News

Here De Angels On Comeback Trail

23rd Dec 2010

Racing And Sports - Alex Steedman - Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Here De Angels edges closer towards a race start with the Group 1 performed sprinter winning a jump out at Goulburn on Wednesday for new trainer Wendy Roche who believes the seven-year-old is gradually overcoming his fear of loading into the barriers.

Now trained by Wendy Roche at Goulburn who is the partner of prominent NSW equine veterinarian John Crowley, Here De Angels developed a reputation as being a barrier rogue when racing in Melbourne while trained by Lee Freedman and Mark Kavanagh.

Either impossible to load, rearing at the start to lose considerable ground or in some cases his jockey, Here De Angels after another poor barrier display at Caulfield in September was listed in the Inglis Australian Racehorse Sale last month where he was purchased by Crowley for $82,000.

Here De Angels is currently barred from racing with Racing Victoria stewards imposing the penalty due to repeated problems surrounding the geldings barrier manners.

The multiple Group winner has to barrier trial twice to the satisfaction of stewards before he can be nominated for an event and made further progress towards this goal with an encouraging jump out at Goulburn today.

“He went in there fine with three other horses, he was calm and came out well,” Roche said.

“He won the jump out quite convincingly. He will probably have another jump out in about a fortnight.”

Considered a lost cause in Melbourne with doubts surrounding the likeliness of Here De Angels ever behaving well at the barriers on a consistent basis, Roche has noticed considerable improvement in the seven-year-olds willingness to go near and load into the barriers since his arrival at her small stable.

“I've had the horse a month and when I got him he wouldn't go anywhere near the barriers at all,” Roche said.

“It was only superficial cuts and swelling to his leg, but he had a leg injury in Melbourne at the Sales which I assume was through them trying to get him into the gates and he has mucked up.”

“I walk him around the barriers and he wouldn't go near them at all. After a little while I got him to go near the barriers and now I've been walking him through the barriers.

“With the help of Wayne Hudd and Mark Day at Goulburn and my partner John Crowley we've been getting him and putting him through the gates at Goulburn and then shutting him in.

“We use the barrier blanket and he is fine with me and with a couple of other horses in the stalls he is fine.

“I put him through the gates at Goulburn every second day. We also have gates at our property in Mittagong and I walk him through there everyday.”

Getting Here De Angels back to racing is a demanding operation according to Roche who believes she had the son of Dehere ready to trial a fortnight ago.

Roche originally wanted Here De Angels to complete his first trial at Canberra on December 12 which instead was attempted the following day at Warwick Farm by the request of Racing NSW stewards.

The delicate situation Roche has involved herself in was on display at Warwick Farm with Here De Angels becoming fractious in the barriers and subsequently scratched.

“He was nominated for Canberra on the Sunday prior to the Warwick Farm trial but the stewards really wanted him to go and trial in town due to the fact the Victorian Chief Steward Terry Bailey wanted him to trial in the city,” Roche said.

“I took him to Warwick Farm and the jockey Rod Quinn walked him in and then couldn't get back on him.

“Then the barrier attendants just attacked him from all different angles which isn't the right way to go. He gets claustrophobic in the gates and that incident meant he had to go back to square one again.

“I've taken him through the barriers since and he is fine with me. The stewards have to be patient and I have to be patient and we just have to take our time until he eventually realises he isn't going to get hurt.

“I'm feeling a lot better about things after today than the other day [Warwick Farm], it has been a lot less nerve racking. I jumped him out myself today so that was a lot better.”

Racing NSW Stewards following the incident relaxed their requirements with Here De Angels now permitted to complete his two trials satisfactorily at country racetracks.

“NSW Stewards have allowed me now to take him to the country for trials and get him passed because they obviously want to see him get to the races and race in Sydney,” Roche said.

“Within the next month we will try and get them done either at Goulburn or Canberra.”

Here De Angels successfully trialling over the next month would open the door for his first race start in Sydney.

If all goes to plan during the coming weeks with Here De Angels a first up run in the $200,000 Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill is a likely target.

“We are looking at the Expressway Stakes but in saying that we are just going to take our time and obviously the horse will tell us,” Roche said.

“Hopefully we will be able to get him ready for the autumn or winter carnival.

“He can't be nominated for a race until he passes two consecutive barrier trials which has eliminated us from being able to nominate him for the Magic Millions even though we had six weeks to get him through the barriers.”

Roche got her trainers license in August 2009 and has since trained a small team of runners out of Goulburn and Mittagong.

Many of Here De Angels newest stablemates are currently racing after being rehabilitated at John Crowley's Silver Pines Veterinary Clinic in Mittagong from long term injuries or behavioural issues.

The idea of rehabilitating a Group 1 runner up is something which excites connections of Here De Angels while at the same time Roche does not forget how many have attempted to correct the sprinters barrier manners.

“The thought of getting him right is exciting but at the same time it is very daunting,” Roche said.

“Not very often you get the chance to have a Group horse in your stable which you thought had minor issues which you can fix. I've had several horses here that are older who I've worked with whether they've had joint, feet or behavioural problems that I've successfully managed.

“John [Crowley] dealt with Takeover Target who was a problem early on in his career. He used to be naughty and not go onto the track and dump rider's everyday.

“When it comes to Group horses if they were perfect and did everything right country horsemen wouldn't have them, they would be in a big stable and would fit in and we wouldn't see them as small trainers.”

Although Here De Angels is a five time Group winner and also a runner up in the 2010 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) behind Starspangledbanner , for $82,000 his acquisition is a large gamble considering racegoers may never see Here De Angels race again due to well documented behavioural problems.

“We took the risk in purchasing him due to the fact not very often a Group horse goes through the ring for sale and we thought with our environment we could change his mental attitude and he would hopefully come around,” Roche said.

“Second of all we got his legs x-rayed and his joints are like that of a two-year-old, they aren't worn in any way.

“I spend a fair bit of time with Here De Angels each day. Not necessarily just around the gates. He has been trained in the city all of his life.

“I've tried to take him out of the city environment and put him in the country environment.

“He works around our country track at home and he goes out in the paddock a lot as well.

“He is easy to handle. Some of the previous owners are still in the horse and they assured me the horse was really calm in the box at home and it was just race day he could be a problem. Some days he would be fine, others he just gets a bee in his bonnet.”

There is no question the new connections of Here De Angels have a lofty task ahead of them in getting the talented sprinter back to racing.

Progress such as this morning's jump out and the promise he shows in trackwork however does help to keep morale up amongst those now involved with Here De Angels.

“I've ridden quite a few good horses,” Roche said.

“I haven't done much fast work on him, I've just been doing some slow settling work with him plus a few sprint ups. His fast work though is quite awesome.”