 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |  |
One of the world’s leading trainers, William Muir aims to get Pyledriver to the Saudi Cup meeting in February.
British trainer, William Muir aims to take the recent Lingfield winner, Pyledriver to the Saudi Cup meeting to compete for the US$ 1.5 million Group 3 Neom Turf Cup. The 5YO son of Harbour Watch rose to race stardom at Royal Ascot in 2020 and took his first Group One in the 2021 Coronation Cup at Epsom’s Derby fixture. Pyledriver is the highest-rated horse in the field with an international mark of 121 and has beaten Mogul in three of their four encounters.
Trainer William Muir, who shares a co-license with Chris Grassick, said the horse was in excellent condition to compete after returning from a mid-season break due to a mild groin injury. That means that he is heading into this worldwide campaign as a relatively fresh horse.
Currently, the Saudi Cup plan is being realized as a promise that more foreign wealth will beckon. The Dubai World Cup, Sheema Classic will be the next point of call after the Neom cup
Martin Dwyer, an English Epsom Derby-winning flat racing jockey who is married to Claire, William Muir’s daughter, would ride Pyledriver in Saudi.
William Muir reveals more about his plans for Pyledriver in the Middle East and drives deeper into his passion and obsession for horses in an exclusive interview with Ten Furlongs.
Q: What are your plans for Pyledriver over the next few months?
A: I think he will race in the Neom Cup on the Saudi Cup card because it's a mile two and a half furlongs. The Saudi cup is a shorter one on dirt. Our main destination is the Sheema Classic which is our ideal trip. So, it seems more sensible to use the Neom Cup as the race before preparation.
Q: As this will be his first trip over the Saudi track, do you have any concerns about the track or the competitors that he's likely to face?
A: Not really, he's very versatile. He raced, in the UK around Epsom, which is a very unique, undulating track, and then he's gone to Hong Kong and Ascot, which are very flat tracks. After watching last year's Saudi Cup Meeting, it looks like a very flat-level course. So, I don't think the course will be a problem.
The IRB is the body that organizes these things said. He has to come home for an isolation period.
He did recover extremely quickly from Hong Kong. So, his recovery starts from once you got off the plane, he thrives.
Q: So, he should just do this turnaround fairly quickly.
A: I would think so. The Sheema Classic is in four weeks after Saudi, so we've got plenty of time.
Q: What kind of horse is he during training?
A: He has been a wonderful horse to train since I have been training for quite a long time. He was just very easy to train. You don’t have to be overly hard on him. He's got a great mind about it. He’s always himself. That just tells you that he's in really good shape.
Last year he did well in The Hong Kong Vase, although he didn’t win. But that's fine. We didn’t race last summer because he had a very small setback, so we gave him a holiday.
We knew he had to come back from the holiday and then train hard to go to Hong Kong, and then go to Saudi then to Dubai.
All these were on the program from the middle of last summer.
 |  |
Q: So, is travelling something you're looking to do more often with some of your horses?
A: We have a stable of about 45 horses and this is what we all strive for. We are keen to run in the big international meets. Prize money is fantastic and if you've got a horse that can compete to win the races, it's just wonderful. It's a great world coverage.
Q: There are a few English trainers that would want to do that. They would mostly want to run a full season in the UK and then say, ‘Okay, now we'll take on the rest of the world if it's possible. So, you're going in the opposite direction.
A: We would, probably if we hadn't had a small setback. So, when he's finished in the Dubai Sheema Classic, win, lose or draw, he will come home and have another holiday. We're also trying to bring him back up to go for the back end of the season, whether it is an International or a pre-race before the Arc. After that, he'll go to Hong Kong again through the winter.
Q: Fantastic. So, you've got it all planned out.
A: We've got it in our point plan, but as I say, each one of the horses is going to come out to say, right, we're going to do this. It comes to fruition if your horse’s spirit is very comfortable and easy to do anything with.
Q: What do you think has been his best race so far? I don't mean only the races that he's won, but technically, what has been his best?
A: I think his Hong Kong race was incredible because the winner is a multiple Group One winner. He's a very good horse and has done a lot of travelling. That was our first ever attempt at travelling, so he had flown a long way and landed. That took its toll. He could have just done a little bit better with his eating.
