Group Three Coutts Glorious Stakes
FALLON SAILS TO A GLORIOUS VICTORY
Drunken Sailor could spearhead Luca Cumani’s raid on Australia’s flagship race, the Melbourne Cup at Flemngton in November, after storming down the rail to clinch the Coutts Glorious Stakes in a thrilling three-way photo.
Settled towards the rear under Kieren Fallon, Drunken Sailor benefited from a clear run down the far rail from two and a half furlongs out that saw him edge to the lead close home in the mile and a half contest, to register a head victory over runner-up Harris Tweed. Jukebox Jury was a further neck back in third.
Cumani said of the six-year-old gelding: “I think we might (enter for the Melbourne Cup), it depends on the owners because it’s a very expensive trip to undertake, to Australia, but if the owners want to go I will be delighted to take him.
“The amazing thing is that he’s still improving at his age. We got him two years ago when he was just an ordinary 96-rated handicapper and he has done nothing but improve throughout. This year he has also developed a turn of foot, which he didn’t quite have before and so that makes him a better candidate for the Melbourne Cup than he was that year. It has nothing to do with me!
“He went hurdling before we bought him. Alastair Donald, Luke Lillingston and Alan Leonard flagged him up as a horse that had potential for running in handicaps and at the time we were looking for horses to got to Meydan and he was quite a cheap buy really.
“He did win twice at Meydan so he has given his owners a lot of pleasure. He won here last year in the March Stakes and was second in the Northumberland Plate and he has now won twice this year at Newbury and here, so you couldn’t wish for a better success story.
Fallon commented: “I wanted to go down the inside because when he sees daylight he idles. He won here last year in Listed company but he’s improving all the time. I’ve never known a horse improve so much in such a short period of time. I was towing Michael Hills because he was the one to beat and I was seeing him come off the bridle and got lucky going up the inside. I’ve got beaten on a few I should have won on this week when the gaps didn’t come.
“He is one of my favourite little horses - he has got so much ability and has done nothing but improve since he came to Luca’s yard. You just have to get the timing right with him because, when he gets to the front, he keeps easing up and idles. He is getting better and better.
JOHNSTON FELT RACE TACTICS COST JUKEBOX JURY THE RACE
The trainers of the placed horses were magnanimous in defeat.
“He ran well, we were pleased,” said William Haggas of the second horse, Harris Tweed, who has yet to win a Group race despite having now finished in the places in four such events. “He was very gallant, and will definitely win one of these. We will have to see where we go next, he gives himself a hard time when he runs so we will see how he comes out of this.”
Mark Johnston, trainer of the third home Jukebox Jury, was a little more rueful.
“I think Jamie Spencer on Distant Memories deliberately holding us in cost us the race. But our horse stuck on and ran on well and ran right up to form.
“He has lots of options now and he is in Group 1s everywhere, including in Germany, however the Irish St Leger will be a definite consideration. We will look further afield toward the autumn to Group1s in Canada and America.”
The RSA Thoroughbred Stakes
TOP-RATED NEEBRAS HOLDS UP ST JAMES’S PALACE FORM
After riding a double yesterday at Glorious Goodwood, Frankie Dettori put himself back in the winner’s enclosure aboard the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained Neebras. Dettori has now partnered four winners at the meeting, equal to Richard Hughes. He is still second in the Racing UK jockeys’ table for Glorious Goodwood as Hughes has, so far, had more placed horses.
“Neebras was top-rated going into the race so he should have won,” said Al Zarooni of the three-year-old colt who finished fourth two outings ago in the Group One St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot behind Frankel. “The credit goes to Frankie - he didn’t panic and gave the horse a brilliant ride. Neebras did finish close to Frankel at Ascot, but Frankel got tired then. We have to see how good this horse is and will step him up in class.
“He goes to post early and can be moody - some days he wants to run and other days he doesn’t.
“Frankie rode him positively when we usually try to save him and wait. Today we said: “Go and see what happens”.
“Opinion Poll had been unlucky because he always tries and kept finishing second or third in the big races. He deserved to win the Goodwood Cup yesterday and Frankie gave him a good ride. There are plenty of options for him but I will sit with His Highness and Simon Crisford and they will decide where he goes. It’s my job to get them fit and they decide where to run.
“Blue Bunting is doing well and she will head to York for the Yorkshire Oaks. She is good form and very happy.”
Simon Crisford, racing manager for Godolphin, continued: “There is no real plan for Neebras now. We will tiptoe along, he will be well entered up and we will find a race for him, a suitable opportunity.
