Sandown Thursday
Brigadier Gerard Stakes
(Group 2)
ALMAQAM (Ed Walker/Oisin Murphy) is held in the highest regard by his trainer and showed why with a classy and determined display to win the feature Group 3 Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.
Winner of the Heron Stakes on this card a year ago, Almaqam was getting back in front for the first time since, but has shown himself a top-class performer in defeat, and looks set for a good campaign given how he dug deep to fend off favourite Ombudsman (John & Thady Gosden/Ryan Moore) to win by a length and three-quarters having made all the running.
Normally ridden more patiently in his races, Almaqam looked suited by the new tactics and, while Ombudsman seemed to be travelling best a furlong out, the 7/4 winner galloped on strongly to turn away that challenge and win with a bit to spare in the end.
He’s engaged in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, but Walker is dreaming of Paris in October.
“Thank God,” said the winning handler.
“Last year we had him in a lip chain in the preliminaries, but this year we took it off and he is just asleep, and he is so laid back.
“I think that is what got him beat last time [in the Gordon Richards Stakes] as he was still on his winter holiday; he had definitely sharpened up at home for that run. I was worried about the ground as I saw the soft ground horses coming out this morning, but I walked the track, and it is good ground.
“It was a big day for him, and my team, and myself, as we have all believed a lot in this horse. We skipped a couple of Group 1s at the weekend to come here and get the job done and thank God he did.”
Walker added: “Ryan said last year at Longchamp he would definitely get a mile and a half, and I told him about his pedigree, and he said maybe not, but Oisin said exactly the same.
“We have stuck him in the ‘Arc’, and I’ve never hidden how much I think about this horse. I think ground is absolutely key and it will be hard to know exactly what to do with him through the summer, but I think good ground is as quick as he wants it to be.”
TRAWLERMAN (John & Thady Gosden/William Buick) booked his ticket for the Ascot Gold Cup with an all-the-way win in the Group 3 Star Sports Henry II Stakes at Sandown Park on Thursday.
Runner-up in the Gold Cup 12 months ago behind Kyprios, the seven-year-old will return to the Royal meeting with a big chance now that his conqueror has been forced into retirement by injury. Buick sent the 4/5 favourite straight to the front before controlling the pace and gradually turning the screw in the straight, beating Coltrane (Andrew Balding) by five lengths under a well-executed ride, which saw the sponsors cut him to 5/1 for his big target.
Thady Gosden said: “[The hood] helps him as he is such a generous horse that he almost wants to give too much. The hood just settles him down and lets him find a rhythm which he has done today. He is a grand old boy now and hopefully he can win a big one at some point.”
Rest of the card
There were two listed races on Sandown’s card, with the Rod Millman-trained Anthelia springing a 25/1 surprise in the National Stakes, despite registering her third win in as many starts, beating recent York scorer First Legion (Richard Hannon/Sean Levey) by a length, and is likely to take her place in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.
The Heron Stakes saw 5/4 favourite Opera Ballo (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) bounce back from a disappointing effort in the Craven Stakes to win easily from Bay City Roller (George Scott/Callum Shepherd) despite again racing keenly.
He could head to Ascot for the St James’ Palace Stakes next.
Haydock Saturday
Mgheera thriving for new connections
FORMERLY trained in France by Manon Scandella-Lacaille, Mgheera was sent off a weak 10/1 chance, as she made it two from two for new handler Ed Walker in the colours of Lord Lloyd Webber and Arthur Mitchell in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.
Winner of the Group 3 Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp on stable debut, the five-year-old mare travelled comfortably under restraint before quickening well to score by half a length and the same from She’s Quality (Jack Davison/James Ryan) and Washington Heights (Kevin Ryan/Tom Eaves).
Law Of Average set a brisk pace, and She’s Quality caught the eye, travelling best of those on the far side of the track, but when Buick asked Mgheera for everything, she showed a smart turn of foot under the stands rail to win cosily.
“She’s done absolutely nothing wrong since she joined us,” said Walker. “The only thing that I was surprised about was how much she drifted in the betting. I know it wasn’t the strongest Group 2 ever, but it was deep enough.
“She’s always slowly away, and whether she’ll keep getting away with it, particularly at Ascot, which is where I think we’ll go next, I don’t know. A stiff five will suit her [in the King Charles III Stakes], but I think the Nunthorpe will be perfect for her – she’s very quick.”
THE 2/1 favourite Symbol Of Honour overcame an awkward start to prevail for Charlie Appleby and William Buick in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes, just a week after landing the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.
Symbol Of Honour was settled in rear by Buick, who got the grey gelding balanced and travelling well before giving him the office a furlong from home, and he picked up strongly to lead before repelling the late challenge of Arabian Dusk (Simon & Ed Crisford/Harry Davies) by a short head, with First Instinct (Wiliam Haggas/Cieren Fallon) another three-parts of a length back in third in a congested finish.
“He just jumped up in the air and came out a bit awkward,” said Buick – who went on to ride a 401/1 four-timer. He was in the stalls quite a while, but I was happy with where I was.
“It was only a week after his win at Newbury, so credit to Charlie and the team at home to bring him here.”
Goodwood Saturday
Amiloc emerges in
the Royal Ascot frame
AMILOC (Ralph Beckett/Richard Kingscote), the 11/10 market leader, marked himself as another Royal Ascot contender for his trainer when landing the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.
The listed race is often seen as the last of the Derby Trials since its days as the Predominate Stakes, but the gelded Amiloc is ruled out of Epsom and could instead go to Royal Ascot for either the Queen’s Vase or the King Edward VII Stakes.
Amiloc took time to warm to his task under a patient ride, but picked up the bit when Kingscote pulled him wide of runners in the home straight, finishing powerfully to win by four lengths from his pace-setting stablemate Sir Dinadan (Pat Dobbs). Tycoon (John & Thady Gosden/Kieran Shoemark) was third, beaten seven and a half lengths by the winner.
Beckett told Racing TV: “The second is a good horse - he’s tough and I think he’s a Queen’s Vase horse, and the winner might be a Queen’s Vase horse as well, so we’ve got to shuffle the pack a little bit there and work out what we do next time.
“His dam [Colima] was tricky and some of them out of her were tricky; Brimham Rocks took a long time to get the hang of things before he became a group horse in Australia, there was a Kingman filly [Philonikia] who was half mad as well, so it’s never been that straightforward.
“Gelding him early helped him and we’ll see what happens. The Edward VII is a possibility and he’s in the Eclipse, so we’ll see; it’s a good problem to have.”
Victoria Harbour (Karl Burke/Pierre Louis Jamin) showed a willing attitude to hold the late challenge of Music Piece (Andrew Balding/David Probert) in the Listed Height of Fashion Stakes over 10 furlongs.
The 12/1 shot may have been helped by being able to dictate terms, but she had to be brave to withstand several rivals who were bearing down on her in the closing stages, and the winning margin was just a neck.
The winner is now a valuable commodity as a broodmare given her excellent page, with the daughter of Frankel a sister to several winners out of Dubai Queen, herself a half-sister to top sire Dubawi.