Four months ago, most would have thought when comparing Becky the Thatchers FLAT form stats of sixteen runs without a win, to her three wins from nine races over hurdles , there would be only one route to follow.
But the Pontefract Stayers Championship Series on the flat was very much in Micky Hammonds mind.
Eight flat races run between April and October each year, ALL over distances in excess of 2mls.
Micky won this quite prestigious competition in 2017 with his Tuscan Dawn, the prize money on offer being £1,500 EACH to the owner(s) trainer, and, most importantly as far as Micky is concerned, to his STABLE STAFF which he sees as a much deserved bonus for their hard work and loyalty..
So despite Beckys much superior form over hurdles, he believed she could well be his best chance of repeating his 2017 Pontefract success.
So, after assurances to myself and members that hurdling will definitely be the future for our 5yo. we agreed to let him have a go with Becky.
Now, amazingly, after leg 4 of the Pontefract series (2nd leg abandoned through flooding) Beckys stats show results of 2nd…1st…2nd which puts us nicely at the top of the leader board, with 22 points……the position where Micky is determined she will stay.
Sunday 24th June, leg 4 of her latest excursion to Pontefract, she was getting buckets of weight from others entered in this 66 – 85 hcp. yet despite this being her hardest task by far, Becky still went to post as a short priced 2 – 1 fav.
My biggest worry was the enigma that was Suegioo from the Fahey yard.
A former Chester Cup winner back in 2014, but without a win since… despite 35 attempts which saw this chestnut geldings mark slowly drop from a high mark 0f 111 down to 86 for this race.
A quirky beast yes, but in my view, the biggest danger after a recent encouraging run in a £50k Chester Handicap on the 11th May.
If the real Suegioo turned up, we could well have a problem !!
No need to dwell on the race.
Becky ran another blinder and looked all over the winner, until Tony Hamilton somehow managed to cajole the unwilling Suegioo into a reluctant effort, and just got up in the final strides to beat us.
Something like the real Suegioo did turn up I suppose, from which we can take the satisfaction of being able to say we only just got beaten by a Chester Cup winner.
Micky was quick to point out that the result gave us a nice lead in the Stayers Series, pointing out that we won`t be up against Faheys horse again in this competition, as each of the four races to come have handicap highs of 75.
Becky was fine the morning after, and will now enjoy a short break.
As far as where we go from here ? ” All options open Richard” was the response from our trainer.
What I`m sure he meant was, lets nail this Pontefract Challenge, then look forward to further success over hurdles.
Sounds good to me.
