News On Peddlers Cross

Peddlers Cross is back in light training, with Donald McCain relishing the prospect of his star turn embarking upon a novice chasing campaign in the autumn.

The brilliant six-year-old was unbeaten in his first seven starts under Rules and although he finally met with defeat in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, he went down in a blaze of glory to finish second to Hurricane Fly.

It looked as though that effort had taken its toll on his final start of the campaign at Aintree, but McCain reports his pride and joy to have returned from his summer break in fine fettle.


"He's back in walking and trotting and he looks great," said McCain.

"It's very exciting at this time of year. There are some grand horses around the place and he's obviously top of the list.

"The plan is for him to go novice chasing at the moment.

"We'll play it by ear and see where we start off nearer the time.

"Let's gets him there and see how we go, but I'd have thought we'd be starting off over fences."

Stan James make Peddlers Cross the 8-1 favourite for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham next March.

Goodwood : Tuesday Preview

Wootton Bassett will miss the bet365 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday.

The Richard Fahey-trained colt must sidestep the Group Two assignment over seven furlongs after having scoped badly on Sunday morning and will now be geared towards a possible tilt at the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 7.


Fahey said: "Paul (Hanagan) rode him on Saturday, but he (Wootton Bassett) was a bit quiet and wasn't quite right. It's nothing serious, but he's got to be 100% to go down there, and we daren't take him. Hopefully we can still get him to France."

He added: "It's a shame as we've been delighted with him, but there are still plenty of races left."

The Lennox has attracted nine runners, with Delegator stepping back up in trip following a luckless run in the July Cup at Newmarket.

Although Fahey will not be saddling his stable star, he will still be represented in the race by recent Chester winner Majestic Myles.


Richard Hannon has two runners in Jersey Stakes hero Strong Suit and Libranno, while Clive Cox (image) runs Balthazaar's Gift and Beacon Lodge.

Dalghar, Doncaster Rover and Red Jazz complete the line-up.

Hoof It Wins

Hoof It, owned by top golf agent Chubby Chandler and Lee Westwood, landed a gamble in the Sky Bet Dash at York to stake a strong claim for next Saturday's Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood.

The Mick Easterby-trained 3-1 favourite powered to the front on the far side in the competitive handicap, putting the race to bed in the final furlong under a strong drive from Kieren Fallon.

Tajneed was three-quarters of a length back in second with Ginger Ted third and Fathsta fourth.

Chandler also looks after last weekend's British Open champion Darren Clarke, as well as Rory McIlroy, and said: "Not quite as good as Sunday, but not far off! The idea is the Stewards' Cup now. He's a great horse and Kieren likes him.


"Lee is in the gym today, he's going to America next week and he didn't want to disrupt his routine. This is a great horse. My mate told me to sell it last year, but I said what's the point? We only do it for a bit of fun and we'd probably never find a horse as good as Hoof It.

"I just want to know why he doesn't run more often - I love it! You get quite a buzz when your horse is favourite and there's 40,000 people cheering it on. Me and Lee like to think we know what we're talking about when it comes to racing, but we don't really.


Fallon said: "I rode a bad race and he got me out of trouble. I went to the wrong side and he did well. I probably would have gone sooner if I could have done. When he gets there he idles a little bit, so the way the race was run was a blessing in disguise really.

"He probably had a harder race than I wanted to give him. The Stewards' Cup is only a week away, it depends how he comes out of this race. It wasn't ideal. He's still a big baby and I don't think you will see the best of this horse until next year."

Easterby said: "He's a hell of a horse. Chubby first got into racing when we tipped him a horse in a selling hurdle at Wetherby a few years ago. I told him I wouldn't mind training one in his colours and here we are.

"He'll go to Goodwood next week, and then the race I'd like to run him is the Portland at Doncaster. It's over five and a half furlongs and that would suit him down to the ground."

Rewilding RIP

Racing at Ascot today was heavily overshadowed by the death of the strongly-fancied Rewilding in the feature King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Frankie Dettori's mount, winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic and Prince of Wales's Stakes, broke down badly in the straight, fracturing a cannon-bone and throwing his rider to the ground.


Dettori escaped with what was reported to be just a bruised knee, but Rewilding had to be put down.

Tim Morris, director of Equine Science and Welfare at the British Horseracing Authority, said: "Rewilding suddenly and completely unexpectedly suffered a major fracture of the lower part of his near-fore. The horse was caught and examined by the vets immediately, and the decision was made that humane euthanasia was the only option.

"That was done professionally by the vets on the scene. It is a great regret, but it was the right decision for the horse."

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: "It is a tragedy, unfortunately we lost Rewilding as he had to be put down."

