2009 race

racing_news/

Third Time Lucky for Credit Swap in Cambridgeshire
02/10/10

1 Credit Swap 14/1
2 Steele Tango 16/1
3 Pires 18/1
4 Sandor 50/1

Credit Swap, who was having his third run in six days, made it a winning one when the 14/1 chance led home his 34 rivals in the totesport Cambridgeshire Handicap.

But the race came almost as an afterthought for trainer Michael Wigham.

“It is unbelievable,” said the delighted trainer, “We train him for this time of year and the consolation race for the Cambridgeshire was the race (run yesterday) we had in mind - we did not think we would get into this and we thought the ground would be too deep for him as he does not get a mile and a quarter.

“He was unlucky at Ascot on Sunday and again here on Thursday. But then the rain did not come and we thought we might as well take our chance in this because he was in great form and one or two of my horses have half-needed their races.The horse is all heart and it is great that something like this can happen to smaller owners.”

Jockey Jim Crowley reported that he did not have a moment’s doubt throughout the race.

“Michael told me to ride him to get the trip as this is as far as he wants to go. The horse settled nicely and was always travelling well. It was just a matter of pressing the button and getting the gaps. And all the gaps came at the right time. He is as tough as old boots, travelled well throughout and really is a super horse.”

“It was the first time I have ridden the horse and he can be a bit keen, so the plan was to drop him out and creep away. He travelled lovely and everything went to plan - he got the gaps and he was always travelling nicely, which was a bit help. I was drawn 33.

“I wanted to stay near the far side and I probably could have but I saw the gap opening. I was just starting the horse rolling and getting his momentum going so I didn’t want to switch him again. He did it really well and that was his third run in nearly a week.

“He went super on the ground and I think that it probably brings out the best in him. It’s tacky ground - what you would call jumping ground. I was third or fourth on Take A Bow and this is a hot race to win - you need a Group horse usually to win it - and he has done it nicely. I was supposed to be going to Epsom but I got switched at the last minute at around about declaration time.”

Credit Switch’s registered owner Your Golf Travel is a partnership of Ross Marshall and Andrew Harding.

They were not at Newmarket to enjoy the victory - Marshall was acting as a best man at a wedding, while Harding, predictably given the name of the company ownership, was at the Ryder Cup.

Anne Marshall, Marshall’s mother, said: “This is wonderful. This horse has run three times in a week - he is just so tough.”

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Credit Swap M Wigham	Jim Crowley 8st 7lbs	14 - 1 Winner
2	Steele Tango R A Teal	John Fahy 9st 9lbs	16 - 1 3/4 length
3	Pires A J Martin	W M Lordan 8st 9lbs	18 - 1 1/2 length
4	Sandor P J Makin	S Drowne 8st 12lbs	50 - 1 1/2 length
5	Camerooney B Ellison	W A Carson 8st 10lbs	100 - 1 1 length
6	Taqleed J H M Gosden	R Hills 8st 11lbs	8 - 1 1/2 length
7	Jo'burg J O'Reilly	J D O'Reilly 8st 10lbs	80 - 1 1/2 length
8	Pendragon B Ellison	R Mullen 8st 9lbs	80 - 1 1 1/2 length
9	Proponent R Charlton	R L Moore 9st 3lbs	16 - 1 Neck
10	Capponi M Johnston	J P Murtagh 9st 6lbs	25 - 1 Neck
11	Viva Vettori D R C Elsworth	Declan Cannon 8st 7lbs	66 - 1 Neck
12	High Twelve J H M Gosden	F Norton 8st 12lbs	25 - 1 Head
13	Absinthe W R Swinburn	A Kirby 8st 12lbs	10 - 1 1 length
14	Breakheart A M Balding	L Keniry 8st 7lbs	33 - 1 1/2 length
15	Speed Dating Sir Mark Prescott	S Donohoe 8st 9lbs	25 - 1 1/2 length
16	Circumvent P F I Cole	T P Queally 9st 9lbs	25 - 1 3/4 length
17	Start Right L M Cumani	K Fallon 8st 12lbs	14 - 1 Neck
18	Ransom Note B W Hills	M Hills 9st 9lbs	16 - 1 2 1/4 lengths
19	Colepeper M Johnston	Greg Fairley 8st 13lbs	66 - 1 1 1/4 length
20	Directorship P R Chamings	N Mackay 8st 6lbs	100 - 1 3/4 length
21	The Cayterers A W Carroll	M Geran 8st 9lbs	100 - 1 1/2 length
22	Set The Trend A M Balding	J Fortune 9st 6lbs	40 - 1 1 3/4 length
23	Sweet Lightning M Dods	R Hughes 9st 8lbs	25 - 1 Head
24	Smokey Oakey M H Tompkins	J Quinn 8st 12lbs	40 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
25	Elliptical G A Butler	C Soumillon 8st 13lbs	12 - 1 3/4 length
26	Brunston R Charlton	Hayley Turner 8st 9lbs	28 - 1 Head
27	Tiger Reigns M Dods	P Makin 9st 8lbs	50 - 1 6 lengths
28	Nationalism J H M Gosden	William Buick 9st 1lbs	7 - 1 Head
29	Dream Lodge R A Fahey	D P McDonogh 9st 6lbs	100 - 1 1 1/2 length
30	Northern Fling J S Goldie	Harry Bentley 8st 6lbs	100 - 1 Head
31	Emirates Dream S bin Suroor	L Dettori 8st 13lbs	12 - 1 2 lengths
32	Tartan Gigha M Johnston	J Fanning 9st 7lbs	66 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
33	Taameer M P Tregoning	T P O'Shea 9st 10lbs	100 - 1 1 3/4 length
34	Mirrored T D Easterby	J F Egan 8st 10lbs	80 - 1 3/4 length
35	King Olav A W Carroll	J Doyle 8st 11lbs	100 - 1 9 lengths

