OAKS day began with the Listed Woodcote Stakes over six furlongs. All six runners were previous winners but it was Richard Hannon’s 5/2 joint-favourite Legendary Lunch who came out on top.
In front before the furlong marker and making his way home against the far rail for Pat Dobbs, the son of Dragon Pulse went two lengths clear but was very nearly reeled in by David Barron’s Danielsflyer, who headed him close home but went under by a nose as Legendary Lunch fought back.
The hitherto unbeaten Sea Of Snow, who held on for third, made much of the running but was feeling the strain as Legendary Lunch made his effort. This was the third time in the last four years that the Hannon yard had prevailed in the Woodcote, backers keeping faith with the winner, who had just given best to Sea Of Snow at Windsor.
He was 5lb better off for half a length and was entitled to turn things around at level weights. The Coventry Stakes looks the obvious target although, as always, the stable has various alternatives in the Royal Ascot event.
The two-year-olds came home in style but the winning time was moderate and this, together with a slowly-run second race, prompted trainers to withdraw horses later on. The absentees included Arod, who would have been a decidedly uneasy favourite in the Diomed.
IMSHIVALLA SURPRISE
Richard Fahey seldom ventures south without due reward and the north Yorkshire trainer struck again with the virtually unconsidered Imshivalla in the Investec Wealth & Investment Handicap over a mile and a quarter.
The compete outsider of the field at 25/1, the Acclamation mare made her ground in the straight, eased between Gold Prince and the far rail approaching the furlong pole and went away to beat him quite easily. What About Carlo fared best of the rest but very few got into the argument in the soft ground and Ed Dunlop’s 7/4 favourite Dark Red, looking for a four-timer, was well held in fourth after missing the kick.
Gold Prince deserves credit for helping to force the pace, with Felix de Vega keeping him company. The latter weakened two furlongs out but Gold Prince kept on well and was only just over a length adrift at the line, though the mare had him well beaten.
“She was a bit keen behind them but they went a good gallop and she stuck on well,” winning jockey Paul Hanagan said. “She appreciated the going more than some of the others. She’s a bit highly strung and she’s got the hood on but she’s pretty good, you know?”
Imshivalla has been a grand servant to her owners, the Pow Partnership, who were prepared to sell her at the end of last season. She certainly owes them nothing now and deserves a long and happy retirement, given that placing her in handicaps after this will be very difficult indeed.
TULLIUS THRILLER
Jimmy Fortune has a splendid record on Andrew Balding’s eight-year-old Tullius and the partnership recorded a memorable victory in the Group 3 Diomed Stakes. Seemingly held just inside the final furlong, last year’s fourth loved the ground and responded to a first-time visor to thrust his head in front of Decorated Knight in the last two strides, getting home by a short-head with the gallant, penalised Custom Cut only inches behind.
The ground was clearly quite testing, which meant the late withdrawal of last year’s winner Arod, with Master The World, Mindurownbusiness and Oracolo also deciding to wait for another day. Fanciful Angel was there for a long time in the centre but it was Custom Cut, trying to defy 9st 10lb, who kicked strongly for home against the far rails. Decorated Knight, dropping back to a mile after seeming to need ten furlongs at Goodwood last time, came with a long, steady run on the outside and even led for a few strides close home but Fortune, sitting down to ride one of his strongest finishes, forced Tullius between the pair to gain the day. With soft ground no problem at all, the winner was backed down to 5/2 favourite just before the off.
It was the seventh time the jockey had won on the old warrior and he was clearly delighted.
“He’s been a grand old horse and the visor helped,” he grinned. “He’s older and wiser now and he takes the mickey a little bit but he’s very good on his day and had things going for him here.”
EXAMINER ACES TEST
Trainer Stuart Williams has been in good form for quite some time but needed a win from talented handicapper Examiner, unsuccessful since scoring on the all-weather at Kempton well over two years ago and still a maiden on turf. Probably a shade unlucky in a hot handicap at Newmarket last time, he made amends by taking the valuable Investec Mile, coming with a determined run for Oisin Murphy up the centre to master willing top-weight Instant Attraction with Miss Van Gogh keeping on in third.
Cordite led early on from Bold Prediction, while James Doyle tried the old ploy of coming to the stands’ side in soft ground on Fieldsman but it never looked like working this time and Examiner won well.
“We’ve had 33 winners from a stable of forty horses this year,” Williams remarked. “He was a bit unlucky at Newmarket because he missed the kick and we made the plan to come here. The difference is that the horses have been healthy all the time. Examiner is in the Hunt Cup at Royal ascot and we’ll probably put him in the Wolferton, as well.”
FORTUNE AGAIN
One way or another there was going to be a story as they entered the final furlong of the Listed Investec Surrey Stakes over seven furlongs because Andrew Balding was responsible for Queen Elizabeth’s Make Fast while Jimmy Fortune was aboard 14/1 chance Smuggler’s Moon for Brian Meehan. It was the jockey who prevailed, getting home by three-parts of a length in the famous old Sangster colours.
Meehan had mentioned Smuggler’s Moon, a Danehill Dancer gelding, as a likely type for the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. It seemed ambitious but the gelding will surely take his chance now.