Gary Moore critical of lack of support for Lingfield race

Gary Moore labelled it “disgusting” that his yard are providing all three runners in the At The Races App Expert Tips ‘Chasing Excellence’ Beginners’ Chase at Lingfield on Saturday.

Moore, who trains with his son Josh in West Sussex, is at a loss to explain why no other trainer could provide a horse suitable to run in the £12,000 contest, at what he describes as the “best novice chase track in the country”.

The Moores send the 135-rated Hansard, who had the race as a target, as well as Officer Of State and Taita Hills, who will both be making their chasing debuts.

In 2024 Gordon Elliott was responsible for all three runners in the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown.

“It’s never happened to me before and I’d be surprised if it’s happened in racing here before,” said Gary Moore.

“It’s disgusting to be honest. It’s a £12,000 race and as far as I’m concerned it’s on arguably the best novice chase track in the country. We’re big supporters of it.

“There’s no track that I know of that is better to run a novice on than that place. It’s got beautifully presented fences and they’ve sorted the place out, they’ve spent a lot of money on drainage and it doesn’t get anywhere near as heavy as it used to, maybe people aren’t aware. I just don’t understand it.

“It’s a sign of a wider issue, these races never get big fields, but you can’t tell me my fellow trainers with a lot more horses than us couldn’t find one to run. It’s stupid me saying it really as unless one falls and brings the other two down, I’m going to have the winner.

“I just don’t understand it. It’s good to soft ground there and it will be better ground than a lot of other places, they don’t race on the chase track in the summer, there’s just no excuse.

“I was desperate to run Hansard. It had always been the plan since his last run but I never thought this would happen, the only reason I put the other two in, and they have been schooled and jump well, is they will get paid for running.

“If I’d taken the other two out, though, Hansard doesn’t get a race. I just hope it works out.”