Latest news with #GrahamLeeRacingClub
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tears of joy as charity horse wins a Redcar thriller for injured jockey Graham Lee
THERE were emotional scenes at Redcar today as charity horse We've Got This won for The Graham Lee Racing Club under a determined ride by Jason Hart. The filly, trained by Ivan Furtado, runs in the colours of the club, run by The Good Racing Company. Advertisement Graham, who won the Grand National on Amberleigh House before switching to the flat, suffered life-changing injuries in a fall at Newcastle in November 2023. The Good Racing Company has so far raised around £250,000 for good causes, including £40,000 for Graham and his family. Graham, who watched the Free Racing TV At Handicap close to the winning post, said: "I'm chuffed to bits. Jason gave her a great ride, and I'm pleased for all the club members who've supported the club by buying shares. It's fantastic." We've Got This and Jason Hart winning at Redcar (Image: Tony Knapton) Former champion jockey Paul Hanagan acts as a director of The Good Racing Company and chose the horse, which was gifted by Wendy and Steve Burdett of Eboracum Racing. Advertisement Paul admitted to being moved to tears by the victory, saying: "It means a hell of a lot and it's very special to be involved. I've had a lot of sleepless nights over this filly but it's brilliant for everyone. She's going to keep improving. It's fantastic for Graham to be here to see her win for the first time.' Jason Hart went on to score a hat-trick by riding a double for Charlie Johnston on Marhaba Ghaiyyath and Hot Dancer. The Johnston horse are flying with a current 23% strike rate and the momentum continued with Marhaba Ghaiyyath landing the Marske Fabrications & Engineering Handicap. The 6-4 fav stayed on stoutly to deny Cruyff Turn a fifth Redcar win for Tim Easterby. Advertisement Johnston Racing's assistant trainer Jock Bennett said: "The horses are in really good form at the moment, including the second in the Derby (Lazy Griff)." Hart made it a treble when Hot Dancer cosily landed the Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Handicap by half a length from Yabher, trained at Newmarket by William Haggas. Jock Bennett said: "We'll see what the handicapper does – that'll dictate where he goes next." The day started with a victory for local businessman Gary Wood, whose Front Gunner – trained at Leyburn by Ann Duffield – stayed on well in the opening Racing TV Free Trial Handicap under David Nolan. Advertisement Construction consultant Gary, sponsor of the Straight Mile Series at Redcar last season, said: "I've been trying to have a winner here for 10 years!" Gary, who bought the chestnut gelding as a yearling, added: "We've had our ups and downs because he's a real character, but we were hopeful today – I had a good punt last night. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't kick on from here and there's got to be a couple more wins in him." Serenity Blue, a son of Lope de Vega, cost 360,000 guineas as a yearling and he scored for the second time in a row in the Visit To Subscribe Today Novice Stakes. Adam Farragher, riding for trainer James Horton, was impressed with the chestnut colt, saying: "He just does enough but it was pretty snug in the end. He's still green and I'd expect him to come on again." Advertisement Serenity Blue had built on a promising debut with a smooth win on his last run at Nottingham. It was also a promising, gutsy run by Stay In The Game, trained by John and Sean Quinn, in second. Marajito, trained by Tim Easterby and ridden by David Allan, fought off Michael Dods' Keep The Gold in the last race, the Come Racing On Ladies' Day Tomorrow Maiden Handicap, denying Jason Hart a four-timer. Assistant Trainer William Easterby said: "We bred her, so we're really pleased with that. She's got lots of speed and we found the right race for her."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Charity filly looks ready to give Graham Lee a boost at Redcar Races
We've Got This (green colours) on her Redcar debut last season (Image: Tony Knapton) HOPES will be high of a boost for injured jockey Graham Lee when Redcar stages a six-race card on Friday as a warm-up for Ladies' Day at the weekend. Three-year-old filly We've Got This is aiming to break her maiden in the green colours of the Graham Lee Racing Club in the Free Racing TV At Handicap. Advertisement The Grand National winning jockey, who suffered life-changing injuries at Newcastle Racecourse in November 2023, was a guest at Redcar's May 19 meeting to see We've Got This finishing strongly to be a close third. Graham Lee in the Redcar paddock last month (Image: Peter Barron) The Graham Lee Racing Club is run by The Good Racing Company, which has raised more than £250,000 for good causes, including £40,000 for Graham. We've Got This was named by Graham's wife, Becky, echoing a defiant social media post she put out after the accident. The filly, trained by Ivan Furtado, was chosen by former champion jockey, Paul Hanagan, a director of The Good Racing Company, who said after that last run at Redcar: 'She's still green but we're getting there.' Advertisement We've Got This, who was second on her debut at Redcar last year, will be partnered by Jason Hart, and she would undoubtedly be a popular winner. Paul Mulrennan, fresh from his Group 1 success on American Affair at Royal Ascot, has some eye-catching rides. The pick could be Clermont Friend for Wiltshire trainer Harry Charlton in the Visit To Subscribe Today Novice Stakes. The filly could be hard to beat if reproducing her debut form when she was second at Yarmouth. Jo Mason is a popular rider wherever she goes, and she will fancy her chances in the opening Racing TV Free Trial Handicap on Monsieur Fantasie for Roger Fell. The gelding got out of all sorts of trouble under Rosie Howarth to win an amateur riders' race at Redcar at the end of May, and put in another solid performance to be second at Doncaster last time. He's clearly in good heart and will get plenty of assistance from the saddle. Advertisement Marhaba Ghaiyyath, trained at Middleham by Charlie Johnston, did well to be beaten only a head by Andrew Balding's Topteam at Chester last time, despite being hampered on the home bend. He looks ready to resume winning ways in the Marske Fabrications & Engineering Handicap. That said, the opposition includes Tim Easterby's Redcar specialist Cruyff Turn, who was scoring on the track for a fourth time when winning in April. Callum Rodriguez is having a fine season and he teams up with Fantasmic for Newmarket trainer Jack Jones in the Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Handicap. The Time Test filly followed two promising third places by winning well at Lingfield last time and can build on that success. Michael Dods has been back amongst the winners this week after a lean spell, and he could maintain the momentum with Keep The Gold in the concluding Come Racing On Ladies' Day Tomorrow Maiden Handicap. The gelding put up an improved display to be third at Southwell last time and Jason Hart has been booked for the ride.
