The high-profile bloodstock operation Phoenix Thoroughbreds suffered another setback on Friday morning when it was reported by the Racing Post that the trainer Martyn Meade had cut ties with them. News broke in November that Amer Abdulaziz Salman, the man behind Phoenix, had been accused of money-laundering by a convicted fraudster during a court case in New York, an allegation that Abdulaziz has strenuously denied.
“It’s a terrible shock,” Meade told The Guardian at the time though he added that nothing had been proved. On Friday, the Post reported him as saying: “I no longer train for Phoenix”.
Phoenix’s most high profile successes in Europe have been achieved by the Meade-trained Advertise, a top-class sprinter who is now at stud. But their white and orange colours have been carried by runners from various stables and it appears that other trainers are prepared to keep Phoenix horses on the premises for the time being.
“I’ve still got a couple of horses for them,” Peter Chapple-Hyam told me on Friday. “I take the view that it’s innocent until proven guilty. They’ve been very good to me. Amer’s fighting the allegations, so we’ll see what happens.”
John Quinn and Karl Burke have both sent out Phoenix-owned runners in the past eight days and indicated that they do not intend to take the same action as Meade. Quinn restricted himself to saying: “I haven’t much to say on that subject”.
Burke texted: “I have had no problems training for Phoenix, financially or otherwise. They are registered owners [with the British Horseracing Authority], have not as far as I am aware been charged with anything and until I am told any different I am very happy to be training their horses and grateful for their support.”
A statement issued by Phoenix in November said that it “categorically denies all allegations made against it, and its owner, Mr Amer Abdulaziz, in legal proceedings against OneCoin and its conspirators in the US”. It added that both the company and Abdulaziz had “acted according to the law at all times and will vigorously contest all allegations of wrongdoing”.
Friday’s best bets
Today’s most interesting action is at Sedgefield, where I’m hoping the Ben Pauling revival can continue through Espoire De Loire (2.00). A winning pointer in Ireland, he made a winning chase debut at Musselburgh last month despite continually jumping left at that right-handed track.
He ought to be better suited by this left-handed circuit and in any case looked to have a fair bit in hand on his rating, following the switch to fences. He’s up 7lb and his main rival here, Protek Des Flos, has become a non-runner. The 5-2 is tempting.
The task facing Hill Sixteen (12.50) has also got easier this morning, as Colorado Doc has dropped out of his race. Hill Sixteen is a Sue Smith project who has been disappointing over fences so far but this is a drop in class and it’s interesting that he improved from the turn of the year when he was a novice hurdler. Even-money is as short as he deserves to be.
Titus Bolt (12.15) has been threatening to score since joining Iain Jardine. The cheekpieces, which seemed to help last time, are retained. He bumped into a well treated rival from an in-form yard that day and this could be more winnable. He’s 9-4, though there’s been some market interest in Philip Kirby’s hitherto winless Bertie Blake.
Lingfield 12.35 Moondance 1.10 Reeves 1.45 Moon Trouble 2.20 Island Hideaway 2.55 Music Major 3.25 Salkeev 3.55 Deeds Not Words
Sedgefield 12.50 Titus Bolt 12.50 Hill Sixteen (nb) 1.25 Rostello 2.00 Espoire De Loire (nap) 2.35 Tractor Fred 3.05 Ifyoucareshare 3.35 Universal Folly
Huntingdon 12.25 Imperial Aura 1.00 Allart 1.35 Running Wolf 2.10 Goshen 2.45 Who’s The Boss 3.15 Just A Thought 3.45 El Kaldoun
Wolverhampton 4.10 Foresee 4.45 Never A Word 5.15 Onebaba 5.45 Locked N’ Loaded 6.15 Waleydd 6.45 Knockabout Queen 7.15 Katherine Place
