Danny Tudhope hits milestone at Thirsk

Danny Tudhope reached a career milestone of 1,000 domestic winners by steering Ingleby Hollow to victory at Thirsk.
Daniel Tudhope.Daniel Tudhope.
Daniel Tudhope.

Yesterday’s landmark success could not have been more fitting because it was for trainer David O’Meara, with whom Tudhope is stable jockey, in the racingtv.com Handicap.

Tudhope, who rode his first winner in 2004, was in a good position on Ingleby Hollow (5-2) and comfortably moved into the lead two furlongs from home.

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Francophilia threatened in the final furlong, but Tudhope kept the seven-year-old up to his work to cross the line three-quarters of a length to the good.

He said: “He’s a stable star – I’ve probably got a soft spot for him.

“That’s the sixth time I’ve won on him, so we have a good relationship, and I was pleased to do it on him.

“He’s probably better at a mile and six, but I’d rather ride him over a mile and a half than two miles because is keen as well. As long as you get into a good rhythm he’ll run well.”

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Tudhope also gave O’Meara great credit for helping him reach four figures.

“You have your ups and downs in this game. I was lucky enough to find David at the right time, and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have got here,” he said.

“It’s gone well, and I’m very pleased.”

Tudhope has enjoyed support from lots of trainers, including the top Newmarket yard of William Haggas.

Tudhope had ridden his 999th winner earlier on the card on Ninjago (7-1) for Paul Midgley in the six-furlong selling handicap.

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His first Group One triumph came on G Force for O’Meara in the Haydock Sprint Cup in 2014, and he has enjoyed further wins since at the highest level both at home and abroad.

Ornate could make a quick reappearance in the Achilles Stakes at Haydock on Saturday after taking the Investec Dash at Epsom.

Bawtry trainer David Griffiths has given the six-year-old an entry in the five-furlong Listed contest, which he won in 2016 with Take Cover. Griffiths has always had faith in Ornate’s ability, but felt Duke Of Firenze, his other runner in the Dash, would be the pick of the pair as he was better drawn. That was reflected in the betting with Duke Of Firenze 8-1 and Ornate sent off at 33-1.

However, the former could only finish seventh after being hampered at a crucial stage while Ornate enjoyed a trouble-free passage to land the spoils.

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“We fancied Duke Of Firenze a bit more because he was drawn a lot better on the stands side. He hit the gates quick and came across and came home strong, so we were delighted,” said Griffiths.

“Ornate has come out of the race well and we’ve put him in the Achilles Stakes at Haydock on Saturday, so we’ll see how he is.

“I took him out of the King’s Stand, rightly or wrongly, perhaps now I shouldn’t have.

“The longer term target would probably be the King George at Goodwood and maybe the Abbaye.

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Tip Two Win is set to make his belated reappearance in the Betway John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock.

Having enjoyed a lucrative spell in Qatar during the winter, Roger Teal’s stable star ran a huge race to fill the runner-up spot in last year’s 2000 Guineas behind Saxon Warrior – and went on to finish fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He disappointed on his next start at Goodwood, but returned to Doha in December, where he finished sixth when tried over a mile and a quarter in the Qatar Derby. A setback suffered during that race has kept Tip Two Win on the sidelines since, but Teal feels his charge is ready enough to return in this weekend’s seven-furlong Group Three on Merseyside – before a possible trip back to Royal Ascot later in the month.

Tip Two Win is the highest-rated horse among 19 entries for the John of Gaunt Stakes.

The grey’s rivals include David Elsworth’s Sir Dancealot, the David O’Meara-trained Suedois and Richard Hannon’s pair of course-and-distance winners Oh This Is Us and Tabarrak.

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