News from the yard
Every week, John writes about his recent runners and future entries along with all the news from his training yard in Hucking, Kent.
Best staff set to support Brooke Hospital for Animals
October 15th, 2008
John Best’s stable staff are gearing up for a fundraising drive in aid of The Brooke Hospital for Animals, the UK’s leading overseas equine welfare charity.
The Kent-based yard is sending 15 horses to the Tattersalls Horses in Training sale at Newmarket on 27 October, and members of John Best’s team will be raising money for The Brooke - a charity also supported by racing personalities including jockeys Alan Munro and Jim Culloty.
The grooms leading up the Best horses for sale will be donating the head collar money - £1 for every £1,000 of the eventual sale price of each horse - to the equine charity, and encouraging buyers and sellers alike to donate to the cause.
Martin Smith, Assistant Trainer, says: “Racehorses get some of the best treatment of any horses in the world, but the millions of working animals in the poorest countries of the world aren’t so fortunate.
“It’s the least we can do to raise some money to support The Brooke in helping these most vulnerable horses, donkeys and mules, as well as their owners.”
John Best is the trainer of Group winners Kingsgate Native, Rising Cross and Square Eddie. The 15 horses set for the sale include Royal Ascot winner Flashmans Papers, multiple winners Hucking Hero, Liberty Belle and Papradon, and others including Elegant Cad, Bertie Southstreet, Black N Brew, Hucking Harkness, Hucking Harmony, Hucking Harrier, Hucking Heist, Kingsgate Castle, Peas in a Pod, Really Really Wish and Road to Hucking.
If you’d like to support The Brooke, you can make a donation online here.
Fair cop for Axel Foley
October 15th, 2008
Axel Foley broke his maiden on only his second career start today when winning the Dawson News EBF Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs at Lingfield.
The son of Officer raced in midfield before moving into contention two furlongs out and quickening to lead within the final furlong, winning readily by a length and a quarter from runner-up Cross Section.
The two-year-old, one of John Best’s Kent Bloodstock youngsters, looks sure to improve on this first win, but won’t be seen again until next season.
Eddie’s American tale
October 5th, 2008
Square Eddie made a big splash at Keeneland last night when cruising home in the Grade One Breeders’ Futurity Stakes over 1m 1/2f.
The son of Smart Strike was one of a team of three John Best two-year-olds entered in the $500,000 race. Sitting in behind the pace, Square Eddie powered down the straight to win by almost five lengths from his nearest rival. Kent Bloodstock’s Deposer was unlucky to miss out on third place, while Royal Ascot winner Flashmans Papers finished eighth of the eleven runners.
Square Eddie will now run in the Juvenile at the Breeders’ Cup, which this year will be run on an artificial surface rather than traditional dirt.
Miss cruises to victory
September 20th, 2008
Miss Cruisecontrol broke her maiden at Catterick today when running out an easy winner of the Go Racing At Beverley Next Tuesday Selling Stakes over 1m 6f.
John Best’s daughter of Hernando tracked the leaders until the last half mile, when moving into contention, and kept on well in the final furlong to win by 4 1/2 lengths from Ras Laffan.
She was bought back in for 4,800gns.
Oasis of calm at Kempton
September 17th, 2008
Oasis Sun scored her fourth career victory at favoured track Kempton this evening when taking the digibet Handicap over a mile and a half on the all-weather surface.
Sent off a modest 20/1, the daughter of Desert Sun tracked the leaders under Andrea Atzeni before moving up to lead in the final furlong and making her turn of foot count to win by almost two lengths from runner-up Just Intersky.
All Oasis Sun’s wins have come at Kempton, with a 40% strike rate demonstrating her liking for the course.
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