Sam Waley-Cohen in for the long run
Some people try to mix business with pleasure but for Sam Waley-Cohen it is more akin to a juggling act.
Many jump jockeys begin life as amateurs as a means to the end of becoming a professional. Waley-Cohen, through family money and now running a successful dental health business, has the means to remain true to the Corinthian ideal of the amateur rider that traces its lineage through men like d**k Saunders, John Oaksey and Anthony Mildmay.
He has laid claim as their successor by becoming the first rider to win both the Fox Hunters’ Chase and Topham Trophy over the Grand National fences at Aintree in 2006, completing the memorable double on Katarino and Liberthine on consecutive days.
There are not many unconquered territories left for the 28-year-old to chart but through 50 years, and four sponsors, no amateur rider has won the Paddy Power Gold Cup. In the hard-bitten world of professional sport, the amateur has to match the standards of those who are there to pay the bills and while admitting to sometimes “balancing phones calls on the back of a horse” Waley-Cohen believes he is up to the job of riding Long Run – owned by his father, Robert – who is likely to start as the market leader at Cheltenham for what is seen as the first major race of the jumps season.
Long Run arrived at Nicky Henderson’s yard from France with a reputation almost as towering as his own imposing presence. He did little to dent that estimation when he won the Grade One Feltham Novices’ at Kempton Park on Boxing Day and then showed he had speed as well when dropped from three miles to two and win the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick in February.
Now Henderson and the Waley-Cohen’s had the dilemma of choosing between the Arkle Trophy and RSA Chase. They elected to go the staying route which proved just too big an ask for the five-year-old who finished third to Weapon’s Amnesty.
However, eight months down the line, Waley-Cohen feels that his horse has the right weapons for this extended two-and-a-half-mile handicap. “He spent the summer at home down at the stud and did incredibly well – really strengthened up,” he said. “He’s now a big, strong and mature horse. We have to keep reminding ourselves how young he is - he’s still only five but he looks very impressive.”
Long Run’s record looks equally impressive with 10 wins and five places from his 15 starts. “He’s consistent, which is the sign of a good horse. He’ll always put in a big effort whatever race it is that he’s in.
“I think that the trip is absolutely perfect for him. He won over three miles in the Feltham and then over two miles in the Kingmaker. I just suspect that maybe the three miles, in the RSA, was a little bit too long for him, so I think that the Paddy Power trip will be absolutely spot-on and the actual speed that they travel at will just help him a bit. In terms of ground he's handled everything, so I don't see that really presenting any problems at all.”
The problem for Waley-Cohen will be handling the big-race pressure on a well-fancied horse and with the likes of Tony McCoy, Richard Johnson and Berry Geraghty waiting to pounce on any signs of weakness or a mistake. “There’s always pressure and the biggest pressure for me is that I want to do the best that I can do,” Waley-Cohen said.” If I ride as well as I can, and the horse and I together aren’t good enough, then that’s fine. There’s always pressure but that’s the nature of racing and you have to be able to handle that.
“I work hard on my fitness and I’m riding in more races than I would normally so I feel we’re in as good as position as we could be before the race.”
The position that Paul Nicholls finds himself in, for the third time in four seasons, is that he is going into the major races in November with his stable jockey on the sidelines. There are no shortage of takers for what are some plum rides but Nicholls is still waiting to talk to owner Clive Smith before deciding where Kauto Star will run next and who will be riding if he does take in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury later this month en route to an attempt at a record-breaking fifth victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton in December.
"I haven't had a chance to have a chat with Clive yet, but I’ve learnt over the last few years that, to make a decision too soon, people get hurt and things change,” Nicholls said. “We're in the driving seat really as plenty of people would love to ride him, so we're not going to make a rushed decision and we'll think about it.
"I've got two or three people in my mind but I'm not worried about it at this stage. We haven't decided whether he's going to run in the Hennessy yet. That is still an option, but it is only an option. Once I've seen Clive we can make a bit of a plan."
It should resolve itself out in the long run.
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