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Saturday 2nd October was a great day for the ladies!

Monday 4 October 2010

Redcar Racecourse staged their most important raceday on Saturday, featuring one of the riches races in Europe, and it turned out to be a great day for the ladies.

Trainer Geoff Oldroyd's confidence in the chance of Ladies Are Forever (pictured right) proved completely justified as the youngster won the £150,000 totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar.

Ladies Are Forever was given a cracking ride by Silvestre de Sousa, who sent her to the front just inside the final quarter-mile and kept her going in good style to hold the challenge of Codemaster by one and a quarter lengths.

The 3-1 favourite is owned and was bred by Reg Bond, and Oldroyd, who has held a training licence since 1983 and was gaining his biggest success, said: "When I saw the declarations I was never worried about her chance, being a filly like her off a mark of only 7st 12lb."

He went on: "I have never sat on her, but I have been in racing for 49 years and there is no doubt she would be the best I ever sat on if I did get on her!"

Looking to next year, he added: "I am not sure if she will get a mile, but we will have to think about the 1000 Guineas and it is fantastic for a small stud which has only been going for five years to have a success like this and have a stallion like her sire Monsieur Bond."

Bond added: "We couldn't even get her in the sales, but that has been a blessing in disguise. She got an injury at Royal Ascot and was in her box for eight weeks, so it was touch and go to get her ready for this race.

"But Silvestre came up to Geoff's and sat on her and said he was happy, and Geoff said on Wednesday he had her spot-on, so it was all systems go."

Oldroyd and Bond hardly had time to take a celebratory drink than they were back in the winner's enclosure to greet Lady Gar Gar and De Sousa following the second division of the EBF Maiden Stakes.

It was a closer call this time, with Lady Gar Gar having only a neck to spare over Bernisdale, but enough was a feast for Oldroyd, who went on: "Reg also owns and bred this one and she is also by Monsieur Bond, so it has been a bit of a day!

"I think Lady Gar Gar is another filly who will improve as a three-year-old and I think she will get a mile."

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