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TRIPLE HEADER FOR FRENCH-TRAINED HORSES ON AWC FINALS DAY

Championship News
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30 March 2018

The £150,000 Sunbets All-Weather Mile Championships winner Lucky Team returned to cheers of "three-nil, three-nil'' from his French supporters - the son of Namid being the third winner from across the channel from four runners.   The six-year-old's successful trainer is former jockey Joel Boisnard, who trains at the Senonnes training centre near Nantes in the west of France. "Lucky Team is a very good horse, a very good-looking horse and a very talented horse," said Boisnard. "We came here with the hopes that he would run well, but did not expect him to win and in a course record time!  "Unfortunately, he is not as good on the Turf as he is on the All-Weather - if he were, he'd be a superstar!" The decision to travel to the UK for the All-Weather Finals Day was a decision that came in a roundabout fashion and with some outside advice.  "Sophie Boulin Redouly, the owner of Lucky Team, is our vet, and she is also vet for Louisa and Philip Carberry [of Carberry Racing and from the NH Irish Carberry family], who are based nearby. "It was Louisa who suggested this race as she knew how good this horse is," added Boisnard as he headed off to phone his informal advisor and thank her for the advice! The lucky team won by a length and a quarter in 1m 33.90s.

 

VIVE LE FRANCE AS LUCKY LANDS MILE

 

French rider Theo Bachelot registered a 368/1 double on All-Weather Championships Finals Day following the victory of 40/1 shot Lucky Team in the £150,000 Sunbets All-Weather Championships Mile.

Trained by Joel Boisnard, near Nantes in France, the imposing six-year-old son of Namid, swooped late in the mile contest to collar 11/8 favourite Second Thought, trained by William Haggas, to score by a length and a quarter.  Successful aboard City Light (8/1) in the £150,000 Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships over six furlongs, Bachelot was having just his eighth ride in Britain aboard Lucky Team. Bachelot said: "To ride two winners today, I am very, very happy for all the team and thank you to Joel Boisnard  "Lucky Team in all his performances is always on track. Just now, I think he needs to come from behind, whereas in the last year he has gone from the front. "He was slow early on, but he came home powerfully to win. He is a nice, big horse - I'm very comfortable on him.  "The race worked out perfectly for me. "I am very happy to ride two winners. Normally, I come to Lingfield and get a place - I might come back again!  "After three very good months in Qatar, it has been a good start to the year." Lucky Team won in a course record time of 1m 33.90s. The previous record time was 1m 34.34 by My Target on December 1, 2016.

SECOND THOUGHT PLEASES CONNECTIONS WITH SECOND 

Second Thought came into the Sunbets All-Weather Mile Championships race having won Listed Fast-Track Qualifiers on the All-Weather in November and March. Sent off the hot 11/8 favourite, the Kodiac four-year-old came home a one and a quarter-length second to French challenger and 40/1 shot, Lucky Team.  Maureen Haggas, representing her husband William, commented: "I am happy with him, he has run a good race. You couldn't be unhappy with him. "Three winners have now come down the outside and whether that ground is a bit quicker...  "From where he was drawn, he has to go where he has gone and he has run a great race." Bloodstock agent Jill Richardson, with the owner Liam Sheridan, said: "It was difficult from the draw he had, it was always going to be against him.  "We are definitely going to go Group racing on the turf next. Where next, we will have to see, he has an invite to race at the end of April in Hong Kong, (the Group One Champions Mile, on turf, on April 29). We will regroup with William (Haggas)." James Doyle, jockey, added: "I am really pleased with him, he ran a good race.  "The only thing I would say is that the track up the inside isn't the favourite place to be. But when you are drawn one you have to take the gaps as they come. "Obviously, I am disappointed not to win but I cannot crib the horse at all, he has run his race."

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