CANTALA STAKES

(GROUP 1)

HUGH Bowman capped an excellent day in the saddle by completing a Group 1 double on Le Romain in the Cantala Stakes, formerly the 1,600 metre Emirates Stakes on the final day, but reshuffled to day one and without a sponsor, held under it’s registered name.

Le Romain is trained by Kris Lees, and the Hard Spun gelding was coming off a close-up fifth in the Epsom. Settled mid-field two off the fence, he cruised around the bend and let down smartly to have enough in hand to keep his challengers at bay. A length away in second was the British-bred Big Bad Bob gelding McCreery with the High Chaparral entire Tivaci third.

“I had confidence coming into the race,” said Bowman. “He had a hell of a race in the Epsom and the more I looked at that race the more I felt that it was good enough form for this race and it proved to be right.” The win was Le Romain’s second Group 1 having won the Randwick Guineas last season. “He had been underrated in some circles but not by the stable,” said Lees. “He was really brave in the Epsom, taking them up to the tearaway leader, and that tough run brought him on for today.”