EMOTIONAL WIN FOR COLJANI IN THE WATHBA STALLIONS CUP AT LINGFIELD PARK
Coljani and Paddy Bradley winning the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-55) Handicap at Lingfield Park © Debbie Burt – Equine Creative Media
Deserved homebred success for the Raffles Partnership
Monday 5 August 2024 –
It was an emotional win for Coljani’s team at Lingfield this afternoon in the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-55) Handicap at Lingfield, with the five-year-old gelding gaining his first success in front of his owner breeders and with his regular groom Sue Wileman sidelined. Ridden by Paddy Bradley, the pair were soon in front, with recent winner Delicatesse trying to make headway to challenge, however Coljani held on, up the stands rail to win by a length and a quarter. Delicatesse and Miss Teagan Padgett were second, ahead of a staying on Pharitz Alanood and Charlie Price in third.
Coljani had been knocking on the door all season, finishing in the frame on his last three starts, including when second to Delicatesse at the same course last month over a furlong less on the Polytrack.
Quotes:
Pete Hammersley, trainer,1st: “That’s for Colin [Banks] and for Sue [Wileman]. I thought that on the straight turf track, where he can get into a rhythm and keep going, he’d be fine. On the All Weather, round the tight bends here he loses his impetus. Paddy said he got him into a nice rhythm and was cruisinig al the way, having the rail helped too.”
Paddy Bradley, jockey,1st: “Coljani was a chance ride that came out of the blue at Bath over a mile and six furlongs where he ran well finishing third and was second last time here and ran well. He had a good pull in the weights with the second and it seemed to make the difference. I think the downhill track and that he’s a real frontrunner, and he did it rather well in the end.”
Trevor Banks, Owner, breeder, 1st: “That was one for my brother Colin, who sadly passed before he could see him race. We bred Coljani from a mare that Colin had, Our Dream, she got injured and couldn’t race again so we put her in foal to Madjani and we got this boy. We named him for my brother so that’s one for him.”
The Raffles Partnership with Peter Hammersley, Coljani, Paddy Bradley winners of the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-55) Handicap at Lingfield Park congratulated by Lara Sawaya
© Debbie Burt – Equine Creatie Media
Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival commented, “It’s been a beautiful day at Lingfield Park for this edition of the Wathba Stallions Cup won by Coljani. We congratulate everyone involved with bringing him to the racecourse today, where we celebrate the joining of Emirati and British culture through His Highness Sheikh Mansoor’s generous sponsorship.”
Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “We are thrilled for the win of Coljani and we congratulate Pete, Trevor and everyone involved with the Raffles partnership on their well-deserved success. We warmly welcome back Lara Sawaya to present the trophies alongside Arena Racing Company’s Managing Director of Racing Mark Spincer and are delighted to host another Wathba Stallions Cup sponsored race in the UK generously supported by HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nhyan Racing Festival. We also congratulate Sarah McLean who won the Baker McVeigh International Best Turned Out Award with Kayack.”
Paddy Bradley, Lara Sawaya, Mark Spincer and Peter Hammersley with the Raffles Partnership, winners of the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-55) Handicap at Lingfield Park with Coljani
© Debbie Burt- Equine Creative Media
1st: COLJANI
2nd: Delicatesse
3rd: Pharitz Alanood
8 ran –
Distances: 1.25, 4
Time: 1.30.69
Going: Good
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