FOURTH RACE - WINNER & SECOND
RACING UK HANDICAP
VERDANT HOLDS LATE THRUST OF SECOND
Verdant gamely held off the challenge of Mataaleb by a short-head in the £50,000 Racing UK Handicap over 12 furlongs at Goodwood today.
The three-year-old son of Singspiel, ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is owned by Khalid Abdulla and his racing manager Lord Grimthorpe declared: "Verdant is a progressive sort and a mile and a half looks to be his right distance.
"He has got into the race a bit later than some from a slightly wide draw and has quickened at the right moment. He was giving 10lb to the second so it was not a bad performance.
"He was game - he found a bit more when the runner-up came to him.
"We will have to think about Listed and Group races but these valuable handicaps are worth more than Listed races and Group Threes.
"I am not sure about further - I think a mile and a half suits him well. We will look at all options including the Ebor but he is more likely to remain at today’s trip as he has come up from 10 furlongs.
"He is a good looking horse and he knows it. Sir Michael is pretty good with these kind of horses - the raw material was there and he has come on really well."
Moore added: "I thought the second had got me but my horse found a bit extra.
"The extra two furlongs have helped him today. We were a bit further back than we would have liked but the pace steadied.
"I followed Hughsie (Richard Hughes) through and we were in a nice spot."
Jeff Pearce, trainer of the Jimmy Fortune-ridden Mataaleb, commented: "I thought mine had won for a second but when I saw the still I knew my fate.
"He has run fantastic. Ten days ago his muscles were all pulled and he had three to four days off work. That might be his way - some need training and some don’t."