James Horton came close to achieving a significant victory shortly after relocating to Newmarket. His horse, Navagio, performed exceptionally well by finishing in third place in the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster last weekend. Horton, who previously worked as an assistant to Sir Michael Stoute, has ambitious plans to target more major handicaps with Navagio in the upcoming months.
Navagio, the 22-1 outsider, was only the second runner from Horton's Park Lodge Stables. Despite facing obstacles during the race, such as being boxed in by other horses and receiving a bump from jockey Richard Kingscote, Navagio managed to finish three-and-a-half-lengths behind the winner, Mr Professor. This was a remarkable achievement considering it was Navagio's first race under Horton's training, and he was further hindered by starting from stall one.
Horton now has his sights set on participating in prominent Saturday handicaps with Navagio in the following month and beyond. Reflecting on Navagio's performance in the Lincoln Handicap, Horton praised the horse's efforts and believed that with a better passage, they could have finished even closer to the winner. He remains optimistic about Navagio's potential and intends to take him to suitable racing events.
Additionally, Horton has two entries, Orbital Chime and Baltimore Boy, in the Kempton meeting on Bank Holiday Monday. He hopes to secure his first victory from his new base with these horses. Horton expressed confidence in both of them, particularly highlighting Baltimore Boy's familiarity with Kempton, which he believes will contribute to improved performance.
Prior to Navagio's impressive run, Horton's first runner since September, Grandlad, secured a second-place finish at Newcastle on 22nd March. This marked Horton's return to Newmarket following a challenging period in Middleham, where he served as a private trainer for former owner John Dance. Dance's horses were unable to compete due to an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority into his business activities.