My Mate Mozzie© Photo Healy Racing
My Mate Mozzie will bid to finally land a big pot after a series of near misses when lining up for the €600,000 Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch next month.
The seven-year-old gelding, winner of a point-to-point and four times under Rules including a Grade 3 hurdle, has been unfortunate not to land a big prize with a list of placed efforts including when beaten a short-head in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle and also filling the runner-up spot when only going down by a neck in the November Handicap at Naas.
He again ran a cracker last time when beaten less than a length in third behind Zarak The Brave in the Guinness Galway Hurdle and trainer Gavin Cromwell is hopeful that he can finally land a big one on September 24.
“He’ll go straight for the Cesarewitch. I thought jumping the last in the Galway Hurdle that we’d nearly win but he was just outbattled in the last 20 yards. It was a big run and the winner is probably a Grade 1 horse,” said Cromwell.
“He deserves to win a big one some day as he’s been banging on the door. He’s been a nearly horse but hopefully he’ll get his head in front in a big one.”
My Mate Mozzie is a 12/1 chance for the Irish Cesarewitch with both Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook.
The Danestown trainer added, “Earls is a likely runner in the Cambridgeshire and we’d love to get a bit of soft ground but the way the weather is at the moment that could happen.”
The €80,000 Cancer Trials Ireland Irish Cambridgeshire takes place at the Curragh next Saturday evening.
Cromwell is still puzzled by the disappointing performance of Royal Ascot heroine Snellen who trailed home in the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
The daughter of Expert Eye made a successful debut at Limerick before taking the step up to pattern company in her stride when beating Pearls And Rubies just ten days later in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.
She was quite weak in the market for Saturday’s Group 2 at the Curragh and uncharacteristically temperamental in the preliminaries before weakening in the final furlong to finish last of eight behind Vespertilio.
“She got very upset in the prelims which is not like her as she was so settled in Ascot and very professional.
“She got very wound up and didn’t really want to go to the start,” said Cromwell before adding: “We haven’t put our finger on it yet but there is clearly something amiss.”
