Goodwood option for Calling The Wind

Simon Milham
July 6, 2022 4:57 pm

Ground must be suitable for Hughes’ stayer, though.

Richard Hughes has held his hands up and admitted he got it wrong by running the highly-regarded Calling The Wind on fast ground in the Coral Marathon at Sandown.

The jockey-turned-trainer, who has his horses are in sparkling form at present, says he will not run the six-year-old on such ground again, following his third-placed effort behind Coltrane.

The consistent son of Authorized had finished in a similar position in the Queen Alexandra Stakes on good to firm ground at Royal Ascot on his previous start, but back in trip, he was beaten 11 lengths over two miles at the Esher track.

Hughes said: “I ran him for the first time on fast ground at Ascot and I got away with it. It rained on the day and it was probably good ground.

“I chanced him again at Sandown on similar quick ground and I will never do it again to him.

“He needs a bit of cut. He struggled the whole race and it was only because he is so tough and tries that hard that he ended up finishing third.

“He went and did it at Ascot, but the second time at Sandown he said, ‘You can stick that – I’m not doing that again!'”

👏 It’s Glorious @Goodwood_Races glory for @RHughesracing as Calling The Wind captures the @unibet Goodwood Handicap under Pat Dobbs pic.twitter.com/1t21fdJIn0
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 30, 2021

Plans remain fluid, although he could return to the scene of his last victory, before a possible trip to York.

“He’s in a two and a half-mile Goodwood Handicap (July 29),” said Hughes.

“He’s easy to train and if it happens and it rains, he’ll go there. If not, he might be in the Ebor or something.”