QIPCO BRITISH

CHAMPIONS SPRINT

(GROUP 1)

THIS has been a memorable season for Hertfordshire trainer Dean Ivory and the icing on the cake duly arrived in the shape of 10/1 chance Librisa Breeze in the Sprint.

On a good day for greys, the Mount Nelson gelding, who has always run well in top handicaps here, showed he could also account for some of the fastest horses in training.

Much of the running was made by Donjuan Triumphant, back to his best at Haydock recently, but Harry Angel, very short at 5/4 despite his excellent campaign, made ground comfortably enough after rearing at the start to take over two furlongs from home.

He was never going well enough to hold on, however, and Tasleet went on a furlong later, only for Librisa Breeze and Robert Winston to deliver the decisive blow inside the furlong pole. They went on to beat Tasleet by just over a length with Caravaggio denying Harry Angel third place.

Winston has not always been seen to advantage at Goodwood this term, including on Librisa Breeze at the Glorious meeting, but he knew stamina in soft ground on this seven-furlong specialist would be a key factor and rode him to perfection.

“Librisa Breeze needs a very strong gallop and loves the soft ground and this track, too,” the jockey reported. “He just seems pretty well suited by this place for some reason and was always going to get there.”

Clive Cox thought the ground was even more testing than at Haydock (which is saying something), resulting in Harry Angel coming to the end of his run a shade early. He stays in training and will no doubt contest all the top sprints again next year.

William Haggas hopes that will also be the case with Tasleet, who has finished second in three Group 1s this season, although the decision will be Sheikh Hamdan’s.