Goshen fine after disappointing Haydock comeback

Ashley Iveson
September 27, 2020 12:45 pm

Moore still plans another Flat outing for Champion Hurdle hope.

Gary Moore is putting Goshen’s disappointing comeback effort at Haydock down to a lack of fitness.

Making his first appearance since his final-flight fall when seemingly set to run out a wide-margin winner of the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, Goshen was a long odds-on favourite for his return to the Flat on Saturday.

However, after making much of the running, the four-year-old weakened to finish last of six runners behind 50-1 winner Stargazer.

😲😲😲
Can you believe it?
Goshen looks set for a brilliant JCB Triumph Hurdle victory, but it’s Burning Victory for Ireland in a quite remarkable conclusion at @CheltenhamRaces #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/fHIulH3Vik

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 13, 2020

Moore reported his stable star to be none the worse on Sunday morning, and he remains keen to give the Champion Hurdle hope another run on the level before he returns to the jumping game.

“It was disappointing,” said the Sussex trainer.

“He’s fine this morning – all good.

“I hope he just needed the run. At the end of the day he’s a horse rated 88, taking on horses rated nearly 100, and he’s got beat four lengths.

“The winner is no mug – he’s a 102-rated horse on the all-weather – and all the others had fitness on their side.

“It’s definitely still the plan to give him another run on the Flat.”