“He is a really nice colt, with a good future and he will be around next year.”
Frankie Dettori added: “The toe is bearing up and, like I said yesterday, I am glad that I don’t have to kick a football.
“I was trapped in a pocket - Ryan Moore had me boxed in - so I had to switch round and lost a bit of momentum. Once Neebras found top gear, he got there in plenty of time.
“We tried to all the fancy stuff with him by chasing Frankel but Group Three is more his level now.
“I need a couple more winners - four is not enough!”
Andrew Balding, trainer of 9/1 half-length runner-up Chef, said: “I’m very pleased with him, he’s improving all the time and he’s versatile as far as ground goes, and distance too.
“I have no idea where he will go now, he ran over a mile and a quarter last time but we will just see what is suitable for him.
totesport Mile (Heritage Handicap)
GLORIOUS FIRST FOR TURNER
Hayley Turner’s golden season continued with a brilliant front-running victory aboard Boom And Bust in the £125,000 totesport Mile that secured the jockey a first success at Glorious Goodwood.
Drawn in the plum number one stall, Turner jumped the 22/1 shot to the head of affairs and after seeing off Confront for the lead through the opening furlong, set a perfect tempo up front in the mile contest.
The four-year-old gelding responded gamely to pressure through the final quarter-mile to fend of the fast finishing Proponent for a neck triumph. Third-placed Pintura was a further short-head away.
A delighted Turner commented: “It’s going very well this season! I think being drawn one is obviously a huge advantage and he is improving - I think that I am three from three on him now.
“I was sitting quite tight after the line because the last time I rode him, he ducked out and I fell off him - it showed that he had a bit more in the tank. He really enjoys bowling along in front, he settles well and all three races that I have ridden him, he has made the running and won.
“I was in the best place because I missed out on all the action behind. It’s a very tough and competitive race and all of the horses look really well. It’s this time of year that they are all really buzzing and Mr Tregoning always seems to do well at Glorious Goodwood, so many thanks to his team.”
Tregoning has endured a quiet time this year with numbers down at his Berkshire stable and Boom And Bust is only his 11th success of the campaign.
The trainer said: “We are obviously thrilled and it was a very good ride again from the jockey. The horses have been running well - Hayley rode Lulla very well from a bad draw to finish second, beaten a head. It’s been a tough year but racing is like that - you’ve got to survive and just get on with it.
“Boom And Bust has surprised me this year. He just fell short in a Listed race last time but he is very decent and he has done us really well. I bought him myself for not very much money so it’s very enjoyable and lovely for the owners to have a winner at Goodwood. It’s very special.”
“We took him to the horses in training sale last autumn but we didn’t get a bid for him. Obviously, he has matured a lot and full credit to all my staff at home. We have survived some quite difficult times this year but we have all been through it before and we keep going. It’s just getting the ammunition right - we’ve been short of some good ammunition this year.
“Hopefully, we can entice some new people. It’s a tough time to do it but I’m always very enthusiastic about that sort of thing and good winners like this hopefully help the business.
“We’ve dropped down from about 100 to around 60 at the moment so that’s quite a big drop but some people have gone out of the game.
“This horse I bought for £25,000, so he wasn’t expensive. Maybe that will encourage people to spend there money with me, I might get them another one like this. It’s a great day for us and Hayley, of course. Hayley is riding at the top of her form.
“She is a girl with a clock in her head, she gave him a breather around the bend. Steve Cauthen was a man with a clock in the head but I think you can say that for Hayley Turner.
“I always think getting drawn low gives you a 5lb advantage here and his best form is on rattling fast ground. Hayley rides quite a bit for me and she’s a really good jockey. It’s a super race to win and I love having winners at Goodwood, it’s a big thing for me. I hate it when I go away from this meeting without having had a winner. It’s nice for Jas Singh the owner as well. I think Boon And Bust is improving and might improve a bit further so it will take a huge offer to take him away from me.”
THE RECTIFIER’S WITHDRAWAL TOOK THE PACE FROM THE RACE
Roger Charlton, trainer of the second-placed horse Proponent, had reason to regret the stalls’ withdrawal of The Rectifier.
“I think The Rectifier would have put the pace to the race and without him we did not quite have the pace we needed,” said Charlton. “Ted [Durcan] said that Proponent just hit a flat spot in the race, but then he ran on well.
“I am delighted with his run, I think it is a career-best from him - and at the age of seven! He will go up in the handicap from this so I don’t know what will be next yet.”
