Thursday,
August 10, 2006
The Grade II $75,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase
Those
of us who are old enough, remember Paddy Smithwick as having been an incredibly
successful steeplechase jockey, in the 50's and 60's, often riding gre
at
stakes winners trained by his brother Mikey for such owners as Mrs. Ogden Phipps
and Mrs. Theodora A, Randolph - champions with names such as Neji, Oedipius and
Bon Nouvel which echo down the years as examples of true grit and greatness.
This
year the Smithwick Memorial marked the 2006 debut of Eldon Farm's steeplechase
champion the ten year old Hirapour, who has been on the board in his last
ten starts. Hirapour was the Eclipse Champion steeplechaser in 2004 and last year
won two grade ones, the Royal Champion Steeplechase, at Keeneland, in April, and
the New York Turf Writers, at Saratoga, in early September, while being beaten
out for the Horse of the Year title by McDynamo. (Hirapour, number four, is
pictured at the right above "sweeping" past Good Night Shirt at the
last fence. The latter went on to finish second beaten four lengths at the wire.)
Among
the challengers for the former champion would be Mauritania, trained by 
Richard
Valentine and Mark The Shark, trained by Marylander Jack Fisher, both of who like
to run on the lead. Another runner trained by Jack Fisher, the closer Good Night
Shirt, who was coming off a win in the Grade III Ferguson Memorial at Colonial
Downs, could also prove a serious challenger. (At the left, Hirapour, ridden
by Matthew McCarron, returns to the Winners' Circle at Saratoga.)
As
the chart caller phrased it, "Hirapour was unhurried early on, advanced
outside into the final turn, swept into contention from the outsude turning for
home, leapt to the front over the final fence and drew away, winning as much the
best."
Trained by Dougie Fout, (whose sister is the well known
Three Day rider and Olympic Team Medalist in Australia, in 2000, Nina Fout), Hirapour
has
made a great start to his final campaign.
If
all goes well, Hirapour will likely run in the Turf Writers at Saratoga followed
by the Breeders Cup Steeplechase and the Colonial Cup, in Camden, SC, as he aims
for this year's over all championship. (At the right, Hirapour gets a cooling
bath from the hose on the race track before walking back to the barn.)