PLACED CONNECTIONS GIVE THEIR totesport.com CAMBRDIGESHIRE VERDICTS

Steele Tango was unable to overhaul the victorious Credit Swap as the 16/1 shot went down by three quarters of a length in the totesport.com Cambridgeshire.

The five-year-old was the second big-race runner-up of the week for trainer Roger Teale, whose Surrey Star was a short-head second in the Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes here on Thursday.

Teale said: “All I get is seconds! He has run a blinder. He loves it here and John (Fahy) has given him a beautiful ride.”

The Tony Martin-trained Pires (18/1) closed late to take third, a further half-length away, under Wayne Lordan, and is now bound for The Open at Cheltenham.

The trainer commented: “All going well, we will go to Cheltenham for the Greatwood Hurdle in mid-November. He’ll mix it through the winter but there’s no point saying where he’ll go long term - he wouldn’t handle real soft jumping ground.

“He’s shown us that he’s good enough for good Flat handicaps and we’ll look at Royal Ascot, so we’ve got next year to look forward to.”

Sandor was another length back in fourth at 50/1 for trainer Peter Makin and jockey Steve Drowne.

Makin said: “It was a fantastic race from a bad draw and he hated the ground. On firmer ground I think we would have been a bit closer. He’s quite a hardy horse and we might look to run him again before the end of the season.”

TRAINER JOHN GOSDEN REPORTS ON HIS THREE RUNNERS IN THE CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Trainer John Gosden had three runners in the Cambridgeshire: Taqleed who finished sixth, High Twelve who came home in 12th, and 7-1 favourite Nationalism, who finished 28th of 35 runners.

“I was delighted with Taqleed - he ran a nice race and was just found out by a lack of experience,” said Gosden.

“High Twelve was running a great race until he was practically knocked over and creamed at the furlong pole. I see suspensions have already been handed out.

“Nationalism had no chance from his draw in three. Currently, if you are drawn in 1,2,3 or 4 here you might as well stay at home as you have no chance. The winner came from draw 33, which I think tells its own story.”

Unfortunately for Gosden the horse that knocked over the Franny Norton-ridden High Twelve was Taqleed, who was ridden by Richard Hills. High Twelve, in turn, interfered with Pendragon, who was ridden by Richard Mullen.

Hills was found in breach of Rule (B) 54.1 and guilty of careless riding for allowing Taqleed to drift left away from his whip. Hills has been suspended for two days on Sunday, October 17 and Monday, October 18.