Doctor Feelgood's hits

13 April 2012

Trainer James Given, the vet you can bet on, has a team guaranteed to make their presence felt during the forthcoming Flat turf season. The Royal Veterinary College graduate and former assistant to top handler Mark Johnston took time out at his Lincolnshire headquarters, especially for

Standard Sport

Summing up his hopes for the 80-strong Gainsborough-based stables, 35-year-old Given said: "There's not a single horse here that would have a hard job to win a race. Now we have quantity and quality, a nice bunch and a nice balance."

With almost £300,000 earned in prize money last year, Given at first thought his 23-winner total would be a hard act to follow. But now he is convinced that 2002 will be even better. Here, he examines his value-to-follow brigade.

Siouxsie Sioux (3-y-o filly by Pivotal): "She only ran once last year when third behind Parasol in a six-furlong maiden at Haydock. She did a sparkling piece of work recently with my Cambridgeshire winner, I Cried For You, finishing upsides him in a proper piece of work. A miler on the face of it, she may end up at a shorter distance.

"She has entries in the German and Italian Guineas and is out of the top drawer. She could have the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot as one of her aims. Owned by my business partner, Andrew Clarke, she cost 28,000 guineas, which I expect to look extremely cheap."

Jessica's Dream (4-y-o filly by Desert Style): "She's an obvious candidate. I still don't think we saw the best of her last year although she was unbeaten over five furlongs. She won six of her 12 races and was only out of the frame four times. She will be aimed at all the main five furlong Group races - the Palace House, Temple Stakes, King's Stand, right through to the Prix L'Abbe at Longchamp.

"She won a Group Three at Milan at the end of last year, when she was stone last two furlongs out but Frankie Dettori picked her up and weaved her through the field to win comfortably in bottomless ground. I think there is a bit of a vacuum at the top of the five furlong sprints, with Mozart having gone to stud and others moving on. It could be her year."

I Cried For You (7-y-o gelding by Statoblest): "My Cambridgeshire hero. He is slightly in no man's land now, being on a mark of 98 in the handicap, but there could be a listed race with his name on it and with a bit of cut in the ground. He'll come back to try for another Cambridgeshire at the end of the year but may miss the Lincoln."

Hugs Dancer (5-y-o gelding by Cadeaux Dancer): "Only in light work at the moment, we won't be aiming to do anything with him until the ground dries out. A two-and-a-half-mile handicap would be the main target, and he we will be going back for a repeat win in the 2m 5f Marriott Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Not highly rated but there are a couple of opportunities for horses such as him at extreme distances with good pay days."

Mr Sandancer (3-y-o colt by Zafonic): "Won his maiden at Newcastle and then I think you can blame me for getting the wrong going and tracks for him. He didn't come down the hill at Goodwood in a Group Two race but was flying when he hit the level ground and finished fourth. We ended up going for the Racing Post Trophy but, being a big horse, he was found out by the soft ground.

"Now, a year older, he is stronger. He doesn't have any penalties in classy conditions races so we'll be starting low (he's rated 108) and working our way through conditions events. Hopefully, he may pick up a Group Three on the way."

Given then picked out three from his string of 45 two-year-olds who could show a good return throughout the season.

Smart John (colt by Bin Ajwaad): "A half-brother to Mister Benji, who ran well for us last year. This one's been doing everything right."

Danny Leahy (colt by Danehill): "Our most expensive horse ever, bought for 96,000 guineas at Deauville's August sales. With his sort of pedigree you've got to have high hopes."

Concentration (filly by Mind Games): "A lovely filly whose frame is filling out just right. She carries herself well and could shape up into a decent sprinter."

A new six to seven furlong wood chip gallop is planned at Mount House Stables, and a state-of-the-art horsewalker to make efficiency even more certain. "My mixture of horses appears to be a nice cross section of early types and staying sorts," said Given.

It sounds as if he has the prescription just about right.

Doctor Feelgood's hits

Read More