Bowman won last season’s G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. with Begood Toya Mother and while a successful defence of that title is a major target, Saturday’s G1 Magic Millions Memsie S. isn’t been treated as merely a lead-up.
The 6-year-old has significantly improved with his first-up run and expectations are high going into the weight-for-age feature and with a pre-race intention to ensure a truly run contest.
“We’ll jump and go forward and lead the race. He’ll run it along at a good, proper gallop and that suits our bloke,” Bowman said.
Daniel Bowman and Begood Toya Mother
While he acknowledges those tactics will suit a number of his rivals, Bowman is only concerned about giving Begood Toya Mother his best possible opportunity of victory.
“It will suit a lot of other horses that get back and the G2 PB Lawrence S. was run at a farcical speed and they are going to be happy to see us there on Saturday I suppose,” he said.
“That’s how to ride him best – let him jump and run. He hasn’t got a good turn of foot, but he can reel off good sectionals for the whole race and just keep going. He’s got a high cruising speed so that’s what we will be trying to do.”
“He hasn’t got a good turn of foot, but he can reel off good sectionals for the whole race and just keep going.” – Daniel Bowman
Begood Toya Mother made his first appearance since the autumn in the Listed Regal Roller S. earlier this month. He led the field into the straight and boxed on gamely to finish fourth and 1.7l off the winner Viridine (Poet’s Voice {GB}).
Bowman was more than happy with the performance, in a race he won in 2019, and the gelding’s subsequent progress.
“He probably ran 0.5l better than I thought he would so he did really well. His effort and the way he came through it encouraged me to run in the Memsie,” he said.
“He’s definitely tightened up and he’s had a couple of good gallops since then. He’s not at 100 per cent fitness yet, but I’m pretty happy with where he’s at.
“The main goal is the Sir Rupert Clarke again at his next start, but we are going there on Saturday to win.
“We’ll get through these next two runs and then see where he’s at. We may push on to a couple of mile runs if it looks like he’s going to run a mile right out.”
Begood Toya Mother, who provided Bowman and regular rider Declan Bates with their first Group 1 triumphs in the Rupert Clarke, won his maiden over 1600 metres, but hasn’t since been tried at the distance.
Cummings has strong hand
By contrast, Godolphin Head Trainer James Cummings has 21 Group 1 winners to his credit and will rely on Savatiano (Street Cry {Ire}) and Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the Memsie to advance his tally.
Savatiano has placed at the top level previously in the G1 Canterbury S. and the G1 Tatt’s Tiara and boosted her chances of a breakthrough with a last-start success in the G2 PB Lawrence S.
Cummings said the 6-year-old had trained on admirably and she was also unbeaten in two starts over the course and distance.
He is also keen in the chances of Cascadian, who drew the outside gate in the PB Lawrence and came home strongly from last to finish fourth. Cummings reported that he too had made solid progress since that race.
Mark Zahra will again be aboard Savatiano and Damien Oliver retains the ride on Cascadian.
