Robert Cowell hoping Dash despair can turn into delight

Few big sprints in Britain and Europe have eluded trainer Robert Cowell but the Epsom Dash has remained tantalisingly out of his reach.

While Cowell has fond memories of multiple Group One triumphs, his emotions towards the Heritage Handicap have so far been ones of anguish and frustration, opposed to joy and elation, following several near misses.

Last year, the Newmarket-based handler thought he had finally hit the jackpot as Democracy Dilemma looked sure to win when leading deep inside the final furlong. He traded at the minimum price of 1.01 in-running on Betfair, only to get nabbed on the line.

Twelve months earlier, Clarendon House had gone within a neck of giving Cowell victory in the five-furlong contest, after also trading odds-on in the run, while Blue De Vega and Jiroft have been among others to go close for him in a contest he is desperate to add to his decorated CV.

Armed with five runners in Saturday’s renewal, Cowell hopes he can finally land the £100,000 speed test, which this year is sponsored by sports car manufacturer Aston Martin.

“We’ve had many, many chances in it, but so far it has eluded me,” Cowell, 56, said from his Six Mile Bottom base on Thursday. “We’ve come very close, but we have not hit the target.

"I was sitting having lunch with Jim and Fitri Hay, who are the owners of Democracy Dilemma, and he was a length and a half up with half-a-furlong to go.

"As he was clear I thought I would head straight to the winner's circle, so I missed the last 50 yards of the race

"When I got down there they called another number out. I couldn't believe it at the time and it was a bit infuriating. However, looking back at it he ran an absolute blinder off a big weight.

He added: “Clarendon House looked like winning the year before until the last 50 yards, when George Boughey’s Navello came and robbed him at the end.

“We have had a frustrating run of events in the race, but it is a fantastic race to watch. I would love to have it on the CV and we have a few chances this year.” 

Heading up his challengers is last year’s runner-up Democracy Dilemma, who will bid to erase memories of his painful defeat 12 months ago by securing a first victory since scoring at Listed level in the Beverley Bullet in August. 

“I’ve done a similar route last year with him in that I have given him two runs before this race,” Cowell said. “Last year, he won at Chester before finishing a good second at Windsor seven days out from the Dash. 

“This year, we have run him in the Palace House Stakes, where he blew up and didn’t get up the hill, then he ran a nice race the other day at Haydock Park in the Achilles Stakes. 

“He doesn’t mind running back-to-back and he will be in pretty good shape for this. He is probably one of the fastest horses in the UK over four furlongs, it is just whether he holds on for the last furlong.” 

Like Democracy Dilemma stablemate Clarendon House, who secured Listed glory on his return to action in the Hever Stakes at Southwell, will be returning for another bite of the cherry, after fluffing his lines at the start 12 months ago. 

Cowell added: “He has been a bit of a revelation this year. He got very naughty halfway through last season and he just became a bit of a rogue from the starting gates.

“He seems a different horse this year and he gained a good Listed success on the all-weather at Southwell on his comeback. 

“We don’t think the undulations with the uphill finish suited him at Newmarket last time, but he ran a good race and the form is solid. He likes Epsom, and if he comes out of the gates, I think he is weighted to run very well. 

“This year we are spacing his races apart this year and I think that has helped him out.” 

Royal Ascot scorer Rhythm N Hooves, winner of the 2023 Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes, plus Michaela’s Boy and Ziggy’s Missile, make up  a formidable team for Cowell. 

“Rhythm N Hooves is very consistent. He is on a good level of form at the moment and he ran a great race last time,” Cowell said. “I don’t think he will mind a bit of cut in the ground, but I see him as more of a place prospect, but we will see. 

“Michaela’s Boy ran really well at Epsom the time before last. He was drawn on the wrong side and Sean Levey said if he had been drawn nearer the stands’ side rail he would have been closer, but he handles the track and has the right ingredients, although he wouldn’t want too much cut in the ground. He is still a nicely handicapped horse. 

“Ziggy’s Missile is a very fast horse, but I’m not so certain he will like the cut in the ground. He went a tad too quick the other day and things didn’t quite pan out how I would have liked it. He is a fast horse, and if they get loose, they can be hard to peg back.” 

Throughout his career, Cowell has been associated with horses possessing speed over stamina. 

