Yorkshire pair’s push for glory could be hampered by weather

Their longevity and healthy constitutions have seen these Grade One warriors – both former recipients of the prestigious Yorkshire horse of the year accolade – become firm favourites with the racing public and both head to the five furlong Crown Hotel Bawtry Scarbrough Stakes on merit.

Even though both will be conceding several years in age to Roger Varian’s Justineo, the four-year-old market leader and mount of multiple Grade One-winning jockey William Buick, the prospect of good ground on Town Moor is likely to play to the strengths of the local challenge, although there is a possibility of heavy rain before racing today.

Tangerine Trees is a horse who went from winning a modest maiden on Wolverhampton’s all-weather circuit in October 2008 to becoming Europe’s top sprinter three years later when prevailing in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on Arc day by the shortest of short heads.

His only subsequent win came at Musselburgh over the Easter weekend this year, but he did show a return to form on his last outing when sixth behind Stepper Point – and also Borderlescott – in the Beverley Bullet on the Westwood.

“He’s in good form and I’m very happy with him,” said Hambleton-based Bryan Smart who also saddles Excelette in the St Leger meeting’s day one feature.

“He ran well at Beverley when the ground was a little quick and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“The Prix de l’Abbaye? It’s still very high up on my list of achievements. An amazing performance.

“He has been a superstar for us. Not many win a maiden at Wolverhampton – with the greatest of respect to that track – and then become a Group One champion. You need luck.”

Smart, who believes a knock at the start explains Moviesta’s last-place finish in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York for football manager Harry Redknapp, is even luckier that he has owners like Marie Matthews, who owns Tangerine Trees.

She hails from South Cave near Beverley and met Smart during a visit to a stud. When she could not find a buyer for a young horse, she sent it to the Barnsley miner’s son to train.

Neither realised that the horse in question, Tangerine Trees, would be good enough to win 13 races from 44 career starts – and still be showing such enthusiasm at the age of eight.

“We have an indoor school and horses love rolling their backs in the mud,” explained Smart.

“They can have a mad five minutes in the indoor school and then get down to work. They love it.

“It’s all about keeping the horse happy – and fresh. They love being out with nature.”

Robin Bastiman would concur as Borderlescott looks to add to his tally of 14 wins from 70 career starts, a record made even more remarkable after this seemingly ageless 11-year-old was brought out of retirement earlier this year to resume his career after becoming bored grazing in a field.

Though the Wetherby handler does not expect his veteran to replicate his back-to-back victories in the Grade One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes in 2008 and 2009, Bastiman goes to Doncaster full of confidence provided rain does not soft the ground.

His horse of a lifetime has just gone up four pounds in the handicap after finishing third in the Beverley Bullet.

“If he runs like he did at Beverley, he won’t be far away,” said Bastiman. “My worry is the race is just a bit soon after Beverley, but he loves his work.

“My daughter Rebecca trains him. The two of them just knot together. She knows when he is right – or not. I know one thing: he’s never let us down and you very rarely hear of an 11-year-old being put up four pounds by the handicapper.

“If it rains, he won’t run.”

It is apt that the appearance of these Yorkshire veterans will precede the fourth running of the Clipper Logistics Legends Race in which riding stars of yesteryear line up in a charity contest in aid of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund and Northern Racing College. The first three renewals raised £360,000.

Today’s event involves contenders ranging from Yorkshire’s former champion jockey Kevin Darley to Ollie Pears, a rising star of the Malton training ranks, and Carl Llewellyn, who won the Grand National on Party Politics in 1992 before prevailing six years later on Earth Summit for a partnership headed by Aintree media supremo Nigel Payne.

Llewellyn is now assistant to 
Nigel Twiston-Davies and has been hugely influential in the 
development of the trainer’s sons Sam and Willy, two of the best young jockeys in the country.

Legendary Lester Piggott will be a guest of honour.

Trainer Richard Fahey is targeting French compensation with Garswood after he blew his chance at the start in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on October 6 is next on the agenda for the Glorious Goodwood winner.

Malton-based Fahey said: “You can give away weight but you can’t give away start.”

Franny Norton, who has struck up an effective partnership with Middleham trainer Mark Johnston, suffered a suspected broken leg at Leicester yesterday.

The jockey had just been given the leg-up on Johnston’s Princess Tamay when the filly reared up and fell on him.

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