Botox Has and Josh Moore make amends with Fontwell win after horror fall
- Planet Sport writer
- 28 February 2022
Josh Moore suffered a crashing fall which left him with spinal injuries on Botox Has at Plumpton in October. The pair have fought back to fitness and took a great win at Fontwell on Sunday.
Josh Moore steered Botox Has to a stunning 20/1 Fontwell win with their pair coming good after a dreadful fall at Plumpton in October that left the jockey with spinal injuries.
Botox Has (20-1) travelled well in the Royalequestrian Bedding And Manor Elite Horsebox National Spirit Hurdle but looked to have to settled for a runner up spot as Brewin'upastorm cruised upsides Monmiral and jumped the last in front.
However, Aidan Coleman's mount slowed on the run-in and Moore's persistent riding of Botox Has worked wonders as he reeled in Olly Murphy's charge, timing his ride to perfection to earn a head win in a thriller.
The winning jockey Moore still has the crashing fall that left him unconcious fresh in his mind but the victory was redemption for him and his talented horse.
"The last time I wore these colours, they were being cut off me," he said. "It was good to get a good winner in them again.
"I sounded like an idiot beforehand, telling the owners I was hopeful. We were wrong in the weights, but I know this horse - I won a juvenile around here and I was gutted he didn't run in the Triumph Hurdle as he was good around Cheltenham last October.
"Last year, he was just a four-year-old carrying a lot of weight in handicaps and it is hard on horses. It was just nice to run him in a small field today, give him a bit of room and while I was three-wide all the way, which is a terrible place to be around here, I just wanted to give him some comfort the whole way, and keep pressing on, because he does stay well."
Moore added: "This means a lot. Fontwell is a local track, it is their big race if the year, it's a good prize as well, but it is very good to win on this horse, as four months ago I thought I didn't think I'd be sitting on him again this season, that's for sure. It is very kind of Mr Stone to let me back on him."
An emotional owner John Stone said: "I am more pleased for Josh than anything. I'm absolutely delighted for him."
Trainer Moore whose son Josh did the work up top Botox Has was obviously delighted: "The horse owed him that. I never lost faith in him. He will go novice chasing next year. It was nice for Josh, nice for the owners and I'm delighted for Josh, obviously.
"It means a lot. He is my son, he is my right-hand man, well, they both are. Jamie and Josh are both my right-hand men.
"What happened to him was horrible and it was two ways whether he would come back or not. It would not have surprised me if he had not packed up and taken over the yard."
Of the winner, Moore added: "He is no mug, the horse. Last year he beat Allmankind at Cheltenham and he was 20-1 today and Allmankind was third best in the betting.
"Obviously it was a big shout going back in distance today but we knew he would stay all day and when that horse went on, you saw the guts he had to come back and take him on again."
