Hughie Morrison’s dual-purpose gelding won the same race 12 months ago.
Veteran racehorse Not So Sleepy delivered a memorable performance in the Dubai Duty-Free Autumn Cup Handicap at Newbury, potentially bringing his illustrious racing career to a close. The 12-year-old gelding, trained by Hughie Morrison and owned by Lady Blyth, led from start to finish in the one-mile-five-furlong contest, securing a thrilling victory under jockey Tom Marquand.
Sent off as a 10-1 shot, Not So Sleepy showed his class on the heavy ground, holding off strong competition after being briefly headed by Our Golden One. However, the seasoned runner fought back impressively to regain the lead and finished one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Chillingham, much to the delight of Lady Blyth.
"That was brilliant, just brilliant," said Lady Blyth. "It’s an option to carry on, but I think we are going to stop while we are ahead."
Not So Sleepy, known for his versatility across both the Flat and hurdles, has amassed over £600,000 in prize money during a 69-race career. His most notable victories include two Fighting Fifth Hurdles, one shared with Epatante in 2021 and another outright win at Sandown last December. Although originally intended to retire after the Ebor at York last month, unsuitable ground conditions led to his rerouting to Newbury.
Trainer Hughie Morrison acknowledged the importance of the testing conditions at Newbury, saying: "Basically, he always does it on this ground. I knew he would come back to them when they joined him."
Reflecting on Not So Sleepy's remarkable career, Morrison highlighted key moments, such as his first win in 2014 at Nottingham, his triumph in the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester in 2015, and his famous dead heat against Champion Hurdle winner Epatante at Newcastle.
"That was the best of them all, for sure," Morrison remarked. Not So Sleepy now looks set for a well-deserved retirement, leaving behind an enduring legacy as one of racing’s most versatile and beloved stars.
