Goshen out to rubber-stamp Triumph ticket

Nick Robson
January 9, 2020 3:30 pm

Juvenile mudlark on hat-trick trail at Huntingdon.

Gary Moore hopes to see Goshen book his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival by remaining unbeaten in the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle.

Having won his last three outings on the Flat, Goshen has made a big impression on his two runs over hurdles to date.

He won on his debut by 23 lengths at Fontwell and followed up with another all-the-way 34-length romp at Sandown.

Both of those came on soft ground – and while it may not be quite as testing on Friday, Moore does not see it as a problem.

“I don’t think he needs very soft ground at all,” said the Sussex trainer.

“He won on good ground at Brighton on the Flat, albeit it was only a 0-70 and not much of a race.

“He couldn’t have been more impressive over hurdles so far, could he? What he’s beaten, I wouldn’t know, but you couldn’t crab what he’s done.

“He’s got what you need in horses – he just loves to gallop and get on with it.

“I would think it would be Cheltenham (for the Triumph Hurdle) should he go and win again – but we’d need to see what happens in this first before we go and make any grand plans.”

Goshen’s main opponent opponent appears to be Alan King’s Lord Lamington, who will be in receipt of 8lb.

Lord Lamington won on his hurdling debut at Market Rasen before chasing home Navajo Pass in a Grade Two event at Doncaster, with the first pair well clear.

King told www.alankingracing.co.uk: ”He won well first time out at Market Rasen – and ran well when subsequently runner-up at Doncaster – but that race came just nine days after his debut, so it was a quick enough turnaround.

“However, he again jumped well – and the first two pulled eight lengths clear of the rest- while the more the ground dries up, the better his chance.”

Stuart Edmunds runs Building Bridges, a debut winner over this course and distance before falling at Musselburgh when beaten, and the field is completed by Mick Quinn’s hurdling debutant Greek Kodiac.