Two formidable hurdlers from the stable of top Irish jumps trainer Willie Mullins will line up against an impressive American contingent headed by two-time winner Demonstrative (Elusive Quality) for the richest-ever edition of the Calvin Houghland Iroquois at Nashville's Percy Warner Park on Saturday.
The $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois, the richest race on the National Steeplechase Association's spring racing schedule, carries new significance this year as the kick-off contest for the 2016-2017 edition of the Brown Advisory Cheltenham-Iroquois Challenge. The Challenge, designed to foster international competition over fences, offers a $500,000 bonus to any horse that wins the Calvin Houghland Iroquois and the Ryanair World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival within a 12-month period. The Cheltenham Festival is held in mid-March.
The Calvin Houghland Iroquois will conclude a star-studded afternoon of jump racing for the 75th anniversary edition of the Iroquois Steeplechase. Also on the program are the $75,000 Marcellus Frost Novice S., the $50,000 Margaret Currey Henley for fillies and mares, and the $50,000 Mason Houghland Memorial over timber fences. First post time is 1 p.m.
Mullins, the dominant trainer in Anglo-Irish jump racing with championships in the last nine years, will unleash Nichols Canyon (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) and Shaneshill (Ire) (King's Theatre {Ire}) on the Calvin Houghland Iroquois. They will be looking to win in Nashville and then target the World Hurdle with a potential payday of $1-million next March. Both the Calvin Houghland Iroquois and the Ryanair World Hurdle are three-mile races. Both Mullins entrants are owned by Andrea and Graham Wylie, an English technology entrepreneur. Nichols Canyon finished a third to the Mullins-trained champion Annie Power (Ire) (Shirocco {Ger}) in Cheltenham's Champion Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle. Last season, Nichols Canyon won five of his six starts.
Shaneshill has had a busy 2016 with a victory and two second-place finishes in five starts. The 7-year-old finished second to 2016 Ryanair World Hurdle winner Thistlecrack (GB) (Kayf Tara {GB}) in the Liverpool Stayers Hurdle at Aintree on April 9.
Returning to Nashville for a chance at a third Calvin Houghland Iroquois victory is Jacqueline Ohrstrom's Demonstrative, the reigning winner who also won in 2013. Trained by Richard Valentine, the 2014 Eclipse Award champion will be making his first start over fences this year, and Darren Nagle will be in the saddle.
In pursuit of a second victory is Pierrot Lunaire, who won for Calvin Houghland in 2009 and now is owned by his widow, Mary Ann Houghland. Trainer Bruce Miller will put Bernie Dalton in the saddle of the 2013 Eclipse Award champion.
Champion owner Irv Naylor had a remarkable run last weekend with three feature-race victories and more than $120,000 in purses. On Saturday, he will be aiming for the Calvin Houghland's $120,000 first-place money with Rawnaq (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), impressive winner of the Temple Gwathmey (Gr. 3) in Virginia on April 23. Trained by Cyril Murphy, Rawnaq will be ridden by Jack Doyle, last year's leading jockey by purse earnings.
Champion trainer Jack Fisher entered Bruton Street-US's Scorpiancer (Ire) (Scorpion {Ire}), who finished second to Rawnaq despite missing two weeks of training in the winter and spring. Connor Hankin will ride.
Fisher also entered Syros (Dynformer), a veteran competitor owned by Chattanooga resident Gil Johnston. Sean McDermott will ride.
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard entered his Italian Wedding (Alphabet Soup), who would be making his first start in 20 months. Gerard Galligan will ride the winner of the 2013 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1).
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