Redgrave goes in search of another gold at Newbury
A bumper field of 229 juveniles, including one owned by rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave, have been entered for this year’s £135,000 (€199,000) Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury on July 19.
The five-furlong event is open only to two-year-olds sold or bought in as yearlings in 2002 at the major British and Irish sales for 40,000 guineas or less.
Richard Hannon, who has registered four previous successes in the race, including last year with Presto Vento, is responsible for 33 of the entries, while Rod Millman is another well-represented trainer with 12 possible runners.
Among Millman’s entries is the appropriately-named Five Gold, a Desert Prince colt who represents a first venture into racehorse ownership by Britain’s greatest Olympic performer, who in September 2000 achieved the feat of winning rowing Gold Medals at five successive Olympic Games.
“This is Sir Steve Redgrave’s first horse,” said Millman.
“His business manager Athole Still has had horses with me before so that is how the involvement came about. I haven’t met him yet but I’m looking forward to seeing him.
“We have just had the name Five Gold go through and the horse is quite a nice sort. He’s not ready to race just yet but he’ll run before the Weatherbys Super Sprint, he could even be out in about a month.
“We won the Weatherbys Super Sprint with Lord Kintyre and I think it’s a fantastic race.
“We always try to find one for it and although it doesn’t get any easier we have had a few fancied although both Whitbarrow and Optimaite disappointed before bouncing back.
“It’s a bit early to know which of our entries are going to be any good – we haven’t galloped some of them yet.”
Aidan O’Brien, best known for his seven-figure yearlings, has entered what must be the cheapest juvenile in his string – the colt Delicacy, who made just €2,500 at Goffs in October.
The Danehill Dancer youngster was bred by O’Brien with his wife Ann-Marie and her father Joe Crowley, the trio responsible for breeding Rock Of Gibraltar.
There are a total of five entries from Ireland with trainers Ken Condon, Francis Ennis, Jeremy Harley and Tom Hogan represented as well as O’Brien
Nick Craven, Commercial Director at Weatherbys, said today: “We are delighted that the 2003 Weatherbys Super Sprint, which offers a huge payout for inexpensively-bought two-year-olds, has attracted such a large and varied entry for.”