Now he has that experience under his belt and the other trainers that were over there said it was normal for a first. He didn't eat everything. However, it's one of those things that I think if covered desirably, we could be in a much better place. Since he's done it once, travelling never bothers him. I think that was a great race. Even though he didn’t win, it was a great race.
The current Coronation Cup was very special too. It was the first Group One for the horse, the first Group One win. He's given us some fantastic days at Royal Ascot as well as the York festival. So, he has gone to all the festivals and has been a fantastic horse. To pick out just one it's very hard.
However, I would say Hong Kong was very special.
Q: Have you raced in the UAE on the World Cup night before?
A: Yeah, I have had Stepper Point come out to race in the Al Quoz Sprint. Both Stepper Point and Big Baz came out for the whole carnival five or six years ago. Big Baz did very well. He finished second, only just beaten the first time we ran in the carnival.
Stepper Point ran three very good races and he runs around well on a World Cup. He didn't get into places but he ran very well.
Q: So, what has been your favorite World Cup night?
A: Well, the first time I watched it was when my son-in-law Martin Dwyer won with Phoenix Reach. Of course, I felt involved because he was riding the horse. Phoenix Reach was a wonderful horse for Andrew Balding. I think that whole night was very good. I have been to Dubai for World Cup night and it was very special to me.
Q: What has kept you racing? Do you ever feel like you want to throw in the towel thinking you've had enough and would rather do something else?
A: It is very tough but it's my life. I was born into horses and I am very determined to do what I do. I've always been competent in my ability.
We've had very good horses through the whole of my career. I have Pyledriver but that’s not the only one.
We've had Averti also. When I very first started, he got beaten a head in a Group One when we went to York for the Nunthorpe Stakes and won the King George VI Stakes at Goodwood. We've had fillies like Purr Along, which was an exceptional filly brought for very cheap money. She was a Group Two winner and was exceptionally good for the yard. I've just named a handful, but I could carry on and mention 10 more. It's a way of life.
I love horses. I am a determined hard worker, that's why we get them on the course. At times, it can be tough, but that's in all walks of life. You have to put your head down and keep going.
I think that when you've got racing or horses in your blood, you might try to do other things, but you'll always come back to it because you'll love your life. It is a way of life. At times of course it's very hard. If you don't love racing or horses, you would not be able to do it.
Q: Now I agree with you. With your current stable stars, who are your other stars in the stable? What are your plans for them over 2022?
A: Well, we've got other very good horses like Just Hubert. He's been a fantastic stayer. We bought him as a foal and we were going to try and go to win the Melbourne Cup. He’s become a very good stayer but he's not quite good enough to go to the Melbourne Cup.
However, he won us two very good stayer races last year, and he will try and compete to do the same this year.
We've got Pyledriver’s siblings.
His sister Countrypyle is very tall at 16”2. In the first full run, she was placed, she didn't get a win. This year you will see her become a very good stay in the filly. If she becomes good enough, she could travel to these festivals all around the world.
Pyledriver’s younger brother is named Stockpyle. Has only had two runs because he had a small setback, but he showed his ability the first time. He has a big future.
There is also the baby one, Pyledriver’s half-sister, Frankel. She's broken and ready. She hasn't got a name yet but she is a very good moving big strong filly. So that’s exciting. We've got a lovely batch of 2YOs, some of which are strong and ready to go out for Group One.
We've got some wonderful pedigrees and we're looking forward to the season ahead of us.
Q: It looks like you have a packed season and some really good potential.
A: Well, we've got potential but we don't know how good they're going to be.. When Pyledriver was 2YO, I didn't realize how good he was going to become. You are always looking for the next ‘good one’. All you want is a good one and then another good one.
Q: Absolutely. You've been in racing for years and years. Who Inspires you?
A: I suppose my father inspires me. My father was a very good stockman. When I was very young, we used to milk cattle on the farm. He switched over to Thoroughbreds as he thought that it was the way to diversify on the farm. So, we went into horses and got into Thoroughbreds. For as long as I can remember, we had Thoroughbreds around us.
My father bred very good horses. So, I would have to say that my father inspires me from what he has done. I always think about him. I've lost him now. I am sure he would have loved my successes if he was still here with us.