Golden Rules taken out of the Ebor - but 'uber-confident' owner vows to be back next year

Improving stayer Golden Rules was on Monday ruled out of this year’s Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (3.35) at York on Saturday but connections have vowed to be back in 2024. 

The Gareth Cheshire-owned six-year-old was one of the top contenders for this weekend's £500,000 feature race but was not confirmed after failing to please his trainer Deborah Faulkner on Monday morning.

"He wasn't quite right," Cheshire said. "He would have got in and it's very frustrating but there's worse things in the world than missing a horserace. It was going to be a fantastic day and I was uber-confident – I can say that now he's not running!"

Cheshire bought Golden Rules out of John Gosden's yard for 6,000gns in October 2021 and was convinced he would land the Northumberland Plate in July after scoring on his first start for 638 days at Kempton beforehand, causing the horse's price to tumble in the days before the race.

The lightly raced gelding was sent off the 9-2 joint-favourite at Newcastle but was impeded and then blocked in his run before finishing second to Calling The Wind. Cheshire was similarly confident of a bold showing on the Knavesmire, but says his fighting talk has already changed the game for Faulkner and her team.

Golden Rules: bought out of John Gosden's yard for 6,000gns in October 2021

He said: "I opened my mouth on purpose last time to get the publicity because I was confident and if it all went wrong it was me who was going to look the idiot. He was working unbelievably before the Northumberland Plate, it almost went right and we've benefited tremendously from the story.

"There's new horses and owners who have come to the yard and I can't keep my face off the television. Nobody loves the sound of my own voice more than me. When I was on holiday in Ibiza people came up to me and someone from over there even came to the stables to see the horse."

A pause will now be taken in the absorbing career of Golden Rules, but his colourful owner has vowed to return to the top table next year and York's big handicap has already been pencilled in.

"It was a fantastic performance to win after 638 days at Kempton but he's been on the go a year," he said. "I haven't spoken to the trainer but I'd imagine he'll have a holiday and next year we'll target the Ebor. Let's live the dream again! We're back for the 0-55s at Chepstow on Thursday, but stay tuned as we'll be back."

He added: "I might even ring up Mr Gosden and ask him if he has another Golden Rules I can have!"

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