O’Meara double-handed in Randox Health Criterion Stakes
27th June 2019 – David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope, the trainer/jockey combination on target in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, will bid for another prestigious success at Newmarket’s July Course on Saturday (29th June) when Suedois runs in the Group 3 Randox Health Criterion Stakes.

O’Meara also saddles Salateen in a high class line-up for this £60,000 seven furlong contest, one of two races on the card that will be televised live on ITV Racing. Its eight runner field includes no less than six different individual Pattern Race winners who have between them landed 17 Group Races.

Suedois himself has a Grade 1 victory to his name, in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in October 2017, and his career bankroll is approaching the £1.25 million mark. He has been running well in defeat since that American triumph, most recently finding only Safe Voyage too strong in the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes on heavy ground at Haydock Park on 8th June.

Salateen, the mount of Adam Kirby, is another big earner – his war chest runs to almost £320,000. Winner of a conditions event at Lingfield in January, his latest outing saw him finish fourth to one of his Randox Health Criterion Stakes opponents, Cardsharp, in a York handicap at the end of last month.

O’Meara’s pair may have most to fear from Glorious Journey, a Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old who has won Group 3 events in each of his two completed racing seasons. The form of his recent Windsor second to Dream Of Dreams received a boost when that rival was beaten by just a head in last Saturday’s Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

The field also features Limato and Breton Rock - two horses to have already tasted big race victory at the July Course. Limato landed the Group 1 Darley July Cup over six furlongs in 2016 while Breton Rock prevailed in this very race the same year before finishing third in it 12 months later.

The eight runners are completed by Larchmont Lad, a Group 2 winner for O’Meara last season now with trainer Joseph Tuite, and Tabarrak, yet to score in Group company but successful four times at Listed level.


David O’Meara, trainer of Suedois and Salateen, said:

“There was no suitable race for Suedois at Royal Ascot, as the stiff mile there is too much for him and he finds six furlongs a bit sharp, so the Randox Health Criterion Stakes fits nicely into his programme as he is best at seven furlongs or around the bend over a mile.

“He has come out of his run in the John Of Gaunt really well and this change to fast ground won’t bother him as he goes on anything.

“He is a very good horse, a Grade 1 winner in the past, so I expect him to be competitive on Saturday.

“Danny [Tudhope] has been doing a great job riding for me over the last seven or eight years so his four winners at Royal Ascot didn’t surprise me at all.

“Salateen probably has a bit to find on Saturday but he will like the quick ground.”