Page 20 - March 2009 The Game

20 The Game, March 2009
Gardiner Farms Open House
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Outside The Borders by Nigel Grif ths.
Gardiner Farms hosted a Stallion Open House on February 7 to highlight their two new Ontario sires, Sligo Bay and Silent Name (JPN).
eligible for the most lucrative regional program available while providing Ontario Breeders’ with exceptional stallion options.
The meeting that everybody has been waiting for at the Mecca of National Hunt racing is nally upon us, with the anticipation and speculation reaching it’s optimum at 2pmGMT on March 10. The hopes and plans for glory at this unique race meeting will be laid out and only a fortunate few receive ‘the roar’ as they enter the winner’s enclosure at The Cheltenham Festival.
for punters in days gone by, but that seems to have changed with few surprises. Zaynar was very impressive on his hurdling debut at Newbury and this grey son of Daylami followed up in the same manner at Ascot. On his debut he beat Walkon, a proli c winner on the at in the French provinces. This horse has improved and the
Both new stallions are owned in partnership with Adena Springs and Gardiner Farms’ President Michael Colterjohn DVM.
The new stallions join Gardiners’ already impressive stallion line-up which includes perennial leading Ontario stallion, Bold Executive,
as well as the prominently placed leading rst crop sire, Where’s the Ring. Trajectory, Peaks and Valleys, Philanthropist, Domasca Dan, and Raj Waki are also standing at Gardiner in 2009.
The two stallions are promised to be the rst of many Adena Springs Owned Stallions which will be moved to the Ontario Sire Stakes program.
A move which Adena Springs says will allow them the opportunity to be
The standard bearer for the chasing game will be the Gold Cup, 31⁄4 miles of speed, stamina and precision jumping that will test these thoroughbred jumpers.
result between these two could well be reversed, but it will be interesting to see.
Silent Name(JPN) (Sunday Silence - Danzigaway, by Danehill)
arrived at Gardiner in early February after standing one season at Adena Springs Kentucky. His rst foals
are due to arrive in 2009. He is a G2 winner of the Commonwealth BC and is multiple G1 placed. He posted 6 beyers over 100 including a 109 on Polytrack. He stands for $5000 l.f.
Sligo Bay (Sadler’s Wells - Angelic
Song, by Halo) is a G1 winning son
of one of the best sire-producing
families in the world. His dam is a
full sister to leading sire Saint Ballado,
champion Devil’s Bag, and champion
Glorious Song, dam of both Singspiel
and Rahy. His rst foals were 3 year
olds in 2008 and he has already
produced stakes winner “Wind In
My Wings” and classic placed “Sligovitz”. He stands for $5000 l.f.
Denman who won last year will be back to defend his crown, but after having an interrupted preparation with a heart complaint, he was exceedingly disappointing on his return and that run, although off a layoff, has to be
The World Hurdle (Stayers) will
be without superstar Inglis Drever, but has a worthy favourite in last year’s runner up Kasbah Bliss. This French trained son of Kahyasi had not been seen out since nishing a good fourth in the G1 Prix Du Cadran at Longchamp in October, but recently made his seasonal debut at Haydock and won like a really good horse. The race has got some depth, but they will need to be at their very best to topple this guy.
Philanthropist (Kris S - Hidden Reserve). His rst crop of foal arrived in 2008 and are touted as being exceptional. Gardiner Farms was so impressed with his foals that they are breeding the largest group of mares to him in 2009. He stands for $4000 l.f.
Peaks And Valleys (Mt. Livermore - Strike A Balance) has an average earnings per starter of $69,000 with his rst crop of Ontario yearlings selling for up to $165,000. Peaks and Valleys was a G1 winner and Champion with earnings of more than $1.5 million. He stands for $7000 l.f.
Where’s The Ring (Seeking the Gold - Wedding Picture) is a leading North American Freshman Sire whose progeny include 2-year-old lly Cawaja Beach who is 4 for 4 lifetime including 3 stakes wins. He stands for $3500 l.f.
Master Minded in the Champion Chase is about as nailed on a certainty as you can get in racing. He cruised into the lead last year and totally demolished a useful eld and this year he’s a stronger and more mature horse. Unbeaten this season, he’s frightened off any opposition that could tale alternative options at the festival and if he stays up, the top rated chaser should win with ease. One giving him a wide berth is the former 2 mile champion Voy Por Ustedes who showed recently that he stays 20f and is now the favourite for the Ryan Air Chase and should win.
Ruby Walsh, “He’s an incredible rider, he has an unbelievable attention to detail and he doesn’t give an inch on the track. Jockeys like Russell Baze have ridden 10,000 winners, but they can ride to their mid 50s and they have another 20 years that AP doesn’t have and the constant falls, injuries and weight make the achievement even more incredible”. He has had some horri c injuries from falls and it is
a testament to the man that he keeps his bottle at 34 years old, while still maintaining that drive and enthusiasm to get straight back into the saddle and ride winners.
Trajectory (Gone West - Dream Launch) is second leading Canadian Sire in 2008 with 7 stakes winners including multiple Stakes winning 2-year-old Mean Green. He is also the sire of stakes winners Dancer’s Bajan, London Snow, It’s Launch Time, Piper In The Glen,Tenjectory and Parabola. He stands for $5000 l.f.
The Cheltenham Festival is on Tuesday March 10 – 14 and races start at 2pm GMT. Try www.cheltenham. co.uk and click ‘Festival Radio’.
This meeting nds a depth of passion and emotion found nowhere else in the racing world and the question on everybody’s lips will be,“Will the Irish get more winners than those darn English??”
a worry. Anybody holding short ante post prices should be concerned.
His stablemate Kauto Star will be aiming to take his crown back, but this will not be an easy challenge for him. Alberta’s Run may show better form if he can get better ground.
Tatenen and Calgary Bay sit in primary positions in the 2mile Arkle betting and Willie Mullins will have his usual strong hand in the Bumper, a race he can almost call his own. The problem is sorting out which of these unexposed youngsters to put the money on!!
The premier hurdling crown is the Champion Hurdle and this year the Nicky Henderson trained Binocular
is a strong favourite to take the race. Although impressive in his winning runs this season, the race is still a dif cult one for a young ve year old and it wouldn’t be the biggest shock to see him get turned over. Celestial Halo and Osana are well fancied and last years winner Katchit always saves his best for the Cheltenham hill, although he’s shown little of that form this season. Punjabi and Muirhead may not be too far away at big prices.
A landmark in jump racing was achieved recently when the best jockey in recent times nally hit the 3000 winner mark. Tony McCoy’s focus
and deep desire to win has found him bounce back from adversity and get horses up from impossible positions and it’s no wonder that he is a punters favourite.
In the novice hurdle ranks there looks like an emerging star in Diamond Harry. He has been very, very impressive in his novice races
and remains unbeaten in bumpers and hurdles. He did get a real shock from the Alan King trained Bensalem on heavy ground at Cheltenham. He was made to pull out all the stops which concerned many, but perhaps that’s just what he needed and he will be a more battle hardened competitor as a result. Bensalem is an ex Irish Point to Point winner and is expected to sidestep the Ballymore Hurdle and Diamond Harry and go for the Albert Bartlet over 3m where this talented youngster holds a good chance.
At the annual Stud and Stable Staff awards David Elsworth’s travelling head lad Peter Maughan was named Employee of the Year and collected
The Triumph Hurdle was a mine eld
a cheque for C$45,000. Awards of C$4,500 were given by sponsors Godolphin for a number of other categories.
The Game March 2009.indd 20
2/24/09 10:32:15 PM