Ollie Pears hoping for luck in French connection

No Leaf Clover, Pears’ talented juvenile, is making a return journey across the channel to tackle the re-arranged Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte, which was cancelled early last week after upwards of 100 racecourse staff and union officials called for industrial action after the track had been earmarked for possible closure as part of economy measures.

“It wasn’t the best outcome for what should have been my first runner in France,” said Pears, who added that the only plus point was that No Leaf Clover took everything in his stride.

“Apart from being a good horse, he has a temperament to die for,” Pears explained. “Nothing bothered him at all, the travelling, being away from home or doing a bit of work on the course after the meeting had been abandoned. He’s come back home since and been absolutely fine and he’ll go over again this week. It’s not the ideal situation or preparation, but what can you do?”

No Leaf Clover, who will be ridden by York jockey Robert Winston on Saturday, was reunited with his rider earlier this week. “Robert gave him a little breeze on Monday and felt he was in great form,” revealed Pears.

The attraction of the French race is an obvious one. “It’s worth 190,000 euros which must make it one of the richest, if the not the richest, Group 2 two-year-old race in Europe. I am not going to say he’s going to win it, but I do think he’s capable of finishing in the first three,” said Pears.

No Leaf Clover’s latest outing was at York last month when he failed in a photo-finish to gain Listed race glory in the Rockingham Stakes, a performance which boosted his rating to 99.

“He’s improved again since York,” said Pears. “I have always thought he was a proper horse and I am looking forward to seeing him run in France. As long as he can cope with the ground, which will be very deep, I can see him running a big race.”

Fingers are tightly crossed at Pears’ Norton yard that further strike action does not take place and the Maisons-Laffitte meeting goes ahead as planned.

• CHARLES WENTWORTH, the owner of No Leaf Clover, had some celebrating to do at Doncaster’s final Flat turf fixture of the year last Saturday after his colours were carried to a decisive success by Levitate.

Trained by Norton’s John Quinn, Levitate had also won at Ayr in September, ridden by crack apprentice Oisin Murphy, who was on board again on Saturday.

“John Quinn has been a big supporter of mine and what he has done with the horse, to win at the first meeting (at Doncaster) and the last meeting, is amazing because it’s not an easy thing to achieve,” said Murphy.

Levitate thrives in the mud and had conditions in his favour last weekend.

“It was a race in which the soft ground horses came to the fore, so I hope the handicapper acknowledges that,” said Sean Quinn, the trainer’s son and assistant. “Fair play to Charles Wentworth, when the ground firmed up in the summer he had no hesitation in stopping with this horse until the ground changed again.”

Having won one Lincoln, Levitate, it seems, will be back for another tilt at the prestigious race next March. “I would imagine that will be his target. He loves Doncaster,” said Quinn jnr.

At Cheltenham’s Open Meeting this weekend, the Quinn stable is set to be strongly represented in the valuable Greatwood Hurdle by Calculated Risk and Kashmir Peak.

Both horses acquitted themselves particularly well in their first campaign of hurdling last season.

Calculated Risk won three of his six starts, including useful events at Ascot and Sandown, while Kashmir Peak won two of his four outings.

Furthermore, the pair have shown their well being on the Flat in recent weeks. Calculated Risk won at Ayr’s September meeting and Kashmir Peak went down by only a whisker to the smart Thomas Hobson in a hot handicap at Doncaster last month.

Ryedale’s challenge in the Greatwood Hurdle is further strengthened by the David O’Meara-trained Ifandbutwhynot, who came strongly to the fore over timber last term for the Nawton handler.

The seven-year-old was a triple winner, which included a success at Cheltenham, and he has the benefit of a recent outing at Aintree, in which he finished third. That race should have put him spot on for his prestigious target on Sunday.

• JASON HART was duly crowned champion apprentice at Doncaster’s concluding meeting – and enjoyed the added bonus of breaking through his target of winners.

Going into the final week of the championship, Hart, despite having the title firmly in the bag, expressed the wish to add another three winners to his tally to achieve his first half-century.

As it turned out, he rode four, including a mighty effort on the Ruth Carr-trained Orpsie Boy at Wolverhampton on Friday night – when he gained a slender success after having only one stirrup throughout the final furlong to end up with a score of 51 successes.

“50 was the target so I am very pleased,” said Hart, who was delighted to receive his trophy from champion jockey Richard Hughes in front of friends and lots of family from Hawick, who had made a special journey to Doncaster to witness the momentous occasion.

As he told Gazette readers last week, Hart has no plans to continue riding throughout the winter. “I have 20 winners left to lose my claim and it makes sense to protect those until next (turf) season and then hopefully get some momentum from them,” he explained.

Hart, 19, who is apprenticed to Sledmere trainer Declan Carroll, added: “I’ve had a great year and it’s all thanks to Declan, Alan Harrison, my agent, and all the trainers and owners who have supported me so well.

“I never thought this year would work out as well as it did and, having been in front for so long, I didn’t dare think about winning the championship until the last few days. Then, it was relief I felt most of all.”

• TIM EASTERBY has a useful horse on his hands in Kenny The Captain, who made it three wins for the season with a battling display at Doncaster last Saturday.

The two-year-old had a real fight on his hands inside the final quarter-mile of the nursery, but he dug deep under Duran Fentiman to gain a slender triumph over the Mark Johnston-trained Torchlighter.

“I thought he was beaten a furlong out, but he battled,” said Easterby. “He’s tough and has never stopped improving.”

Kenny The Captain is a son of Captain Rio, a stallion to whom Easterby has taken a particular liking. “I like him as a sire and have done well with horses by him,” added the Great Habton trainer.

Captain Rio was also responsible for Body And Soul, his star performer for the last couple of seasons, who has won five races and £350,000 in prize money.

• DAVID O’MEARA has earned himself a nomination for Trainer of the Year at the Horserace Writers’ And Photographers’ Association Derby Awards in London next month.

The Nawton-based handler has enjoyed another outstanding season which has been acknowledged by members of the HWPA, who have shortlisted him for a title in which the other nominees are Richard Hannon and Nicky Henderson, current champions on the Flat and over jumps, and Lady Jane Cecil, who took over the running of Newmarket’s famous Warren Place yard following the death of her husband, Sir Henry Cecil.

Professional racing photographer Louise Pollard, who lives just outside Malton, has been nominated for Picture of the Year.

All the winners will be announced at the prestigious awards lunch at the Lancaster Hotel in London on December 2.