latest news will be added at the end!
SEPTEMBER 2007
Very happy holidays to Sergeant Cecil. See article at the end of this section, and his photo gallery for last minute photos from the stable.
from www.sportinglife.co.uk:(14/05/07)
Rod Millman will not find out until later in the week if Frankie Dettori will be able to continue his association with popular stayer Sergeant Cecil in the Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup on Friday.
Dettori stood in for the sidelined Alan Munro to great effect last season to win the Lonsdale Cup, the Doncaster Cup and secured a famous first Group One win in the Prix Du Cadran at Longchamp.
But he is expected to be required by his employer's Godolphin to ride Measured Tempo in the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury on the same day instead.
"It would be a bit of a pain if that was the case and he has told me that he is going to let me know on Tuesday," said Millman.
"I'm really pleased with the horse and we've not had him this sharp at this time of year before.
"If the ground went heavy like last year it would probably suit Percussionist again who beat us in it last year, but that was the heaviest ground I have ever seen Flat racing on. It just blunts his turn of foot."
The evergreen eight-year-old also holds an entry in the Coronation Cup at Epsom over a mile and a half, a trip many think is on the short side for the out-and-out stayer.
"It's a big possibility he could run at Epsom," said Millman. "If they had gone a quicker pace at Newbury (in the John Porter), where would he have finished?
"He covered the last furlong at Longchamp quicker than any horse I have ever seen and his big asset is that he stays two miles whereas a lot of horses don't.
"I'm not saying he's top-class over a mile and a half but it will be exciting if he is within striking distance in the last two furlongs.
"I've never seen him off the bridle in a race yet and we think he has genuinely improved again this season."
from the racingpost.co.uk:(14/05/07)
Millman considers tilt at Coronation Cup for Cecil
by David Lawrence
ROD MILLMAN is strongly considering a tilt at the Coronation Cup for the ever-popular Sergeant Cecil, who returns to action at York on Friday in his quest for another prestigious staying victory.
Millman is waiting to discover if Frankie Dettori will be able to continue his association with Sergeant Cecil in the Emirates Airlines Yorkshire Cup.
Dettori stood in for the sidelined Alan Munro to great effect last season to win the Lonsdale Cup, the Doncaster Cup and secure a famous first Group 1 win in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp. But he is expected to be required by Godolphin to ride Measured Tempo in the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury on the same day instead.
"It would be a bit of a pain if that was the case and he has told me that he is going to let me know on Tuesday," said Millman.
"I'm really pleased with the horse and we've not had him this sharp at this time of year before.
"If the ground went heavy like last year it would probably suit Percussionist again who beat us in it lastyear, but that was the heaviest ground I have ever seen Flat racing on. It just blunts his turn of foot."
The evergreen eight-year-old also holds an entry in the Coronation Cup at Epsom over 1m4f, a trip many think is on the short side for the out-and-out stayer.
"It's a big possibility he could run at Epsom," said Millman. "If they had gone a quicker pace at Newbury (in the John Porter), where would he have finished?
"He covered the last furlong at Longchamp quicker than any horse I have ever seen and his big asset is that he stays two miles whereas a lot of horses don't.
"I'm not saying he's top-class over a mile and a half but it will be exciting if he is within striking distance in the last two furlongs.
"I've never seen him off the bridle in a race yet and we think he has genuinely improved again this season."
from www.racingpost.co.uk (21/05/07):
STAR stayer Sergeant Cecil will have his next outing in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on June 21.
Connections of last week's Yorkshire Cup winner had been considering a crack at Epsom's Coronation Cup on June 1, but trainer Rod Millman revealed on Sunday that that race has now definitely been struck off the eight-year-old's agenda.
Millman said: "We've decided to wait for the Gold Cup and, although we're keen to try 'Cecil' over a mile and half at the top level this season, plans for that will have to wait until after Ascot."
Millman added:"He's come back from York in great form, which isn't surprising considering that he won with a bit to spare, but we're going to give him an easy time for a couple of weeks.
"We want him at his very best when he takes on Yeats in the Gold Cup and thereare plenty of races for him after Ascot, including the Goodwood Cup, the Lonsdale Cup, the Irish St Leger and the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on Arc day.
"We may also think about going overseas with him later on, but we're not going to sacrifice races closer to home before we get to that stage and there are quite a few options for him in England, Ireland and France.
"Which target we choose for him to try a mile and a half will depend on how the opportunities fit in and how the races look to be shaping up."
from www.racingpost.co.uk (11/06/07)
Horse Racing: Last of the even-money vanishes as Yeats lines up stayers' crown double
ANTE-POST WATCH OLD CUP
Published: 11/06/2007 (Sport) Mark Blackman
EVERYTHING revolves around last year's winner Yeats (RPR 126). A top-priced 2-1 with Betfred when that firm opened betting on the stayers' crown at the beginning of May, the last of the even-money disappeared last week, and his credentials are there for all to see. The RPR he has achieved on each of his last six starts would have been good enough to win a typical Ascot Gold Cup, and arguably he arrives at this year's meeting at just about the ideal stage of his development after 14 starts.
