Goodwood assignment pencilled in for Scenic
'I was thrilled with her and very proud of her, it was a huge run in new ownership,' said Walker.
'She heads to the Lillie Langtry now. I was devastated she was beaten, but Richard Brown (Wathnan's racing adviser) was delighted as it means she won't have a penalty at Goodwood.
'She's a real star and a yard favourite. She's helped fly the flag for us for a few years and has been seriously consistent since winning the Galtres Stakes at York, it was almost like that was a turning point in her career. I don't know why, but since then has barely put a foot wrong and if anything is improving.
'I'm excited about her and the three races for her really are the Lillie Langtry, Yorkshire Oaks and Prix de Royallieu. I imagine they will be the last three runs of her career, she's a star.'
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The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Struan Walker on a mission to help Scotland achieve Euro hockey glory
And so, from next season, Walker will split his time training and playing with new club Oranje-Rood in Eindhoven and the rest at the GB base in Bisham Abbey, west of London. The plan will see him flying back and forth across the Channel twice a week but it is a sacrifice the 23-year-old is willing to make to advance his career on two fronts, rather than just the one. 'The Oranje-Rood opportunity just came up I couldn't say no to it,' he reveals. 'It was just exciting and a massive challenge and I think it's going to be a lot of fun. 'But I'm also staying full-time at GB so I'm going to fly back and forth most weeks. Sunday to Wednesday, I'm going to be in London. Wednesday to Sunday, I'll be in Holland, playing for Oranje-Rood. 'All the travelling's not ideal but I'm sure I'll get used to it and I won't need to be waiting about in airports for too long. It's one of these things where I couldn't say no to Holland and I couldn't say no to GB.' Walker will follow a path trodden many times by Scotland internationals including Alan Forsyth and Kenny Bain who both benefited from a spell playing in the Netherlands. And having already played abroad before, in Hamburg for Club an der Alster, the former Hutchesons' Grammar pupil hopes to again expand his horizons beyond the hockey field. 'I think everyone has the same feeling about Dutch hockey - you just really want to play in this league if you can,' he confirms. 'It's one of the best, if not the best in the world. It is just a completely different world. And also in terms of going to another country, new cultures, I think that's a massive part of it that you get to go travelling and meet new people which really excites me. 'You had Kenny, Aldo and lots of other boys who have been out there and loved it. I think it's just another exciting chapter for me." The move to Eindhoven brings to an end two successful seasons with Surbiton in the English Premier Division, with Walker signing off by scoring the winning goal in the play-off final. If there is a hockey equivalent of a Roy-of-the-Rovers dream scenario, this was it. 'I just did my job and scored a goal but there was so much more to that success than the guy who touched the ball last,' he adds modestly. 'But, yeah, I was buzzing that I got to score in the final. It was a nice way to finish off a really amazing two years at Surbiton.' Walker has been on his travels again this week, this time with the Scotland national team who are in Lousada, Portugal for the EuroHockey Championships II that get underway tomorrow. Incentive is not in short supply, with the two finalists from the eight-team tournament qualifying for next year's World Cup qualifier and also the revamped top division EuroHockey championships taking place in England in 2027. Having won the FIH Nations Cup II event earlier this year, Walker says Scotland head into this event bursting with confidence. 'We know that we can beat the teams we have to,' he adds. 'It's just about how we mentally approach it and I think right now the boys are in a really good headspace. 'It's been a bit of a tricky summer leading up into this but everyone's handled it really well. It's galvanised us a little bit, and yeah, I think we're all really confident for it. "We didn't have as much contact time as we would have liked but the boys bought into what we had to do and made sure that we just focused on ourselves going into it. 'There's plenty of motivation for us but rather than seeing it as a lot on the line we're seeing it as a lot to gain. So, instead of being concerned that we might not do it, we're all thinking, 'this is our chance'. "We just need to go in and perform with full confidence to be honest as we've got a massive chance to do something really special with this team. 'When you get to the end of your career and you look back, you want to be able to speak about being at European championships and World Cups and not just the qualifiers. And we've got the ability throughout the squad to go out and do something special for Scotland.'
