First race win quotes -
Coutts Glorious Stakes (Group Three)
REDWOOD GIVES HILLS A GLORIOUS 50
Redwood is proving to be something of a landmark horse for Barry Hills. The four-year-old gave the trainer his 50th Glorious Goodwood victory in the Coutts Glorious Stakes, having previously given Hills a 300th success at Newmarket racecourse when winning the Listed Feilden Stakes in April, 2009.
The Khalid Abdulla-owned colt delivered his challenge wide in the straight under Michael Hills and showed a good turn of foot to pass Sri Putra and win the mile and a half contest by a length and a half at odds of 7/1.
Redwood was landing his first Group race success, having finished runner-up in the Group Two Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket last time.
The winning trainer said: "I haven’t got anything in mind for him as such, I’ll have to discuss it with the Prince. There is the Canadian International and a race in Turkey and I am quite keen to run him in America at some point but I would only want to race abroad once this year as it takes a bit out of them.
"I would very much like him to stay in training next year whether with me or in America."
Michael Hills commented: "He had a few problems as a three-year-old but he has come back to form and ran well in the Hardwicke Stakes and at Newmarket. He’s been banging on the door a few times and we’ve always believed in him.
"It was a nice, even, fair gallop. He is a bit hot and cold so when he had his moody spell in the race I left him to it and he came good. When we came to get the leader he showed a nice turn of foot. and he stays well. When my fella showed his turn of foot, I knew we had the better of Sri Putra.
"He ran a very good race at Newmarket and travelled a lot sweeter today - when he travels, he has got a very good turn of foot. He is growing up and he is improving with racing.
"He won the Feilden Stakes and then ran in the Dante but had a problem, so he had a lot of time off and it has taken us a while to get him back his proper form. His best season is to come.
"It’s beautiful ground - they have done a really good job from yesterday to today. It has a nice dig in it."
Charlie Hills, assistant trainer to his father, said: "He has run some terrific races this year and he got his just desserts today. He was beaten by a very good horse at Newmarket and he probably ran to form because he was beaten by a similar distance by Sans Frontieres at Royal Ascot.
"He has got a terrific turn of foot and he showed that today. We were drawn one - he’s never been the best starter in the world so we thought that we would just follow them."
First Race placed quotes
Coutts Glorious Stakes
PUTRA PUTS IT IN FOR JARVIS STRING
The opening race on day four of Glorious Goodwood ended with an absorbing final-furlong duel between Redwood and Sri Putra.
Sri Putra, conceding 3lb, had to give best by a length and a half, but he was a length and three-quarters clear of third-placed Traffic Guard and seems sure to win again this year.
Fast ground is vital to the four-year-old said Roger Varian, assistant to Michael Jarvis, the trainer of Sri Putra. Varian added: "We’re disappointed to lose, but very pleased with the horse, who seemed to get a mile and a half well [it was his first attempt at the distance].
"I thought he had the field covered two furlongs out and the winner was off the bridle, but he came home quick. We weren’t sure our fellow would get the trip and perhaps we held on to him a little longer than ideal, allowing the winner to come onto us with momentum. It was a pretty solid race. "
Sri Putra was runner-up to Twice Over in the Group One Coral Eclipse Stakes on his previous outing, and these two consistent efforts suggest he is surely going to win again soon. Varian said: "Seeing him get the trip so well has opened up our options, and there’s a race over a mile and a half at Deauville in the second half of August that might suit him. However, he must have fast ground, and he’s a horse that could be one to go international with later in the season, when the ground in Britain is often getting a little softer."
GOING AFTER THE FIRST RACE
Michael Hills, jockey of the 7/1 winner Redwood, described the going as: "A little bit quicker than yesterday."
Phillip Robinson, jockey of the one and a half length second Sri Putra, said: " It is good fast ground."
Tom Queally, rider of third placed Traffic Guard, said: "Quick."
William Buick, rider of the 5/4 beaten favourite Duncan, thought the going: "Good to firm."
Kieren Fallon, on board Manighar, said: "Good."
Ryan Moore, rider of Kingdom Of Fife, said: "Good to firm."
Frankie Dettori, on Whispering Gallery, said: "The same as yesterday."
Shane Kelly, on Golden Sword, said: "Good."