Father-son duo Matt and Stan Sheppard shine at Hereford Racecourse, leading Moodofthemoment to a thrilling victory in the Handicap Chase, showcasing their talent and determination, while simultaneously promoting Matt's new autobiographical book.
Once again, the Sheppard name echoed at Hereford Racecourse, as trainer Matt Sheppard and his son Stan, who is also a jockey, teamed up to achieve a hard-earned victory in the main Handicap Chase with their horse Moodofthemoment. This latest triumph for the father-son pair came just days after Matt marked a personal milestone by sponsoring a race to promote his new book.
Moodofthemoment, a seven-year-old gelding known for his series of close finishes, demonstrated remarkable perseverance and resolve to narrowly defeat the 5-4 favorite Superbolt, who was ridden by the skilled Sam Twiston-Davies. In an exciting conclusion over the two-mile-five-furlong distance, Stan’s determination in the saddle was crucial, clinching victory by half a length.
In reflecting on the victory, Matt Sheppard expressed his pride in both the horse and the rider. “This might have been his best performance to date,” he commented. “Stan shows incredible strength from the last jump to the finish line—few jockeys can match Sam Twiston-Davies in a battle.”
The journey of Moodofthemoment with Sheppard has been marked by consistent improvement. Following two heartbreakingly narrow second-place results, the gelding finally secured his first win on the same course and distance last month. Acquired for a reasonable £5,500, this showcases Sheppard's talent for identifying value within the market.
“I currently have around 12 horses in training,” Sheppard mentioned. “I’m quite happy to have already achieved five winners this season.”
In addition to his achievements in racing, Sheppard is dedicated to promoting his autobiography, Confessions of a Slow Two-Miler. “I have another 500 copies coming in on Friday,” he stated. “My goal is to sell as many as I can before Christmas.”
The day also brought excitement for another local trainer, Tom Symonds from Hoarwithy. His latest horse, Greenways, put on an outstanding performance in the two-mile-five-and-a-half-furlong handicap hurdle. Ridden by Ben Poste, the gelding charged over the final hurdles and accelerated impressively to secure victory by three lengths ahead of Kerry Lee’s New Found Friend. Heavily backed in the betting markets, Greenways demonstrated the confidence of his connections with a refined display, marking a promising beginning under Symonds’ guidance.
The addition of international talent brought a distinctive touch to the event, as the French-trained Midnight Exit claimed victory in the two-mile juvenile fillies’ hurdle. This race also marked the seasonal debut in Britain for dual Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Michael O’Sullivan, who was visiting Hereford for the first time. Teaming up with co-trainers Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, O’Sullivan guided the 5-4 favorite to a decisive win by one-and-three-quarter lengths.