After Pintura’s third, trainer David Simcock said: “I think the draw was all important here. He’s very honest, very tough and on another day the result might have been different.
“He has form on soft, but I think as long as the ground is not extreme, he will go on most surfaces. He’s very durable.”
The Tanqueray Richmond Stakes, Group Two
HARBOUR WATCH BECOMES 2,000 GUINEAS FAVOURITE FOR NEW PARTNERSHIP
Harbour Watch justified evens favouritism to win the Tanqueray Richmond Stakes, giving jockey Richard Hughes and trainer Richard Hannon a fifth winner apiece at this year’s meeting. The two-year-old is now the new favourite for the 2012 2,000 Guineas, with William Hill pricing him at 10/1. He is a best-priced 12/1 with Sky Bet, while Stan James have him at 6s.
All did not go smoothly through the race for Harbour Watch who was carried out into the centre of the track two furlongs from home by Bogart. It did not halt his progress and he went onto win by two and a quarter lengths, eased down.
“To do what he has done, he has to be a very good horse,” said trainer Richard Hannon. “Hughesie said that he would have won by four or five lengths if he had not been carried into the middle of the track.
“He worked last week with yesterday’s winner Casual Glimpse, and went right past him - this is a very good horse. He will get seven furlongs or a mile. He is in everything - the Mill Reef, the Dewhurst, we will have to see.
“He has kept improving and he will be even better, the further he goes. He is probably one of the best two-year-olds that we’ve got.
“He will stay a mile - I don’t see any problem with that. He will get seven very easily and, while the Guineas is another furlong, he is a big, strong horse and there is no reason why he won’t get a mile next year. He will be a very hard horse to get in front of. I suppose we will be heading for as Group One somewhere. We will stay over a distance that we know he is good at and he can try a mile next year.”
Although Harbour Watch will run in the same colours of Robin Heffer next time out, he will be in a new ownership partnership - Sheikh Fahad Al Thani's Pearl Bloodstock is in the process of confirming a deal to buy into the horse.
David Redvers, Sheikh Fahad's racing and bloodstock manager, said: "We have agreed a deal subject to vetting next week. He will run in a partnership between the two owners, but the colours will stay the same, they are very lucky colours!. He has been bought by Sheikh Fahad as a stallion prospect."
Hannon continued: "Sheikh Fahad is a very nice man, he is very interested in racing and putting lots of money into the sport.
"As for Canford Cliffs, that definitely was not his running earlier this week in the Sussex Stakes. He is fine at home, but on Monday he is going for a scan just to check him out. All being well, he goes to the QEII and if he has to meet the same horse again, then so be it. We will only be 3lb difference due to the weight for age then.”
Richard Hughes added: “Being carried across the course not only cost me ground but it was at a vital stage of the race, when you are actually quickening, and I felt that the rest of the field were going that way and I was going on the round track. I had to quicken to get by the horse and, when I finally got by him, Harbour Watch changed gear and he went again - it was a very good performance.
“I had in my head that Ryan (Moore) told me that this track might not suit him and the boss said to remember that the race is six furlongs, not seven. All those little things go in your head and, halfway down the hill, I could have gone inside the leader that took me out and been overconfident like I normally would but I chose the safe route because I might have to get going early. As soon as he got going, he took me wide and I had to go a bit further than I wanted to.
“Harbour Watch was grand on the track. He has a lot of class and he has come on an awful lot since Ryan rode him. We think that he is very, very good. I don’t like comparing horses and I prefer them to let them prove it on the track but Canford Cliffs was the only other two-year-old to work like he did the other morning.
“He is a tall horse and he looked tall today, so he will improve physically as well. Acclamation is a great stallion - he is not a fancy stallion, but we have a lot of good Acclamations at home like him and Lilbourne Lad. Acclamation will do for me any day of the week.”
BATTLING BANNOCK BURNED AS HARBOUR SCORCHES CLEAR
Bannock attempted to take the sting out of the talking horse Harbour Watch in the Tanqueray Richmond Stakes with a strong effort from the front but it was the Hannon-trained favourite that had the final word with a telling burst of speed that ended the six-furlong contest in a matter of strides.
Silvestre De Sousa aboard the 13/2 shot looked to have the favourite in trouble with two furlongs to race as Bannock kicked for home off the front end, but when Richard Hughes asked the eventual winner to quicken, the Mark Johnston-trained colt’s response was insufficient. Harbour Watch’s devastating acceleration saw him burst clear for a two and quarter-length victory.
