SELDOM has a top-notch race been won in such remarkable fashion. A first Group 1 triumph for a trainer who took out a licence only in the summer of 2010 and a jockey whose career was at a standstill five years ago, courtesy of a horse who was rejected by top owners after only one race.

For David O’Meara, Danny Tudhope and G Force, last Saturday’s Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock was a truly momentous occasion. Little wonder that the trainer, a former journeyman jump jockey with the Easterbys before finding his true niche in his second career, admitted minutes after unsaddling that he “was still shaking.” Days like this come around only rarely.

G Force picked-up a first prize of £154,838 – and rocketed his value into the region where it is measured in millions and not thousands – when gaining a three-quarter length success over Gordon Lord Byron, last year’s winner, with Music Master and Sole Power close behind in third and fourth.

Trained last season by Richard Hannon for Qatar Racing, G Force shaped well to finish second in his only juvenile outing, over seven furlongs at Newbury in October, but turned-up at Tattersalls Sales at Newmarket only six days later. Originally a 70,000gns yearling purchase, he was knocked down for 25,000gns to Middleham Park Racing and promptly joined O’Meara.

Nick Bradley, bloodstock manager for new owners, Middleham Park, said: “There was only me in the sales ring. One bid and I bought him. I said afterwards that it was a no-brainer because he’d run such a good race on his debut.”

Come the start of this season, G Force, one of the Gazette & Herald’s ‘Ten to Follow’, had the sort of reputation that comes only from burning up the gallops. He duly made a winning debut at Newcastle in April and followed-up in impressive style in handicap company at York’s May Meeting. He subsequently came up short – and enjoyed some poor luck – in four starts, not least in last month’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York, dramatically won by Sole Power, when he finished sixth, beaten only a length and a half in a blanket finish, after being denied a clear passage inside the final furlong.

Last Saturday, G Force was stepped up to six furlongs for the first time. It suited him perfectly. The rest is already history. “We have always said this horse is very good,” said O’Meara. “He hasn’t had the rub of the green a couple of times this year, but we never lost faith in him. It’s great for everyone involved; for everyone in the yard who work so hard and for Danny, who gave him such a great ride.”

Tudhope, a one-time leading apprentice, who found his career stuttering to a halt not that long ago when a shoulder problem and weight problems prompted him to take some time out to consider his future, rode only six winners in 2010. With O’Meara’s considerable help, he is now among the leading jockeys in the country. Last year, he rode 100 winners and that figure looks likely to be comfortably surpassed this campaign. Furthermore, he now also has a first Group 1 win to his credit.

“It was great,” said Tudhope. “The race went according to plan and he’s a horse with a great turn of foot.”

G Force could well make the journey to France for his next start. He is now 5-1 second-favourite for the Prix de l’Abbeye at Longchamp on October 5, a day to be ringed in the calendar by local racing enthusiasts. On the very same programme, Ryedale’s other two latest Group 1 winners are also set to appear; John Quinn’s The Wow Signal in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Richard Fahey-trained Garswood in the Prix de La Foret. It promises to be a remarkable occasion with three celebrated horses, trained within 20 miles of each other in Ryedale, all bidding for Group 1 prizes on the same afternoon.

G Force is a son of another celebrated local performer. His dam is none other than Flanders, who, trained by Tim Easterby, won the Hilary Needler Trophy, the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Weatherbys Super Sprint as a juvenile and who was only pipped on the post in the King’s Stand Stakes back at Royal Ascot as a three-year-old when she won the Scarbrough Stakes.

Since being retired to the paddocks, Flanders has remarkably produced nine winners from ten runners, which includes four black-type winners. G Force is undoubtedly the best of Flanders’ progeny. That he is proving it carrying the Ryedale flag makes it all the more special.

Just how much better he can become is anyone’s guess. For the moment, David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope can enjoy the taste of their first Group 1 triumph.

 

• FORMER champion jockey Kevin Darley will be dusting off his boots to return to race-riding action this week at Doncaster where, in 2002, he won the St Leger for Tim Easterby on Bollin Eric.

Darley rides in the Leger Legends on Wednesday and will be one of 16 retired jockeys taking part in this annual event which will raise money for Malton’s Jack Berry House and the Northern Racing College at Bawtry, through sponsorship, donations and a lunch, attended by more than 450 guests.

Darley, who now works for Qatar Racing and is a regular work-rider on their behalf, will be aboard the Andrew Balding-trained Comanchero. He will be lining-up alongside the likes of Norton trainer Ollie Pears, partnering his own Naoise, Dale Gibson, who will be riding the Les Eyre-trained Bob and George Duffield, a past winner of this race, on Tiger Jim for Jim Goldie.

Former top lightweight jockey Gary Bardwell rides Richard Fahey’s Chiswick Bey, while one-time classic-winning jockey Willie Newnes will team-up with the Nigel Tinkler-trained Cliff, Michael Hills will ride David O’Meara’s Dansili Dutch and Kelly Harrison will partner Janaab for Tim Easterby, for whom she rode several winners during her professional career.

It promises to be a great occasion – and a trip down memory lane.

 

• NIGEL TINKLER re-traced old ground by sending out a winner last week at Bath where he had not appeared on the scoresheet since 1997.

The Langton trainer won with Bashiba, who gained a two length success under Robert Winston to make it three wins from his last four starts.

Bashiba was Tinkler’s first winner at Bath since Goretski, owned by Peter Savill, won by two and a half lengths on the course 17 years ago.