He's not one to oppose lightly.
A rating of 120-plus usually puts a horse well in the mix for this, so who else has broken that barrier? Yeats's stablemate Scorpion (123) is one, but he's more likely to stick to the 1m4f Hardwicke Stakes.
Second favourite since the betting opened, Sergeant Cecil (122) gets better and better. He could manage only fifth last year on the back of a second in the Yorkshire Cup, but ran to a 9lb better mark when winning the York race last month. He shouldn't be able to win the Gold Cup after a career spanning 45 starts, but the Sergeant doesn't play by the rules.
Only two other horses have breached the 120 mark - the Godolphin-trained outsiders Laverock (122) and Cherry Mix (128, in the distant past). It's hard to see either being backed, though.
Baddam (113) has a bit to find, but ran a cracker over 2m behind Tungsten Strike (115) in the Sagaro, is a proven stayer and won twice at the froyal meeting last year.
It's not hard to see the top-priced 25-1 attracting some interest - Coral had him in at just 14s when they opened their market.
Most interesting of a decent French challenge could be Lord Du Sud (119), who had Montare (116) and Le Miracle (119) well beaten last time.
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ROD MILLMAN is hoping for a Godolphin-free Gold Cup in order that man-of-the-moment Frankie Dettori can resume his association with Sergeant Cecil in the stayers' championship.
The eight-year-old, the only serious threat to hot favourite Yeats in the ante-post market, was partnered by Jimmy Fortune for his Yorkshire Cup success, but Dettori will once again have first call at Ascot. Godol-phin have four entries in the Gold Cup.
"Frankie has expressed a wish to ride," said Millman. "I've got my fingers crossed, but he's retained by Godolphin so nothing is certain. Jimmy rides again if Frankie can't."
Millman added that Hawridge Prince, who it was hoped would give the trainer a strong back-up in the Gold Cup, will not make the race.
He said: "Three days after he ran in the Sagaro he became seriously ill. He's over that now, but he's still not right to run."
Image:
Photo courtesey of Racingpost
CECIL ENJOYS BREAK
By Dave Ord
Sergeant Cecil is in good health as he enjoys a break following his disappointing run in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
The popular stayer was never a factor in the Group One contest, trailing home 60 lengths behind winner Yeats in last place.
"It seems he just had an off day," trainer Rod Millman told sportinglife.com. "We have run all the tests on him after the race and they all came back clear.
"He is out in the paddock now enjoying a break. We haven't decided on any targets for the rest of the season yet. The problem is his Group One penalty means it is dififcult to find races."
from www.sportinglife.co.uk 12/09/07
By Keith Hamer, PA Sport
Sergeant Cecil will not run again this season as he continues to recover from a lung infection.
The popular stayer scoped badly after finishing fifth in the Lonsdale Cup at York last month and was found to be not quite right in a follow-up examination.
The eight-year-old was missing from the final declarations for the GNER Doncaster Cup on Friday and will now go to Paradise Farm Stud at Blandford in Dorset for a well-earned rest.
"He didn't scope right so we've decided to give him a break for the season," said trainer Rod Millman.
"He didn't scope well after the Lonsdale and unfortunately he hasn't recovered sufficiently to let him take part this week.
"He's going home to Neville Poole's Paradise Farm Stud where he always goes for the winter and we'll see how he is in January.
"He ran at York but he blew afterwards and we scoped him and found he wasn't quite right. We treated it but it's not been enough time to get him right for Doncaster.
"To be in the grade he's in and over that distance he has to be spot on. His latest scope was better than it was at York but not really good enough to let him take his chance.
"It's a shame, but we didn't want to run him and risk damaging him.
"I don't think he'd have done himself justice.
"He's obviously going to be nine next year but old Persian Punch went on for a long time."
Sergeant Cecil has been in the public's affections since becoming the first horse to win the Northumberland Plate, Ebor and Cesarewitch in the same season in 2005.
He successfully made the transition to Pattern races and won the Group One Prix du Cadran last October.
The King's Signet gelding has won 10 of his 49 races and amassed £822,000 in prize money.
STABLE VISIT AS HE PREPARED TO GO ON HOLIDAY
We visited Rod Millman's stable to get some last minute shots of Cecil and he was happy to pose with Head Lad Jim Davis, word rider Sharon Steel and his beloved lass Sue. Alas we thought we had arrived without any polos or carrots (his favourite) for our hero. But while we got him ready to pose for us he sniffed about and found some in my handbag!
Cecil was happy and relaxed and already on the mend from his infection.
You never know what will happen with horses but the stable for who he has been a horse of a lifetime hope they can have him back next season - and so do his fans. He will be 9 but Persian Punch had his best ever season at the age of 10. Happy hols to Sergeant Cecil and fingers crossed we see you next year!
Photo below of Sue and Sharon with Cecil by John Whistler
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