Johnston said of the runner-up: “He ran a nice race. I don’t know where we will take him now. He has had a lot of racing, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have a lot more. We will just take it as it comes.“He has a bit of class but sadly not quite enough. The winner did it well.”
Alan McCabe was thrilled with 20/1 chance Caspar Netcher who was only a further half-length back in third under Robert Winston.
McCabe said: “I’m delighted with that, he is a very consistent little horse and I’m sure one of these will fall his way one day. Arguably we were possibly unlucky - Robbie thought we could have been second with a better run but this Harbour Watch is a machine of a two-year-old, he’s an aeroplane. We’ve done well to finish where we did.
Rothschild Waddesdon Wines Nursery
GOLDONI STRIKES FOR BALDING
Andrew Balding notched the fifth Glorious Goodwood success of his career as Goldoni (11/2) battled tenaciously to a short-head success under David Probert in the Rothschild Waddesdon Wines Nursery.
The Dylan Thomas colt settled in midfield after breaking from stall one and made determined progress through the final quarter-mile of the seven-furlong race under Probert, who drove his mount down the far rail to win by a narrow margin in yet another thrilling blanket finish.
Balding said; “ He met a bit of trouble, got going late and just got beat at Epsom, but he has made up for it today.
“David said the horse was very tough but he just took time to wind up. He’s by a horse that stayed a mile and a half well and he just needs further. The ground is the key to it as well. Despite on the dam side there being a soft ground suggestion there, he didn’t cope with it either at Ascot or Sandown and he has been a different horse on faster ground the last twice.
“I was saying to Mick and Janice who own him, if it was a mile I’d really fancy him but we’ve got away with it today - he’s only going to improve when we step up in trip.
“I don’t know where we go. He’s at the ride side of the handicap. Nurseries aren’t that valuable and three-year-old handicaps are, so it might be a case of waiting for next year. He is still rated 78 today and he is a fine looking horse who should go on next year.
“They have run well this week which is all you can ask for. It’s not been a very happy hunting ground for me here but Dad (Ian Balding) had a stack of winners here and I could never quite work out what we were doing wrong but two winners this week is great.”
Probert said: “He was a bit unlucky time at Epsom, he didn’t get a very good run round. He jumped and travelled well in midfield today, he has taken me through the race nicely and I thought he was going to do it easily enough but he has battled down and stuck his head out.
“It was a very close finish but I thought I’d just got back up. The draw helped, I got a couple of splits on the inside and it all played into my hands.”
WEST LEAKE HAD TO ACT AS THE HARE
4/1 favourite West Leake Hare had to cut out much of the running himself and although the son of Choisir battled on gamely right to the line, he was just run out of it close to home.
“He had to tough it out and do it the hard way,” said Charlie Hills, son of trainer Barry. “He was a bit green in front, but he got the 7f trip well. We will stick to what we are doing with him for now.”
The Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3)
GROUP ONE RACES ON THE AGENDA FOR CHACHAMAIDEE
“She’s improving all the time and is on the upgrade,” said trainer Sir Henry Cecil after Chachamaidee’s win in the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes.
“She used to be very highly strung and pulled quite a lot. She has settled right down now and she ran very well at Ascot, when she was second.
“I think that she will get a mile now easily. She finished really well today and, the further she went, the better she went. It’s easier to find mile races for fillies rather than seven-furlong ones.”
The improvement in form for the filly has come about through use of a hood, which helps to block the sound.
Cecil continued: “The hood has relaxed her a lot. It’s really the padding in the ears mean that when I am shouting at her, she thinks I am talking to her.
“We are winning the battle with her. Martin, who rides her, has done a great job and she is really coming round into a high-class filly. She could be Group One class and I would like to keep her against her own sex if possible. We will have to look through the book very carefully.”
Cecil, who was the recipient of a Panama hat as a winning trainer’s prize, gave the latest news on his QIPCO Sussex Stakes winner Frankel.
“He is very relaxed, and very well. As I have already said, the plan is to have one more race this year in the QEII and then be put way for next season. He is by Galileo, the family train on well and he should be a better horse next year,” said Cecil.
“He had a hard race at Ascot, why be greedy when he is going to stay in training next year?”
THIRD FOR BOTTI’S LAW
Law Of The Range attempted to lay down the law to her rivals with a gritty front-running performance that only faltered inside the final furlong of the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes.
The Marco Botti-trained filly, returned at 8/1, was seeking a four-timer in this seven-furlong event, having completed the hat-trick in a Listed contest over a mile at Pontefract on July 5.
