
O’Connor said of her five-year-old: “We didn’t know what he’d be like. We have a round sand gallop at home and we go to Rhys Flint’s yard once a week, but you have to start somewhere.”
Lauren O’Connor who almost pulled off a memorable first-runner, first-winner feat (Ce)
Two four-year-olds who had one run in the spring finished third and fourth, with the Josh Newman-trained-and-ridden Penarthur – who Newman said would “make a great little hurdler” – finishing six lengths behind the runner-up and seven lengths ahead of Admiral Bonzo from Luca Morgan’s yard. Admiral Bonzo was settled at the rear by James King, but became headstrong running down the hill turning away from the home straight and wasted too much energy through the race. He did well to finish as close as he did and looks sure to win if learning to settle.
Penarthur (Josh Newman) leads Admiral Bonzo (James King) on his way to third place (Ce)
So a £10,000 cheque, which would have been given to a GB-bred winner, remained in the bank, although Go Down Rockin is now eligible for a £15,000 bonus if he wins a developmental hurdle or chase within two years for a licensed trainer based in Britain. Winners bred in Britain qualify for a £25,000 bonus.
The series and bonuses – which aim to highlight young pointers trained in Britain and give a boost in particular to British breeding – were introduced last season and are backed by the British Horseracing Authority and Horserace Betting Levy Board with support from auctioneers Tattersalls Cheltenham and Goffs UK and racecourse group Arena Racing Company (ARC).
Winners of a GB Pointing young-horse maiden race land bonuses of £25,000 or £15,000 if subsequently successful in any of the following:
