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vision.ae Middle Park Stakes 2012 |
Reckless Abandon Blazes Middle Park Trail
13/10/12
1 Reckless Abandon 9/4J
2 Moohaajim 9/4J
3 Gale Force Ten 33/1
10 ran Distances: nk, nk, 1¾l
TIME 1m 11.06s (slow by 1.06s)
Jockey Gerald Mosse was full of praise for Reckless Abandon after the Exchange Rate juvenile retained his unbeaten record with a gutsy front-running performance in the Group One vision.ae Middle Park Stakes.
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The Frenchman was enjoying his third victory aboard Reckless Abandon following their victories in the Prix Morny and Prix Robert Papin.
Mosse said: “We had the chance to reach the lead without too much pressure and then I tried not to make it a French race in front but to give the horse a chance - I wanted to make sure that he relaxed in himself.
“When they started to come at the two-furlong (pole), he just started to pick up quite well. They came to the same line as me and he kept fighting - when I started to press him a bit hard, he answered.
“Getting to the rail was plan A but I had plan B and C because you never know with the two-year-olds. If he didn’t break well, I didn’t want to burn him out getting to the lead. The ground is perfect today, a bit on the soft side, but if you use him too much early on, he will pay for it at the end. He was lovely today.
“I was thinking that he was a Jump horse going down to the start because he nearly jumped a fence (rail)! He’s not bad, he just wants to play
“As an experienced jockey I’ve been fortunate to ride some great horses including Arazi, Linamix and this horse - there are not many like him.
“He is not the biggest horse but has a big heart. He moves well and knows how to use himself. He is a playful horse and has lots of energy.
“I love riding him because every time I ride him, we win! He just kept finding for me today.”
Clive Cox, the former jump jockey turned trainer, was delighted: "That was superb - I am just delighted for everyone. It is just a fantastic day.
"Reckless Abandon is very talented - what more can I say - he is amazing. We can deal with the rest of it (the horse's quirkyness).
"We don't try and replicate that (performance) at home so a lot of that was on trust today. I just knew he was happy and well. We had trained him to be fit.
"I have not wanted to trial him at home. He has gained more weight since he won the Morny and physically he keeps on improving.
"I am just delighted for everyone involved and everybody back home - they are a great team.
"To win two Group Ones with Reckless Abandon in a year is more than a dream - it is fantastic."
Reckless Abandon, a two-year-old colt by Exchange Rate (by Danzig), made virtually all after switching across to the stands' rails under Gerald Mosse. Moohaajim came alongside and may even have hit the front for a moment but the winner battled back very well.
The QIPCO 2000 Guineas, the Newmarket Classic over a mile in May next year, could be a target for Reckless Abandon but connections will consider what to do over the winter.
Dubai Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)
£150,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good to Soft
| Position |
Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
Starting Price Beaten Distance |
| 1 |
Reckless Abandon C G Cox |
G Mosse 8st 12lbs |
9 - 4 Winner |
| 2 |
Moohaajim M Botti |
A Kirby 8st 12lbs |
9 - 4 Neck |
| 3 |
Gale Force Ten A P O'Brien |
C O'Donoghue 8st 12lbs |
33 - 1 Neck |
| 4 |
Cristoforo Colombo A P O'Brien |
R L Moore 8st 12lbs |
9 - 2 1 3/4 length |
| 5 |
Parliament Square A P O'Brien |
J A Heffernan 8st 12lbs |
18 - 1 2 3/4 lengths |
| 6 |
Hototo K A Ryan |
L Dettori 8st 12lbs |
16 - 1 Nose |
| 7 |
Master Of War R Hannon |
R Hughes 8st 12lbs |
12 - 1 3/4 length |
| 8 |
Wexford Opera J S Bolger |
K J Manning 8st 12lbs |
50 - 1 1 1/2 length |
| 9 |
Blaine K A Ryan |
J P Spencer 8st 12lbs |
11 - 1 9 lengths |
| 10 |
Heavy Metal M Johnston |
J Fanning 8st 12lbs |
25 - 1 3 1/4 lengths |
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Moohaajim, who battled gamely and briefly headed the winner Reckless Abandon, went down by a neck to finish second .
Marco Botti, who trains the Cape Cross colt, who had previous finished fifth to the winner in the Group One Darley Prix Morny on good ground, said after the race: “I was a little bit worried by the ground, despite it drying out. It is still on the soft side of good. When Moohaajim jumped out for the first couple of furlongs I thought he wasn’t really handling the ground and wasn’t travelling as strongly as he usually does. Adam (Kirby, jockey) said he let him find his feet and then he let him take his chance but the winner found a little bit more. I am sure he will get further in the future. I think the QIPCO 2000 Guineas has to be considered - why not - he has the pedigree to be a better three-year-old and I think he will definitely get a mile and there is still improvement to come in him.”
Adam Kirby who rode Moohaajim, having turned down the chance to ride the winner earlier in the week, said afterwards: “I am not upset at all - I am delighted for Reckless Abandon and for his owners and trainer. My horse was never really going on the ground, he was always out of his comfort zone - which is very unlike him. I just had to wait for him to come good and when I asked him to finish I thought I had Reckless (Abandon) beat, we had a little battle but my horse didn’t show today what he can do.”
