As Lalor’s Arkle Challenge Trophy race approaches, Kayley Woollacott in partnership with Betway, brings us further insights into training, trials and tribulations that have brought us to this pivotal moment.
Lalor – Journey to the Arkle Chase
Kayley Woollacott is no stranger to adversity, with a year that saw her lose her husband, trainer Richard Woollacott. In a brave move which sees her taking on her first full year as a National Hunt trainer, we follow her journey with the promising Lalor. Now sponsored by Betway,and after winning over the hurdles last year at Aintree, a determined Kayley and her team discuss their hopes for the horse and plan to enter and hopefully win the Cheltenham Festival Arkle Chase.
Norton’s Coin: The Shock of the Century
The Cheltenham Festival has thrown up some unlikely winners over the years, but probably none more so than Norton’s Coin, an otherwise unremarkable 9-year-old gelding who won the 1990 Cheltenham Gold Cup at odds of 100/1.
Norton’s Coin was bred, owned and trained by Sirrell Griffiths, a dairy farmer from Nantgaredig in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, who trained three horses for a ‘hobby’. Described by Griffiths as ‘an ugly plain chestnut’, was the product of the union between Mount Cassino and Grove Chance, whom Griffiths had bought for a total of £1,160 in 1979.
Of course, Norton’s Coin wasn’t completely devoid of ability; he’d won two of his three point-to-point starts, a hunter chase and three other races under Rules – including the 1989 Silver Trophy Chase at Cheltenham – prior to his shock success. However, when stepped in class on the previous Boxing Day, he’d finished last of six, beaten 39 lengths, behind Desert Orchid in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park, so he looked a forlorn hope in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
However, belying his generous starting price, Norton’s Coin was always going well under Graham McCourt and, although all out in the closing stages, overhauled Toby Tobias – trained by Jenny Pitman and ridden by her son, Mark – on the run-in to win by three-quarters of a length. Reigning champion, and favourite, Desert Orchid – trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Richard Dunwoody – finished a further four lengths away in third.
Unsurprisingly, Norton’s Coin never scaled the same heights again, although he did return to Cheltenham in 1991 to win the Silver Trophy Chase for a second time. He was retired from racing two years later and lived the last eight years of his life on Griffiths’ farm, where he was never ridden again. Following his death, from a suspected heart attack, in January 2001, Griffiths said, “It’s a pity we can’t all go the same way instead of suffering goodness knows what.” He was 20 years old.
Horse Race Classes 101
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People keep talking about the big chunks in the elite sport of horse racing. They tell you how these thoroughbred horses qualify, what are the characteristics and proper training they have to be in such race, but little talk about how these horses get there to where they are today.
It may have crossed the mind of new players in betting, “How did these horses reach this kind of level?”. We are talking about the level of big races like Kentucky Derby and The Pegasus Cup. Truth is, there’s a class system a racer must get through first before they become the rockstars of the biggest races in the world.
Just like any human being, the horses will have to climb up the ladder through training and competition in lower level races. Here are the types of races you need to know for these horses to pass in the racing world.
Maiden Races
Maiden from the word itself means the entering horses are still fresh and are probably here for their first race ever. This is where the new ones “break his maiden” and hope to win it. Although some exceptional horses may get their first win in an allowance or stake race, it is said that a horse must begin its career in maiden races and stay there until he gets his win.
Two classes:
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Maiden special weight races – are for horses who are expected to easily break his maiden at first try and move right away to prestigious competitions.
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Maiden claiming races – are for horses who failed in the first class or those who believed they are not ready yet to start engaging in the higher level.
Claiming Races
Claimers are the lowest-class horses at the track and in this racehorses have an amount on their heads. The participating horses may be bought or claimed once a request has been made before the race. The person who requested the claim becomes the new owner regardless if the horse wins or fails in the race. In return, the owner gets the won purse.
Most races in North America are claiming races which means these horses are the ones you’ll see most often at a track. This becomes a trend in horse racing where they get into a race to buy or claim a horse.
Allowance Races
After engaging in the claiming race, these horses won’t be for sale anymore and the purses escalate. The horses carry a certain amount of weight or carry less due to certain factors, thus explains the name “allowance”. Take note that these races are for non-winners or starters. The allowance is usually five pounds off the assigned weight if the horse never won a race from a certain date or was not able to earn an amount of money.
Stakes Races
Now this is where the top racehorses compete. These thoroughbred horses bag with them the biggest purses or may vary with between the smaller tracks and of races like the Kentucky Derby. Tip in the oval is that you will find the best local horses at local stakes while graded stakes will showcase the top horses from local barns or those coming from abroad.
Graded Stake Races
This is the top level of the horse races. They have no restrictions other than the age or gender of the horses. However, there are three grades from which they will be assigned: Grades 1, 2 and 3 that will be reviewed each year. The reviewing of the grade assignment will base on the horse’s performance. If a horse has consistently won races they will most likely be listed in the Grade 1 which is the highest in the caliber.
An example of a Grade 1 Stake Race would be the Kentucky Derby series where the top ranks fight and sprint their way to The Triple Crown. This is by far the biggest and soon the richest race in the world.
The Kentucky Derby which is usually aired both on live TV and online sites like https://www.tvg.com/promos/preakness-stakes/ will be the first leg followed by Preakness Stakes in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes. This one and the quarter-mile race is a test of stamina and determination of Grade 1 thoroughbred horses to maintain their name on the class list.
This year’s top contenders on track would be an intense neck-to-neck race of Game Winner, Improbable, Maximus Mischief, Signalman, Coliseum, Code of Honor and Vekoma. One hell of a race a derby fan must never miss.