Ascot chief executive Charles Barnett said: "This sort of incident is terribly regrettable, especially on a flagship day like today. We express our profound sympathies to Sheikh Mohammed, the Godolphin operation, trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni and jockey Frankie Dettori."


The race was won by Nathaniel, whose trainer John Gosden attended to Rewilding and said: "It was a clean break through the cannon-bone and it's as if he was anaesthetised and didn't feel any pain. He was very calm and collected and we held him, but he had to be dealt with because the leg was completely gone.

"I've seen horses do that galloping in a paddock and it can happen at any time without warning. I was quickly out there when he pulled up by the winning post and held him and fed him some grass and he munched away. The horse was very well dealt with by the vet, it was a clean break and a quick end. It's a freakish thing, he just put the leg down wrong."

York Preview

Connections of Sajjhaa are confident a step up in trip can help the filly rediscover her best form in the EBF "Authorized" Lyric Fillies' Stakes at York tonight.
The daughter of King's Best struck in Listed company and at Group level on the continent when trained by Michael Jarvis last year.


An excellent second to multiple Group One winner Midday on her reappearance and Godolphin debut in the Middleton Stakes on the Knavesmire was full of promise.

But she was beaten into fourth when sent off favourite for the Windsor Forest Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot. Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford hopes the return to a mile and a quarter will see her in a better light.


He said: "The mile at Ascot was a little short for her last time so the step up in trip should suit. She ran a very good race over the same course and distance in the Middleton and we are hopeful that this race can put her back on track."

Sajjhaa's six rivals include Contredanse and Myplacelater.

Howard Johnson Update

Howard Johnson's disciplinary hearing in London was adjourned without conclusion on Thursday evening.

An additional day - in August at the earliest - is required to hear outstanding evidence, with a date due to be confirmed within the next few days.

Paul Struthers, head of communications for the British Horseracing Authority, said: "Unfortunately the (disciplinary) panel were unable to hear all of the evidence in the time available."

He added: "There were unforeseen issues arising in respect of a witness before proceedings began yesterday, and whilst both sides were confident that the hearing would still conclude in time, some of the other evidence presented and witness examinations took longer than anticipated.

"There is a possibility that the hearing could reconvene in early August but if not the next available date that all parties can attend is early September. We will confirm the date once all parties have agreed on it."

Johnson could be fighting for his training career after admitting to running a horse that had undergone a palmar neurectomy under his care. The neurectomy to the horse's left-fore leg came to light following a post-mortem carried out on Striking Article after the horse was pulled up and euthanised at Musselburgh on February 7, 2010.

The procedure involves severing nervous connection to the lower leg to cause numbness. It is banned under the Rules of Racing on welfare grounds. Striking Article underwent the procedure in April 2008 yet ran eight times afterwards. Johnson claims he was unaware of the rule that states he should not have run the horse.

Johnson has also been charged under a separate investigation in relation to the administration of laurabolin, an anabolic steroid containing nandrolone, to three other horses under his care.

Johnson has for the last two days been represented by solicitor Rory Mac Neice, and the BHA by Graeme McPherson QC.

Preview of Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster September 10

Classic winners Treasure Beach and Blue Bunting are among a quality 36-strong entry for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster on September 10.

The former landed the Irish Derby for Aidan O'Brien after finishing second to Pour Moi in the Investec Derby, while Blue Bunting has won the Newmarket 1000 Guineas and Irish Oaks.

Treasure Beach is one of 10 from the O'Brien stable that has three St Leger wins. Also among the Ballydoyle contingent is Seville, Wonder Of Wonders and Memphis Tennessee.


Blue Bunting is one of four entries for Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni along with Casamento, Genius Beast and French Navy. Fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor, has just Leicester maiden winner Laatafreet this time.

Nathaniel goes for Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes but features among John Gosden's team, and is joined by Masked Marvel, Thimaar and Buthelezi.


Sir Michael Stoute has two possibles in King Edward VII runner-up Fiorente and Sea Moon, while Sir Henry Cecil could call upon Solar Sky and Wild Coco.

Former England stirker Michael Owen hopes to seek a first Classic victory with his home-bred colt, the Tom Dascombe-trained Brown Panther, winner of the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot and fifth in the German Derby.


Queen's Vase victor Namibian is one of four entries from Mark Johnston's Middleham stable with Dordogne, Eternal Heart and Sadler's Risk.

It is 20 years since Toulon landed the world's oldest Classic for France and Chantilly-based Freddie Head is looking to end that barren spell with Aloeil. He carries the colours of the Wertheimer Brothers, owners of crack miler Goldikova.