Sand Raising Hopes of Royal Ascot Glory

Features | 17th June 2019

Ascot Racecourse and soft ground is a perfect combination for Raising Sand, who heads back to his favourite venue to contest next week’s Royal Hunt Cup.

Owned by Nick Bradley Racing, the seven-year-old looks likely to get his ideal conditions in the £175,000 handicap over the straight mile on Wednesday.

He already has three victories at the Berkshire course on his impressive CV, including a valuable heritage handicap last October, and Nick believes everything is in place for another big performance for his 12 excited shareholders.

“Jamie Osborne, his trainer, insists he has never had him in better shape going into a race,” he says. “He’s a heavier, more muscular horse this year and must have some juice in the ground, which he looks almost certain to get.

“Of course it’s a fiercely competitive race but I don’t think we’ll have a better chance of winning it,” adds Nick, whose burgeoning business has over 50 horses in training.

“He’s much more at home on a straight track like Ascot and the stiff finish really suits him. His knees almost hit him in the face because he has such a high action. He’s got very long legs and is a bit like a spider really,” he jokes.

Raising Sand ran a solid race in defeat when fourth in the Victoria Cup on his re-appearance at Ascot in May over a seven-furlong trip that was short of his best and will again be partnered by Nicola Currie.

Bought by Nick as a lightly raced four-year-old from Roger Varian for just 16,000gns, the gelding has won six of his 23 races and has already amassed close to £200,000 in prize money for his syndicate.

“I like a bargain so most of the horses I buy tend to have a wing mirror hanging off,” he adds. “Raising Sand was no exception. He had a small lump on his tendon which is still there now built doesn’t bother him in the slightest.

“It will be a very special day for everyone to be involved if he can pull it off, especially for Jamie and his staff who have done so well to keep the show on the road after that awful fire at the yard last week.”

Nick is no stranger to Royal Ascot success, having won the Queen Alexandra with the Gordon Elliott-trained Commissioned in 2016 – his first runner at the meeting.

He also bought Ascot Stakes winner Junior and Group One-winning sprinter G Force during his time with Middleham Park Racing before setting up his own company in 2015.

For more information about his syndicates visit nickbradleyracing.co.uk or follow on Twitter @NBradleyRacing.