Derby – yep (s0me), Laurels – yep (s0me), Scurrys – yep (s0me), Oaks – yep (s0me), Nationals – yep (s0me).
When your surname is Rees, its can’t be easy to make your own history. But on Sunday at Central Park, Richard Rees achieved something that had evaded both his dad Philip and grandad Phil – a Cesarewitch victory.
One of the original ‘classics’ the Cesarewitch has a long and important history and it was the giant Cochise who did the business.
Originally with David Mullins, it was the Romford trainer who suggested giving the big black his best opportunity to succeed by transferring him to the bigger circuit at Hove and Richard.
Richard said: “Cochise is in Billy Evans’ name but the dog is really shared between Steve and Billy, father and son and Darryll Bear who has always had dogs with us. David wanted what was best for the dog which is always great to see.”
Cochise came into the £12,500 decider with a string of a dozen losses on his card, but Richard suggests that there is more to the story.
He said: “There are various things with him. In his early days he was a very bad kenneler, he still isn’t good, but is improving. He has 29.09 on his card at Hove so we knew he could run and we also knew he would make a stayer. But you can’t rush things and we thought it would be later this spring or even the summer before he really came into himself.
“He led and got caught in the heats but he really needed to adapt to running the longer distances; learning to breathe instead of going full out. I also thought the inside wasn’t running as well as the outside in the qualifiers. But once he led, he was always going to take some beating in the final.”
There are no immediate plans for Cochise who will spend a couple of weeks on his bed. As for the Rees dysnasty, that must be the full set then?
“No, not quite” said Richard. “There is still the St.Leger. As a family we’ve been close a couple of times, but that is one still to go for.”
