Jeremy Noseda considers Melbourne Cup for Sans Frontieres
First impressions often leave the deepest imprint and Jeremy Noseda is no exception.
At times he appears to take no prisoners, and if others take exception to his style, he is unlikely to lose any sleep over it.
If one race could encapsulate a character with as many facets it would be the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2007.
Horses' names can sometimes be wildly inappropriate but whoever had the presence of mind to call a chestnut colt Soldier's Tale either had second sight or a crystal ball. As if clawing his way past Australian star Takeover Target to win was not proof enough of his strong character, the journey the horse took to reach his finest hour was vivid testimony to his amazing spirit.
Noseda can appear a little remote at times but that day his voice was cracking as he told the story of a horse who had beaten both the odds and the grim reaper. “I'm just absolutely thrilled - he's such a tough horse,” he said. “He's my favourite horse - I adore him and I'm just thrilled to see him win because he's just a fighter. He was twice on the point of having to be put down and he's fought hard. Ninety-nine horses out of a hundred would've given up, with all the problems he's had, but he's always come back and he's always tried.
“He's had countless fractures, colic surgery, pieces of his stomach removed, he has to have a special diet as he finds it hard to digest food and we live in fear all the time off him getting colic again.”
That might have been the right time to call time but then Noseda made his views on the way that overseas runners at the meeting have their expenses covered by the racecourse executive. “I'm delighted to beat the Aussies,” he said. “I have a few gripes about the Australians. They are paid to come over here. If they want to come here, fine, but let them pay for it themselves. We're not paid to go to the Melbourne Cup.”
The comments did not help the entente cordiale but Noseda was unlikely to worry. He was once quoted as saying: “I can be as abrasive as the next man - that's the way I am. But I'm not really bothered what the concept of me is.”
All of which should make for an interesting trip Down Under if Noseda decides to take Sans Frontieres to the Melbourne Cup in November.
The colt has had his own share of problems since a promising start to last season but came back with a bang to win the Group Two Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket last week. Speaking on his website Noseda said: “I was delighted with his performance. He started cantering again today but future plans for him are still a little fluid. I’ve spoken to Sir Robert Ogden and his racing manager Barry Simpson and we are looking at the Irish St Leger and perhaps a tilt at the Melbourne Cup could be an end of season target.”
Noseda is also considering the next target for Fleeting Spirit, who finished two-and-a-quarter lengths fifth to Starspangledbanner in the July Cup. “I was satisfied with her performance but unfortunately we felt that she did not let herself down on the fast ground. We shall look at the Nunthorpe and the Sprint Cup at Haydock and hopefully we shall get an ease in conditions in one of those,” he said.
At first glance the race conditions may have done for the chances of Formosina in the Group Two Superlative Stakes. Having already won a Group Two, the Railway Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Derby day, he had to carry a 3lb penalty in that race.
That appeared too much for him as he finished last of the six runners but the trainer believes that there were other reasons for the defeat. “We can totally write off his run as he was just flat from his win in the Railway Stakes. “I made a mistake running him back so quickly,” Noseda said.
This time first impressions may have been wrong.
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