Jockey Silvestre De Sousa took advantage of a favourable low draw to place his mount in the vanguard and the Alhaarth four-year-old responded gamely when pressure was applied in the closing two and a half furlongs.
But as the race reached its climax, first the victorious Chachamaidee swept past and then, close home, runner-up Dever Dream scooted by on the rail to leave the Botti-trained runner to accept a gallant third, two and quarter lengths and half a length behind the front two.
Botti commented: “I am pleased with that, she has run well and she now has Black Type in a Group Three.
“The race went perfectly, she got a soft lead and Silvestre said when he kicked she always responded but I think the first two probably had more turn of foot than her and probably more class as well but I’m sure there will be a Group Three for her somewhere. There are no excuses.
“I am not sure yet what we will do next. I might freshen her up - give her six or seven weeks and see what is available. I will discuss it with the owners.”
Turf Club Handicap
TOOTH’S CATFISH HAS REAL BITE
Catfish gave owner Raymond Tooth his second success at this year’s Glorious Goodwood with a speedy performance in the five-furlong Turf Club Handicap that marks her as a filly on the upgrade.
Highly-tried on her second and final start at two when in the care of Gay Kelleway, the triumphant One Cool Cat filly augmented Tooth’s victory with the Richard Hannon-trained Moustache in Tuesday’s Casino At Bet365 Assertive Maiden.
After scoring at 40/1 on her debut at last year’s Newmarket July Festival, Catfish contested the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes but fared poorly when 10th of 11. In taking this five-furlong contest under William Buick, she was scoring for the second time this season following a switch to Brian Meehan’s Manton yard.
Tony Stafford, Tooth’s racing manager, said: “Raymond’s not here, he will be going to Newmarket tomorrow to see his other very nice filly, Mention.
“William said she was a little bit outpaced but she really picked up and she is quick - a really quick filly. She is rated 82, so that will make her 88 or something like that.
“She won first time last year and that was a Class 2 at Newmarket and she has won two this year so I’m sure the trainer will find something for her. We can probably find a fillies’ Listed race for her later on.
“She only ran twice at two, after winning at 40/1 first time out she went to the Princess Margaret at Ascot.
“Gay bought her and did a good job with her last year but I think the thought was that she might benefit from being in a stable with some nice fillies like Theysken’s Theory, so Raymond thought in a bigger stable she might flourish and obviously we have won two now this year. But Gay did a great job bringing her along.
“Her sire, One Cool Cat, is a very good broodmare sire. She might just be quite good and she is a really good looking filly, so we shall see.”
Buick commented: “I was pleased where I was and she won well in the end. They went fast and although she’s very quick she got outpaced a bit at halfway. But she warmed into it and took a bit of pulling up at the end. She’s got a bit of nervous energy so I went down early to keep a lid on her.”
Turf Club Handicap
TOOTH’S CATFISH HAS REAL BITE
Catfish gave owner Raymond Tooth his second success at this year’s Glorious Goodwood with a speedy performance in the five-furlong Turf Club Handicap that marks her as a filly on the upgrade.
Highly-tried on her second and final start at two when in the care of Gay Kelleway, the triumphant One Cool Cat filly augmented Tooth’s victory with the Richard Hannon-trained Moustache in Tuesday’s Casino At Bet365 Assertive Maiden.
After scoring at 40/1 on her debut at last year’s Newmarket July Festival, Catfish contested the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes but fared poorly when 10th of 11. In taking this five-furlong contest under William Buick, she was scoring for the second time this season following a switch to Brian Meehan’s Manton yard.
Tony Stafford, Tooth’s racing manager, said: “Raymond’s not here, he will be going to Newmarket tomorrow to see his other very nice filly, Mention.
“William said she was a little bit outpaced but she really picked up and she is quick - a really quick filly. She is rated 82, so that will make her 88 or something like that.
“She won first time last year and that was a Class 2 at Newmarket and she has won two this year so I’m sure the trainer will find something for her. We can probably find a fillies’ Listed race for her later on.
“Gay bought her and did a good job with her last year but I think the thought was that she might benefit from being in a stable with some nice fillies like Theysken’s Theory, so Raymond thought in a bigger stable she might flourish and obviously we have won two now this year. But Gay did a great job bringing her along.
“Her sire, One Cool Cat, is a very good broodmare sire. She might just be quite good and she is a really good looking filly, so we shall see.”
Buick commented: “I was pleased where I was and she won well in the end. They went fast and although she’s very quick she got outpaced a bit at halfway. But she warmed into it and took a bit of pulling up at the end. She’s got a bit of nervous energy so I went down early to keep a lid on her.”