'I've always thought he'd stay three miles' - Goshen owner eyes dream Grade 1

No-one could begrudge Steve Packham a first Grade 1 winner at Kempton on Monday and Goshen’s owner believes his fans’ favourite will relish a first try over three miles in the Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle (12.45).

The Gary Moore-trained Goshen looked a Grade 1 star in the making when suffering a dramatic and unfortunate exit at the last in the Triumph Hurdle in 2020 with the race at his mercy – and he has failed to trouble Honeysuckle in two subsequent attempts at the top level.

His 6-9 record over hurdles when going right-handed is impressive, though, including two victories in the Kingwell Hurdle, and age is very much on his side at six.

Having booked a holiday that began the day after the original date for the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, Packham will be watching the race from Dubai but says it would be “incredible” if 9-2 shot Goshen could land the Grade 1, in which the opposition will include Long Distance Hurdle 1-2 Champ and Paisley Park and talented mare Miranda.

Packham, whose red and white silks are linked to him supporting Manchester United (the vehicles for his construction business on the south coast have the same colours), said: “I’ve always thought he'd stay three miles and we’re very hopeful. There’s tough opposition and he'll be tested against horses who have been there and done it in Champ and Paisley Park, but he’s one of the young pretenders and only turns seven in January. The rain that has fallen will be in his favour and it’s a case of the more the merrier for him.

“I’ve owned horses for lots of years and a Grade 1 runner – let alone a possible Grade 1 winner – is brilliant. It would be an absolute dream and incredible if he was able to do it.

“We’re going to have to watch the race in Dubai – the plan was he would run in the Long Walk at Ascot last Saturday and we had the holiday booked for the next day, so we’re spending Christmas over here and will be watching from afar. It’s a shame not to be there but he’ll have a fanbase in Dubai cheering him on.”

Goshen: easy winner of the Coral Ascot Hurdle last monthCredit: Edward Whitaker

Packham, whose first winner was the Richard Rowe-trained Key Player at Folkestone in 1997, says he is regularly approached about Goshen by the public and takes great pride in owning such a popular horse.

“It’s incredible how his popularity has built and the public love him,” said Packham. “What happened in the Triumph almost made him so popular and he's been incredible to own.

“He puts his head down in his races and away he goes – he’s quirky and people like a quirky horse – but he’s really tough and as genuine as anything.

“Everywhere I go, people come up to me and ask if I’m the guy who owns Goshen – it’s amazing.”

Gary Moore with his star hurdler GoshenCredit: Edward Whitaker

Goshen recorded his joint-best Racing Post Rating of 163 when beating three rivals in the Coral Ascot Hurdle last month and the manner in which he finished the 2m3½f race gives Packham confidence about stepping up in trip.

Packham said: “When everything goes right he’s very good. He beat a decent horse in Brewin’upastorm at Ascot and he wasn’t stopping at the line, which gives us hope three miles will be right up his street.”

Introducing the ITV Racing Christmas Festival

The ITV Racing Christmas Festival features six days of top-class action on the channel from 12 different tracks in Britain and Ireland between December 26 and January 1.

Some 41 live races will be shown in all, including eight Grade 1s such as the King George VI Chase, with the Welsh Grand National and Cheltenham's New Year's Day card among the big-race highlights across a spectacular six days of racing on terrestrial television across the festive period.

December 26
Kempton: King George VI Chase day
Wetherby: Rowland Meyrick Chase day

December 27
Chepstow: Welsh Grand National day
Kempton: Desert Orchid Chase day

December 28
Leopardstown: Savills Chase day
Leicester

December 29
Leopardstown: Matheson Hurdle day
Doncaster

December 31
Newbury, Warwick and Lingfield

January 1
Cheltenham, Musselburgh and Tramore

Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle (12.45 Kempton, Monday)

Ladbrokes: 9-4 Champ, 3 Miranda, Paisley Park, 9-2 Goshen, 5 Botox Has, 14 Not So Sleepy

Read more . . .

ITV coverage welcomed but HRI unlikely to plug Christmas festival gap

What's on this Christmas – a full rundown of the festive schedule

'Had the first horse we looked at passed the vet, Goshen wouldn't be mine' (£)

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