Lil Rockerfeller trounces rivals on Flat return at Goodwood

Pulling off a one-year plan in racing is rare, but racehorse owner Andy Smith managed it with the victory of Lil Rockerfeller in the £50,000 Matchbook Betting Podcast Goodwood Handicap.

Smith, a professional punter by trade, recognised the race conditions - a handicap over more than two and a half miles - were ideal for the horse in which he is a joint-owner, and who is best known as a top-class staying hurdler. Rated 153 over hurdles, he is rated just 82 on the Flat.

Smith said: "A year ago I said to the other lads in the partnership, 'Let's go for this race at Goodwood', and they all said, 'We don't want to run him on the Flat'. I said, 'Trust me, this horse will win'. He didn't run last year because Neil had left off him and the rain came and it was wet, but this year I said, 'Please Neil, keep him in and get him ready for Goodwood'.

"Neil wanted to run him in a recent race at Salisbury over a mile and six furlongs (also with a flag start), but I said 'Why do that when he could win three or four grand, go up 10lb or 12lb and blow the chance of winning this?'.

"Trevor Whelan (who rides Lil Rockerfeller over jumps) made this horse, but was not going to be able to do the weights, so I rang (jockeys' agent) Shelley Dwyer two weeks ago and booked Silvestre De Sousa. Then the top-weight came out, the weights went up 7lb and I was gutted for Trevor, but what could I do? I had booked the champion jockey and couldn't turn him down.

"Before the race I said to Silvestre, 'You're not riding a two-mile Flat horse, you're riding a three-mile hurdler, and he will keep galloping'. He's won £400,000 as a hurdler, and out of his winnings we bought Danehill Kodiac (a five-year-old trained by Richard Hannon) who has taken us to Hong Kong, was second at Chester in May, and is rated 112. We've also bought an unraced three-year-old that we put into training with Rod Millman, and we hope to call Singing The Blues - we're hoping lightning strikes three times."

Asked if he backed his horse, Smith said: "I could have got 5/1, but I rarely back my own and didn't need to today because the prize money was so good. All the owners have come down and we have had a great picnic. Goodwood has looked after us brilliantly today with badges."

Having his first outing on the level in over three years, Lil Rockerfeller was running off a mark of 81 – some 71lb lower than his hurdle ratting – and he was the 11-4 favourite to strike gold under champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa.

The seven-year-old raced on the pace from the start of the two-and-a-half-mile contest – which began with a flag start – and De Sousa committed for home long before the final bend.

Lil Rockerfeller kicked again halfway up the straight and left his toiling rivals trailing in his wake, passing the post 15 lengths ahead of Altaayil, with Imphal a close-up third.

Despite the ease of Lil Rockerfeller’s success, King is keen to embark upon a novice chasing career with the seven-year-old.

The Wiltshire handler said: “It was a joy to watch. He’s had a long summer and Andy Smith, one of his joint-owners, has been hell-bet on winning this race since last year.

“The trouble with the Flat, he will not go in the starting stalls and he’s too nice a horse to battle with.

“He’s such a good hurdler – he’ll be a better novice chaser this year. He’s hard and fit and ready to get to war when the races are there.”

King added: “Fifteen lengths must be a record here. It was a fantastic effort from him. I enjoy winning the big Flat races like my neighbour, Alan (King) does. It’s lovely to have a horse like him to do it.

“Let’s hope we have a nice novice chase season with him and hope we end up there (Cheltenham) with him.”