Gary Moore eyeing Lingfield date for Goshen

Popular runner set to drop back in trip on Winter Million weekend.

Gary Moore is tempted to try running Goshen left-handed again, with Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival on the radar following the popular six-year-old’s brave second in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton.

The seven-time hurdles winner was trying three miles for the first time when lining up at the Sunbury track on Boxing Day and showed the distance was well within range as he was part of a fantastic battle up the home straight with veterans of the staying hurdling division, Paisley Park and Champ.

That now opens up more doors for Moore moving forward, but despite the pick of his form coming when racing clockwise, the handler is eyeing up an outing in the Weatherbys Hurdle (January 22), in which Goshen was beaten just over a length despite hanging badly for big-race pilot Jamie Moore last season.

“He ran well (at Kempton), I was very pleased with him,” said Moore. “Obviously I’m a little disappointed he didn’t run a little bit better and win, but it was his first go at the trip. Whether we can improve on that I don’t know, but at least it gives me a few more options of where to go.

“I think he proved he stayed, but he just got outstayed by the winner who is a strong stayer. I thought the only chance we had of beating him was on a pan-flat track because for me, Paisley Park needs all of three miles and Kempton is an easy three miles. They didn’t really go that fast and it’s a tough one to call, but Goshen certainly ran as well as he could anyway.”

On the immediate future he added: “My hands are tied slightly and he can’t really go left handed, but I think I might give Lingfield’s Million Weekend another go, because Jamie said when he dropped him in he was so settled and giving him no aggravation whatsoever.

Trainer Gary Moore is keen to run Goshen at Lingfield on January 22
Trainer Gary Moore is keen to run Goshen at Lingfield on January 22 (Nigel French/PA)

“So we might just give it a go and he’ll go in the ground – he’ll get his ground there. That will probably be his next objective.”

However, it does appear that fences are off the agenda for the time being.

Goshen struggled in his sole chasing appearance at Ascot earlier in the season and Moore feels there is no point trying the larger obstacles again this term – although he has not completely ruled it out for the future.

He added: “I won’t go over fences again now this far into the season. Whether we go over fences again next year, maybe. But it would have to be on very soft ground, not quick ground.”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest