David Egan, Wendy Milbank and Jane Chapple-Hyam receive the prize on behalf of Hugo and Maya Morris and Kirsten Rausing | Emma Berry
By Emma Berry
Study Of Man (Ire) is making a growing impression with his first crop of runners, not least through his son Deepone (Ire), winner of the G2 Beresford S. for Vimal Khosla and Paddy Twomey.
His latest winner, however, is perhaps the most special to Kirsten Rausing, the owner of Lanwades Stud where the son of Deep Impact (Jpn) stands. On Saturday at Newmarket, the newcomer Sons And Lovers (GB) got up on the line to win the seven-furlong juvenile maiden. Rausing, who bred the colt from the Smart Strike mare So In Love (GB), races him in partnership with her close friends Hugo and Maya Morriss, two immensely popular members of the Newmarket racing fraternity and the former owners of Banstead Manor Stud. Hugo was also a long-serving steward at both Newmarket racecourses.
He and his wife Maya, who has been on long-term dialysis treatment, were able to be at the Rowley Mile thanks to the forethought of Jane Chapple-Hyam, who trains Sons And Lovers and gained special permission for the Morrises to be brought near to the winning line on the far side of the track in a mobility vehicle, which allowed Maya to watch from her wheelchair in the company of her trainer and her friend Wendy Milbank.
Chapple-Hyam explained how she gave the owners an impromptu race-call as their colt made his debut. “I’m not a very good commentator,” she said. “It went something along the lines of ‘sat last, now joint-second last, he has pulled out and is third’ and then, ‘he is coming through’, then, ‘oh, he’s won!’”
The trainer added, “I was expecting him to finish in the first three. He is a lovely horse. He is still a bit raw and he has got bit of maturing to do. He is a lovely mover but I was worried the ground might be too quick. I think we will put him away now and look forward to next season.”
Parading in front of the stands is usually the preserve of Group 1 winners but, before returning to the winner’s enclosure, jockey David Egan brought Sons And Lovers partially back down the track to greet the Morrisses. It was a touching move that wouldn’t have been witnessed by many on course on Saturday, but meant the world to Hugo and Maya Morriss.
Just over an hour earlier, the brilliant Inspiral (GB) and Frankie Dettori had stolen the show with a dazzling performance in the Sun Chariot, but far and away the most moving moment of the day was seeing that two-year-old, brimming with promise, head over to the far rail to be greeted by his delighted owners. In tough times, these Thoroughbreds have a way of lifting us up. Of helping us dream of better days to come.
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