Latest News

O'SHEA TAKES PLAUDITS AFTER HALI LANDS ARC TRIAL

TADGH O'SHEA earned every penny of his fee on HALICARNASSUS as he kept Box 41's standard bearer balanced and in full flight to fend-off Soapy Danger and Papal Bull in the Dubai Duty Free Arc Trial at Newbury today.

The Irishman has built-up a fine understanding with the Cape Cross colt and was gaining a second Group 3 triumph on him, having landed a similar event at Haydock and also been on board when 'Hali' finished second to Echo Of Light in the Strensall Stakes at York.

Mick blames himself for running Halicarnassus in the Select Stakes at Goodwood last Sunday and admits he took a gamble. He said: "I didn't want to run at Goodwood but we've managed to run him back within six days and it's all worked out well.

"He's got to have this good to fast ground and i'm looking forward to taking him to the Dubai Carnival next March."

Box 41's spokesman Tim Corby said: "This is a mile and a half horse who finds a stiff mile and a quarter so easy and will only do the minimum. Today Tadgh actually got there too soon and the horse dossed in front."

HATTA TO JOIN YOUMZAIN IN PARIS

HATTA FORT is a colt whose powder has been kept well and truly dry since his victory at the Newmarket July meeting. However, Mick is ready to light his touch paper in the Prix Jean-Luc Legardes at Longchamp a fortnight on Sunday.

The Superlative Stakes winner has been all dressed up with nowhere to go but it might be unwise to underestimate him on Arc day, when YOUMZAIN will do the honours in the big one.

Mick said: "Hatta had a breeze on the all-weather today and you can see he can't wait to get back on the racecourse. Youmzain also did some routine work and is so well in himself I wish the Arc was tomorrow."

AUSSIE STAR RARING TO GO

MUTAWAAJID provides the spearhead of our Saturday runners when shouldering top weight in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy at Newbury tomorrow.

Mick thinks the four-year-old, who will be ridden by Jimmy Fortune, faces his best opportunity since arriving from Australia in May.

He said: "I was chuffed to bits with his run in the Betfred Sprint and Newbury looks a race in which he has a great chance. I've never had him better. He looks so much brighter in his coat and seems to have fully acclimatized."

Mutawaajid ran in the July Cup and then the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and the Boss continued: "We only had six weeks to get him ready for Newmarket which wasn't enough and he was too free at Goodwood. The way he runs has encouraged me to drop him back to the minimum."

Mutawaajid is burdened with a 5lb penalty for winning two Groups 2s Down Under and this was instrumental in the Boss electing to go for tomorrow's Group 3 rather than the Group 2 Diadem Stakes at Ascot next week. 

 

MISSIT SKIPS AYR FOR CHEVELEY

MISSIT, an absentee from the Firth Of Clyde Stakes at Ayr tomorrow, is to head straight for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Tim Corby's filly looked in rude health working second lot this morning and her proud owner said: "Mick felt that running her at Ayr could take the edge off her for Newmarket so we've decided to go straight for the Cheveley Park.

"The filly has delighted Mick since winning at Lingfield which ended-up being a stroll in the park. It was upsetting to miss the middle of the season but she looks ready to make up for lost time."

GALLOP VIDEOS NOW ONLINE

This morning's gallops are now on line. The dry weather meant that the all-weather saw all the work as Youmzain, Baddam, Banquet, Kiribati King, Hatta Fort, Seeking Star, President Dan, Eddie Dowling, Deer Daylami, Manalito, Mashrai, Light Sea, Millie's Rock, Mganga, Go On Be A Tiger, Straight Sets and Jollyhockeysticks all breezed over five furlongs.

'BRILLIANT' FRAAMIE NOT TIRED

Stable legend Fraamington has made everyone's day at West Ilsley. The Sheikh Channon owned gelding confounded his critics by plugging on gamely in the 'Beverley Annual Badgeholders Selling Nursery' this afternoon to claim THIRD PLACE at odds of 14/1.

"I always had faith in the horse and now hopefully he'll get the respect he deserves!" bawled the punch-drunk trainer after he returned from Cloud Nine.

