“Racing is full of politics” was trainer Darren McAuliffe’s comment moments after his promising galloper was a comfortable winner of the Group III Northerly Stakes (1400m) with Fuchsia Bandana at Ascot yesterday.
McAuliffe was referring to top jockey William Pike “jumping off the horse” and electing to ride the Grant Williams trained Respondent (fourth).
Jarrad Noske was the Mc Auliffes’ first choice as a replacement rider and he justified the trainer’s faith.
“It was a perfect ride and Jarrad had to waste hard to meet the required weight,” McAuliffe said.
Noske had the four year old daughter of Trade Fair in second place behind stablemate Express Service and was too strong for Miss Rose Delago (Peter Knuckey). Stayer, Balmont Girl (Shaun O’Donnell) impressed with an eye catching third , first up from a spell over an unfavourable distance.
Noske said he was confident of success at the 600m mark of the race.
Fuchsia Bandana now has the impressive statistics of seven wins from 13 starts with four places.
Winning the feature race gave Noske a winning double as earlier in the day he scored with Low Tide for trainer Dan Morton.
LUCY: “I thought she was gone,” was how Lucy Warwick expressed her win with tenacious mare Oakhurst Flyer in the Country Cup (1500m).
Her father trainer Justin Warwick and most punters would have agreed when Chilly Reception (Jarrad Noske) moved alongside of her in the last 200m and appeared set to win.
“He comes another second with her,” was how the trainer expressed his feelings at that stage of the race. ‘‘ But she is the fittest horse in my stable and I told Lucy to get going with her at the 700m mark and she did. Her fighting spirit at the finish is what people come to the racing to see.”
Warwick said it was particularly pleasing as Oakhurst Flyer had broken down three times in previous preparations.
Her part owner, Jeremy King, said she was proof there is always hope in racing.