Gary Moore plots flat campaign for the exciting Goshen

Gary Moore is plotting a Flat campaign for his exciting prospect Goshen, who looks to bounce back from his agonising final-flight fall in the Triumph Hurdle at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.

No rival could get close to Goshen as he breezed into a demanding lead in the Grade 1 at Cheltenham before crashing out, and he is hoping to avenge that defeat by scoring in the £1 million Sky Bet Ebor at York, currently scheduled in late August.

His rating over hurdles has soared to 158 following his impressive run over hurdles and, with his Flat mark unchanged at 88, could be able to plunder some big races this summer before building up to next year’s Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Moore said: “We’re hoping to get him back whenever the Flat gets going. The Ebor is one of his targets but at the moment he won’t get in. It’s all ground dependent but it’s certainly something we’re looking at if we can get a run into him before and he went up in the handicap.
“I’d hope he’s pretty well handicapped on the Flat but time will tell. He’s rated 158 over hurdles so he should equate to a bit more on the Flat. We certainly hope so.”

Goshen is a 5-1 chance and second favourite, to this year’s winner Epatante, for the 2021 Champion Hurdle. However, five-year-olds do not have a good record in the race, with just two winners of that age victorious in the last 30 years.

“We’d love to run on the Flat but only if it’s right for him as we want him over hurdles,” added Moore. “It’s a tough season for four-year-olds but hopefully he can prove a bit better. The Champion Hurdle is in the back of our mind.”