MICHAEL O’Callaghan was probably not the only Kildare resident cursing his internet connection during the running of the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes, but all’s well that ends well, and the frustration of losing live pictures from Goodwood was forgotten when discovering that his Steel Bull (Colin Keane) had emerged victorious ahead of Ben Macdui (Kevin Ryan/Kevin Stott) and Internationaldream (Richard Fahey/Paddy Mathers), winning by three-parts of a lengths and a length and a half at the line.
Steel Bull had made his debut just a week prior to this breakthrough success, but was so impressive in overcoming a poor start to win a maiden at Naas that he was sent off a clear favourite here at 2/1.
His supporters had some anxious moments just over a furlong out when his route to the front was blocked, but he quickened in the style of a smart juvenile when switched by Colin Keane, and readily gunned down the game Ben Macdui for a straightforward success.
Those racing towards the stands rail were favoured, with outsider Internationaldream running through beaten horses for third.
Steel Bull’s market rivals, Significantly and Sardinia Sunset failed to run to their best, which means enthusiasm about the winner’s performance needs to be tempered by caution, but to land a Group 3 seven days after starting your career is no mean feat and the Curragh handler, whose own colours were carried by Steel Bull, can be rightly proud of this effort.
The trainer appraised the win and clarified the details of the colt’s ownership when speaking from home to the ITV team:
“We had a little bit of interest in him after winning his maiden but, at the end of the day, it was a five-furlong maiden and he had to go and prove he could do something like that.
“I don’t own him myself – I am involved with my father and another man called John Fleming. We buy all the horses together, they let me go away and buy them and we have been lucky at the breeze-ups. Thank God we have found another good one.”
Colin Keane liked what he had under him, and thinks Steel Bull will stay further.
“I would imagine he is a horse who is going to keep progressing. I think he would get an extra furlong because he settles,” he said. “When you are on a horse like this, it makes it easy for you. He travelled everywhere and, when I gave him a squeeze, he picked up very well – he’s a nice colt.”
IN days of yore, the Goodwood Cup used to be started without stalls and from directly in front of the stands, with the runners covering the near two-mile, five-furlong trip by racing up the straight, around the loop, and back the way they came.
That tradition ended when the race was reduced in distance in 1991, but the tradition remains with the Goodwood Stakes (now the Unibet You’re On Goodwood Handicap), and the race is one of the highlights of the week for traditionalists.
This year’s renewal went to Just Hubert for William Muir, and while the gelding didn’t seem to exert himself fully under Hollie Doyle at Newbury recently, Doyle’s boyfriend Tom Marquand did an excellent job of getting him motivated without resorting to bullying, and produced his mount with a beautifully executed waiting ride which saw him hit the front late to deny the pace-setting Rochester House.
The British Stallion Studs Alice Keppel EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes over five furlongs produced a good finish when Godolphin’s Exceed And Excel filly Miss Jingles wore down Country Carnival, with the favourite Spright back in third. William Buick partnered the Charlie Appleby-trained winner.