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Noble to Champion Walker's Goodwood hopes
The Lambourn handler is enjoying an excellent season, highlighted by multiple Group-race victories thanks to the exploits of not only Noble Champion but also the likes of Almaqam – who is bound of this weekend's York Stakes – Mgheera, Scenic and Ten Bob Tony. Walker is preparing several high-class operators for various races on the Sussex Downs and is hopeful of adding to his hitherto meagre tally at the track's feature meeting of the year. Ed Walker is lining up a strong team for Goodwood (PA) Speaking at a Goodwood-organised press visit at his yard on Tuesday, the trainer said: 'Numerically we are not flying along, it just seems that way as we received a lot of good publicity following a couple of high-profile winners. 'The last month or so has been a bit bread and butter and also frustrating as we've had a shed load of seconds and thirds in the last fortnight. 'In our number of winners we are a bit down on last year, so the truth is we are making headlines but not adding to our total – and to date I've only had one winner at the big Goodwood meeting.' Noble Champion, a surprise but impressive winner of the Jersey at the Royal meeting last month, is one of two Walker-trained entries for the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes on July 29, along with his John of Gaunt Stakes scorer Ten Bob Tony. Ed Walker is preparing his horses for Goodwood (PA) However, with both horses in the same ownership, they are unlikely to lock horns. Of Noble Champion, Walker said: 'He needs a good, even gallop like the one he got from Spy Chief in the Jersey, and that horse went on to run a solid race in the July Cup. 'My horse thumped Spy Chief at Ascot and we're buzzing about him. He's a very exciting horse. 'We also have Ten Bob Tony in the Lennox, but Noble Champion is more likely to go as he's OK on the better ground and is in flying form.' Scenic won the Group Three Bronte Cup at York on her penultimate start before pushing red-hot favourite Estrange all the way in Haydock's Lancashire Oaks. The five-year-old, who was purchased by the powerful Wathnan Racing team prior to her neck defeat on Merseyside, is also set to be part of Walker's Goodwood-bound battalion. Scenic (left) pushed Estrange all the way at Haydock (Nigel French for The Jockey Club) He added: 'Scenic ran a massive race in the Lancashire Oaks and is heading for the Lillie Langtry. 'She didn't get the credit she deserved in a muddling race at Haydock and I'm happy to take on the winner again. I think she will run to a higher rating in the Yorkshire Oaks than at Goodwood.' Other planned contenders for the trainer include Celandine, who ran a race full of promise on her return from 10 months off the track when third in York's Summer Stakes recently, and the Coventry and July Stakes runner-up Do Or Do Not. 'Celandine and Balmoral Lady are both in the King George Stakes and at this point it looks more like Celandine will go there as she wants it (the ground) like a road. She has bags of speed, but just got hassled by Rage Of Bamby at York last time,' said Walker. 'The owner of Do Or Do Not is very keen to take him to the Vintage Stakes and that's the plan as it looks like he's crying out for seven furlongs. 'He's bred to be a fun horse but he's very good, and deserves to win one of these Group races.'
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- North Wales Chronicle
‘Different gear' Almaqam primed for York return
The four-year-old has been limited to just two starts so far this year, finishing third in the Gordon Richards Stakes on his initial outing before securing a first Group Three success when beating Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May. While Ombudsman has since gone to win the Prince of Wales's Stakes and finish a narrow second in the Eclipse, Almaqam has not run subsequently due to his need for a little ease in the ground – but conditions could be right on the Knavesmire this weekend. Walker said: 'I left him in the King George but didn't feel Ascot was the right track in which to test him over a mile and a half for the first time against the Ballydoyle horses. 'At York the ground should be ideal, as well as the track and the trip. It's the natural progression into a Group Two and if he wins well, I will throw him into the deep end and take him back there for the Juddmonte. 'I thought 5-4 was quite a punchy price and it mirrors his reputation being bigger than what he's actually achieved in beating Ombudsman.' Walker has high expectations for the son of Lope De Vega, who has won three of his eight career starts and counts a Listed triumph on his CV, as well as a couple of Group race places. The trainer said: 'I've always thought the world of him as he's seriously exciting. My hopes and expectations make the nerves kick in as I think he's very special, and personally I will be very disappointed if he doesn't win a Group One as he's got everything you want in a racehorse. 'I've tried to be responsible and not to get impatient, and hopefully his big time will be in the autumn as the Irish Champion is a perfect target after which we might look at the Arc. But 10 furlongs is where we are going for now. 'He's certainly the best I've ever had so far, he's different gear.'