And despite it being 10 years since his last Group One success with Goldream in the Prix de l’Abbaye, he has no intention of changing tact in a bid to win at that level again. 

 “The first few winners we had were all five furlong horses and my style of training probably suits those types of horses as we turn a lot of out and give them a lot of free time between gallops, which freshens them up quite quickly,” he said. 

“You can run speedy horses more often, which appeases owners. If I was to go out and buy a horse now, I wouldn’t buy anything with a mile pedigree. It would be speed on speed. 

“If I buy a yearling I want to give the owner satisfaction as soon as possible. It has seemed to work for us over the years. I think when we had a better budget to buy horses we were buying horses that were good two-year-olds that lost their way at three and were discarded as being no good. 

“However, a lot of people are doing what I was doing 15 or 20 years ago, so it is difficult to find a bargain. 

“We do have to delve and hunt a bit deeper now, but we keep searching. We look at a lot of horses that run throughout the season and we put them in the notebook, and if they come up for sale, we then try and get them privately.” 

And not only does Cowell have a taste for everything fast on the racetrack, but away from the day job he enjoys nothing better than making the short drive down the road to Duxford Airfield and taking to the skies after passing his pilot qualifications three years ago. 

“When I lived in America a long time ago a girlfriend’s father had a fleet of planes that I was fascinated with and he used to take me up and give me little lessons.” he said. 

“When I came back to England, I went to Duxford one day with the family and they got me a flight in one of the old planes, which I really enjoyed, and then one of the instructors asked if I would like some lessons and it just started from there. 

“I got my licence about three years ago and I love it. I fly whenever I can. I have six or seven planes that I can fly, which I rent, and it just makes the world a little bit smaller. 

“I would love to have a go in the Hawker Hurricane if I had the chance as it is a beast of a plane with an incredible sound to it.” 

While still hoping to find another horse capable of bringing the Group One glory days back to Bottisham Heath Stud, Cowell has selected the moment he will always treasure above all others. 

“There was a really good chain of seasons where we had two or three stakes horses that delivered,” he said. “I think Prohibit winning the King’s Stand Stakes was so special. I know Goldream won it a few years later, which was fantastic, but Prohibit winning was just pure elation for months. 

“That day we achieved something we thought we never would do in winning a Group One. 

“To have put one on the board was quite special, while Royal Ascot is the most incredible place to have a big winner. I will never forget that whole day. We then had a super run of it winning big races in Britain, France and Dubai.” 

Victories at Listed level for both Clarendon House, and Democracy Dilemma, last year were the first in that grade, or above, for Cowell since 2019. 

But despite some lean years, as regards to big race winners, Cowell, who is operating at a career best 16 percent strike rate, was confident the tide would turn. 

He said: “There was a barren period where we had a couple of shocking seasons, but you have to keep your chin up, be enthusiastic, and keep working away. 

“If you do things will come your way as the tide always turns. We were lucky enough to get people to spend a few quid to get some decent horses back on board. 

“It did get to me as when you go from having those glory years to then scratching around to win a 0-80 somewhere it is frustrating. 

“We struggled to find another one until Clarendon House and Democracy Dilemma came along, but there are few young horses in the pipeline that could blossom at some point this year or next year. 

“It has been a super start to the year and I think we have a lovely bunch of horses, while the owners are very supportive. It looks rosy, but we have still got to deliver the goods. We will continue to try and get the quality up as I thrive on these really good horses and mapping their careers out. 

“If we could win another Group One that would be brilliant, but we have got to go up the ladder each rung sensibly.” 

And while Cowell hopes to end his hoodoo in the Dash his search for his next sprinting star could come in the Betfred 3YO ‘Dash’ Handicap, earlier on the Epsom card, where he will be represented by Elouise’s Prince and Lexington Blitz. 

 “I’m not certain the track, or ground will suit, but they are fast horses, and at Epsom you need to have speed as you can’t be sat at the back,” Cowell said. 

“Both have natural speed. Lexington Blitz ran well at York last time when leading on the unfavoured side before getting tired. He is a speedy horse. Elouise’s Prince was in the same group at Lexington Blitz at York, but they were both having their first starts in a long time. 

“They will improve for the run and are cherry ripe for the day. Hopefully they have bright futures.”