Trainer quotes as Hey Jonesy tries to 'do a Liverpool' and bridge 30-year gap

3.35 GoodwoodUnibet Stewards' Cup | 6f | ITV/RTV

Rather like Liverpool FC, Hey Jonesy is bidding to end a 30-year wait in the Unibet Stewards' Cup.

The year 1990 was not only when the league title last went to Anfield, it was also the last time the Wokingham winner followed up at Goodwood.

Knight Of Mercy was the sprinter who achieved the rare feat of landing both big 6f handicaps of the summer, emulating Calibina in 1977 and Petong in 1984.

Leeds fan Kevin Ryan has had plenty to celebrate on the football field this month, and is full of hope he can do a Jurgen Klopp and make a bit of 21st century history with Hey Jonesy.

Ryan has kept the five-year-old fresh for this contest ever since his victory at Royal Ascot, where the sprinter earned a 5lb rise in the handicap for his nose defeat of Summerghand – who is actually 2lb worse off for this rematch having won at Pontefract and finished sixth in a Newbury Group 3 since.

"This has always been the plan for him and though he's gone up a bit in the handicap the Wokingham was good, solid form and the second has won since," Ryan said.

"He's in great order, really fresh and well, When he worked last Saturday, he went great.

"Goodwood is a completely different track to Ascot and he's not run there before but Hey Jonesy has always been a well-balanced horse and I hope he'll cope."

David O'Meara takes Hey Jonesy on again with Summerghand and Gulliver, who was a length and a half further back in fourth at Royal Ascot and has since been beaten just a short head in the Scurry Handicap at the Curragh.

"Both of them are in great form and have reasonable draws but they have plenty of weight," the trainer said.

"There is a concern that six furlongs at Goodwood may be on the sharp side for Gulliver, he tends to like a stiffer six.

"Summerghand might have been a shade unlucky at Ascot. He has cheekpieces on this time as he has plenty of miles and it might sharpen him up a bit."

What they say

Richard Hannon, trainer of Watan, Lexington Dash and Wedding Date
I was very pleased with Watan's comeback and he'll strip a bit fitter for that. It's going to be hard for a three-year-old but Lexington Dash has improved all year and is a pretty good horse. On her day, Wedding Date is very capable. The race has to go right for her, but I think six furlongs is what she wants.

William Haggas, trainer of Nahaarr
He'll like the ground and he put up a good performance last time. The fast pace of the Stewards' Cup will suit him well and he has a lot in his favour.

Harry Bentley, rider of Silent Echo
I've won on him before and he's quite a consistent performer who always seems to be in the mix. He's performed to this level and goes into the race with some pretty strong form. It's competitive but he could run a good race.

Robert Cowell, trainer of Aljady
This has been the target for a while and he won twice to go up enough to get in. This is new territory off a career-high mark but he looks very well and I'm cautiously hopeful.

Ed Walker: trains SwindlerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ed Walker, trainer of Swindler
He's a talented horse but has definitely got his quirks. We've done plenty of work to try to iron them out a bit and Louis Steward has a very good record on him. I hope we can get him down to the start and get him out of the gates in one piece, in which case he could run a huge race. He'll love the ground.

Joseph Tuite, trainer of Kimifive
He ran well from a bad draw last year. I hope he's on the right side this time and if he gets luck in running he should run well. I'm very happy with him.

David Menuisier, trainer Atalanta's Boy
He's in really fine form and did his best piece of work a few days ago. Goodwood is a lottery and a big handicap there is a lottery of a lottery but all winter the target was to get into the Stewards' Cup consolation and as it turns out he's got into the first division. He's a bit young and tender for that but he runs well at Goodwood and I can't see why he wouldn't run his race.

Paul Midgley, trainer of I Am A Dreamer
He's done nothing wrong as I shouldn't have run him on the deep ground at Newcastle, he won well at Ripon then ran a blinder over an inadequate trip of five furlongs at Ascot. He's a big price but I expect him to run well.

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