Mick wasn't finished there however, going on to fire a shot across the bows of Fraamington's biggest rivals:

"Watch out Blandys Wood and Alfredtheordinary!" he bellowed before secretaries Susan and Gill locked him in a dark room, telling him he wasn't allowed out until he regained his composure.

'BRILLIANT' FLASHY IS RETIRED

FLASHY WINGS has been retired to owner Jaber Abdullah's stud near Newbury after failing to recover from a recurring mucus problem which has been affecting her since the 2006 Royal Ascot fixture.

Mick trained her to become the champion two-year-old filly of 2005 in a campaign in which she won her first four races including the Queen Mary Stakes and the Lowther Stakes. Both those contests were run at York, which hosted Royal Ascot that year.

The filly started as one of the favourite for the 1,000 Guineas last spring but a torrential downpour overnight ruined her chance. And when finishing third to Nannina in the Coronation Stakes at the Royal meeting she overcame the mucus problems which were to dog her for the remainder of her career.

Paying tribute to "one of the best i've trained", Mick said: "She was brilliant and it's a dream to have had a two-year-old like her. From the first time she came up the gallop we knew she was something special.

"I've had some good two-year-olds such as Bint Allayl and Queen's Logic but she was one of the best. She was a very high class filly."

Elaborting on the mucus problem, Mick added: "Things went wrong in the second half of last year and she's had the problem on her ever since. We've kept scoping her and monitoring the problem but whatever we did it wouldn't clear up and after that work this morning it was time to say enough is enough."

Flashy Wings struggled to get to her lead horse on the summer ground and, as we returned home in the jeep, Mick said: "I think that's the last we'll be seeing of Flashy."

 

TOUCH TURNS IT ON AHEAD OF ASCOT

SILVER TOUCH was in dazzling form on the summer ground this morning as she warmed-up for a possible crack at the John Guest Diadem Stakes at Ascot later in the month.

The Dansili filly is as fresh as paint after missing the Haydock Sprint under controversial circumstances and Mick is keeping his fingers crossed for some juice in the ground for her Group 2 assignment.

After Silver Touch glided past OBE BRAVE and MANGO MUSIC Mick said: "She's in great order but we need to see rain. It's been so dry this month that we've been forced to carry on going to the summer much later than is normally the case."

The mysterious Hawk Wing filly who has been giving short shrift to her gallops companions is now named. MADAME HOI will probably run in the seven furlong fillies' maiden at Newbury on Friday and once again she looked the part as she came out best in a four-filly group this morning.

She's a rangy individual with a certain flashiness and has been quite green in her homework, a trait which showed itself again as she took a while to pick up her lead horse. However, she was well in charge at the top of the hill.

Over confidence can be a dangerous thing and everyone who backed ATLANTIC SPORT at Doncaster were left crying into their champagne flutes. Rarely have I heard so many paddock compliments about a two-year-old but in the race itself the colt failed to fire in the final quarter mile. No excuses were forthcoming in the post mortem and Mick will now go back to the drawing board.  

This Morning's Gallops: http://www.mickchannon.tv/owner.php

BAKER DAZZLES IN GALLOPS WORKOUT

Karen Baker set the gallops alight this week in a workout over five furlongs on the Winter Ground. It's not often that punters get an insight into such astonishing prep work but the dogs are barking already and she looks like a filly to look out for in the coming months.

http://mickchannon.tv/movie.php?flv=11thSeptBaker1189612160

CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO FAVOURITE TRACK

CHAMPIONSHIP POINT is to tackle the Group 3 Select Stakes at Goodwood on Sunday, with HALICARNASSUS waiting for the Arc Trial at Newbury later in the week.

Goodwood has been a happy hunting ground for Championship Point who won the Derby trial there last spring and came from last to first under Darryll Holland to win a competetive handicap at the Glorious meeting.

Mick said: "Championship is in great form and has never looked better. He got knocked about a bit in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor but we know he acts well at Goodwood and fingers crossed the ground will be fine for him."

Halicarnassus is also a winner at Goodwood this season but Mick thinks he'll be happier at Newbury with it's long home straight. he added: "When he won at Goodwood it was a three-runner race and i'm not convinced he handles the cambers. He wants a galloping course like York where he ran a cracker last week. The Arc Trial is over his optimum trip (a mile and a quarter) and looks the ideal race."