EVERGREEN sprinter Gordon Lord Byron finished fifth in a valuable seven-furlong race in the Czech Republic on Saturday.
It was the eighth individual country in which the Tom Hogan-trained 10-year-old has raced during his 92-race career to-date.
Tadhg O’Shea rode the gelding in the seven-furlong EJC Million at Velka Chuchle in Prague. Despite a wide draw, they took up the running briefly in the straight but tired in the closing stages on rain-softened ground.
EJC LERAM MILLION (Gr3)
— Mstf GRGC (@WorldRacing007) September 22, 2018
Velka Chuchle, Prag ????
1.) Troizilet (FR) by Wootton Bassett
J: Jean - Bernard Eyquem
2.) Noble Cliffs (FR)
3.) Julio (GER)@InfoArqana pic.twitter.com/S4uGccTvUZ
Speaking on his way to the airport with the horse on Friday, Hogan reported: “Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, in whose colours ‘Gordon’ runs, has business interests in Prague and was keen to run in this €100,000 race.”
Generally a model of consistency, Gordon Lord Byron has appeared to lose his form for periods in recent seasons but then manages to recover and run close to his best.
His first run of 2018 came in Qatar where he was a reasonable fourth of 14 from a bad draw. He then finished fifth three times in England and Ireland before a midsummer break and he has returned to action with three much-improved performances.
In August he was a fine second to Speak In Colours in a Group 3 race in the Curragh. This was followed by another second placing at York behind Expert Eye. He was then beaten by a short-head in a three-runner race at Navan where he was unsuited by having to make the running.
Hogan said: “He’s always been difficult to keep right. He suffers from lung allergies and, at his age, it’s hard to get him fit if you give him a break.”
Gordon Lord Byron is likely to run next in either the Renaissance Stakes at Naas on September 30th or the Concorde Stakes at Tipperary on October 7th.
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