George Boughey is hoping that Hoo Ya Mal can provide the yard with a second Classic of the season in Saturday’s Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster.
Boughey, who sent out Cachet to win the QIPCO 1000 Guineas in May, said: “It’s very exciting! Hoo Ya Mal was very good in the Group 3 March Stakes on ground which was a little bit gluey. It was a test of stamina for him, and I’m delighted he got the job done and I couldn’t be happier with how he’s been since that run.”
Runner-up to Desert Crown when sent off at 150-1 for the Derby for Andrew Balding, Hoo Ya Mal was subsequently snapped up for £1.2million on the eve of Royal Ascot by Australian owners Go Bloodstock & Partners. The son of Territories is due to join the training team of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott after Saturday’s race with a potential tilt at the Melbourne Cup on the agenda and Boughey has one eye on his future Down Under.
Boughey said: “He came to the yard not that long before his first run at Goodwood. We’re still getting to know him but over the last couple of weeks, he’s started to thrive. He's been a very straightforward horse to train, and we’ve always had it in the back of our minds that he’s not really ‘our’ horse. We’re looking after him for the meantime before he goes down (to Australia) and tries to stay two miles on his first start. It’s been a case of slowing him down rather than quickening him up. He seems relaxed and in great shape.”
With plenty of rain forecast this week, Boughey is relaxed about the prospect of slower ground. He added: “Andrew Balding was always of the opinion he wants slower ground. He was a winner last time out on good-to-soft. The slower side of good would be fine and he wouldn’t mind soft ground, but I just wouldn’t want it to be drying, holding ground like it was at Goodwood.”
Having used Ryan Moore in the Gordon Stakes and William Buick in the March Stakes, connections needed to secure the services of another jockey with Moore riding in Leopardstown and Buick booked on the favourite New London, and David Probert was their choice.
“David Probert is booked; he gave the horse a great ride in The Derby. He’s a horse who takes a bit of knowing and David knows the horse well from riding him at Kingsclere so we’re looking forward to it. I imagine there’ll be a decent pace on. It’s a classic and they usually go an even gallop at the very least. He’s a much more relaxed horse now. I do think he needs to be ridden with a certain amount of restraint, although I don’t think he needs dropping in.”
Hoo Ya Mal was beaten two-lengths by New London in the Gordon Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival but there is belief in the camp that they will be able to give the favourite a harder race.
Boughey said: “Ryan Moore was adamant that if he’d had his stick for the final two furlongs at Goodwood that he’d have run New London close. New London looks the one to beat but I’m happy with where we are.”
