Running The Game

Running The Game is a striking 4-year-old grey gelding, now in training with Gary Moore.

He was bought for Old Gold Racing at the Arqana Deauville Summer this year and was well liked at the sale and caught the eye of some notable names, who ended up underbidders.

Running The Game has run three times on the Flat over in France. The second of these came at Dieppe, where he ran very impressively to finish a close 3rd. The horse that finished 2nd, beating him by just a head that day, is expected to fetch a lot of money.
Click HERE to watch that race.

His next run was at Clairefontaine only two weeks later and his previous trainer, Francis Henri Graffard, felt that he ‘ran him back too soon’ but that he ‘really likes him’.

His knee action suggests he will appreciate a bit of give in the ground and means he should cope well with the softer going in the latter part of the season.

Running The Game is sired by Almanzor and out of Cool Esprit. His dam, Cool Esprit, ran three times in Flat races and her form figures read 321. She achieved a French rating equivalent to 88 in England. Running The Game is a full brother to Jungle Pulse, who has run three times on the Flat, finishing 2nd, 1st and 4th.

His sire, Almanzor, was a champion 3yo colt in Europe. He won the French Derby and Champion Stakes in both GB and IRE. His first foals were on the ground in 2019 and notable progeny to date include Castle Way and Circle Of Fire. Both horses have ratings of over 100 on the Flat - 106 and 102 respectively - and have won races over further than a mile indicating that the progeny of this sire stay.

Gary Moore is delighted to have Running The Game in the yard, informing us that ‘we’re very, very happy with him… he’s got the right mind to stay well enough because he’s very relaxed in his galloping’ and that ‘he has bags of size and scope about him… hopefully he’s a horse that hasn’t reached his potential yet. He’s a very sound horse. You’re not just getting one or two days out. You should get a decent season out of him’.

Following some below par efforts over hurdles Gamer showed his true colours when winning impressively on the Flat at the beginning of the year, watch that race below:

He has struggled to replicate that form in subsequent runs but we have now got to the bottom of why that is and hopefully rectified the issue.

Following a minor op to remove a growth that was obstructing his airways, Running The Game is currently enjoying a holiday with Sally Taylor. Provided the vets are happy with his recovery, the plan will be for him to head back into training in around a month’s time.

Running The Game has shown all of the characteristics of a horse with a lot to offer and we are looking forward to seeing him back to winning ways very soon!