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Animal Kingdom's connections game for Royal Ascot challenge
"He has handled the gallops in Lambourn, and I've been coming back here every two weeks to see him. It took him two or three weeks to get adjusted but since then he has fitted in pretty well." The English-born Motion also commented on what it means to attempt a victory at Royal Ascot, just days after the passing of legendary horseman Sir Henry Cecil. "It's tremendous to be running in a race that Frankel won last year, and Sir Henry Cecil was one of the people I admired the most when growing up in Newmarket, so it's quite emotional," Motion said. "My parents knew him and he was one of the people who first captured my imagination to be a racehorse trainer. I grew up six miles from Newmarket and it's somewhat surreal to be back here with a horse pointing at Royal Ascot. It's very special and, for me, it's a dream come true." The trainer praised Animal Kingdom and described how happy he is that his charge has such an opportunity. "I'll never train another one like him," Motion said. "The horse has had a checkered career because of his injuries, so it is all the more remarkable how he has kept his form. "What he did in winning the Kentucky Derby was pretty extraordinary -- he had never run on the dirt before and he ran with six weeks between races. "Coming back in the Breeders' Cup Mile without a prep race is not usually done in America and we almost pulled it off," he added, referring to his troubled, but fast-finishing second to Horse of the Year Wise Dan last November 3 at Santa Anita. "For me personally, I wanted to have an opportunity to prove the Kentucky Derby wasn't a fluke. I knew this horse was a very special horse and I'm just so glad we got the chance to prove it in the Breeders' Cup and then on the international stage in the Dubai World Cup." Motion credited Animal Kingdom's ownership group, including Messara and Barry Irwin's Team Valor International, for rolling the dice at the Royal meeting.
"Animal Kingdom is a really laidback horse, like an old steeplechaser. He's very happy at the moment and took a chunk out of my assistant Alice's finger the other day." Motion explained the decision to use John Velazquez, who rode Animal Kingdom to his Kentucky Derby win, instead of Joel Rosario, who was aboard for the Dubai World Cup, or an English-based rider. "We had three choices," the trainer said. "We could have stuck with Joel, who had never ridden here before. We could have used a local jockey who had never ridden the horse, or we could have a world-class rider like Johnny, who has won at Royal Ascot. "For me it was a no-brainer. It's no slight on Joel but Johnny is one of the best riders in the world. The horse has been unlucky not to have had a consistent jockey through his career but that has been more about circumstances." Irwin, whose Team Valor bred and owned Animal Kingdom before selling a majority share to Messara, commented on the horse's historic bid. "Our horse is very good, but Frankel is from a different planet," Irwin said of the unbeaten champion who is now in his first season at stud. "Animal Kingdom is extremely versatile, he's 16.2 hands and he's powerful. To be top-class like him on synthetics, dirt and turf -- well, that just doesn't happen. But I think that if these horses have a good mind and constitution then they can adapt. "I was apprehensive when I saw the straight mile at Ascot," Irwin continued, "but I feel more comfortable after seeing him work at the course and on the Long Hill gallop in Lambourn. "I came up with the idea of getting someone like John (Messara) with a top stud that would take the bull by the horns and buy into the horse and the plan was to run in Dubai and Ascot. Winning in Dubai is about the money -- the ($10 million) Dubai World Cup is the richest race in the world. It has prestige but Ascot has the most prestige. Winning a race at a mile would, for a mile and a quarter horse, give him a unique stallion credential. "Then there is the sporting aspect -- it appeals to me. I'm one of 20 (Team Valor) partners in this horse. I try and provide them with good horses and they allow me to indulge myself with crazy things like running him all over the world." Messara spoke of how he became involved in Animal Kingdom. "I was interested in the horse before he ran at the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita last year and I had been tracking him for some time. "I thought he ran his best race in the Breeders' Cup," the master of Arrowfield said. "They set a new course record and he was a little unlucky to be beaten by the Horse of the Year in America, Wise Dan. I thought that was an exceptional performance and after that run talks got more advanced with Barry and his team. I'm happy we concluded the transaction. "Now we look forward to the next week. We have announced his fee for Australia and mares have been booked for the Southern Hemisphere season. The present intention is to retire him after this race. But I never say never about these things. We've also got partners in the horse. "Winning at Royal Ascot is one of those bucket list issues for me to do and I feel very privileged to be here with the favorite for the first race of the first day. My son (trainer Paul Messara) brought a horse (Ortensia) to race here before and I'm pleased to be back." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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