Moviesta now has the step up to Group 1 company in the Nunthorpe Stakes in
his script after his clear-cut success in Friday’s Group 2 King George Stakes at
Glorious Goodwood, his first race outside maiden or handicap company. A fast-run
five furlongs was the key to the three-year-old’s justifying his trainer Bryan
Smart’s faith.
“We always knew he was really good,” Smart said. “But he would pull, just
wouldn’t settle. Today was the first time that I’d seen him off the bridle in
the early stages and that was just what was needed.
The King George was Goodwood Plan B; Smart’s first thought for Moviesta had
been Saturday’s Stewards’ Cup.
“I knew we probably wouldn’t get in the Stewards Cup but I declared for both.
But I did know we had a superstar horse,” he said.
“He’s in the Nunthorpe, and he’d be meeting a lot of the same horses as
today. He’ll be in training next year and I promise you this is a very good
sprinter indeed. We’ve got something right on our hands this time.”
Moviesta proved the pin-up, winning by 1 1/2 lengths, but in a tight finish
for minor honors there was plenty to like about the performance of runner-up
Swiss Spirit.
A four-year-old son of Invincible Spirit, the colt beat this year’s leading
sprinter, Lethal Force, last year when trained by David Elsworth, so entries in
Group 1 races like the Nunthorpe and Sprint Cup are not fanciful.
“He’s a big horse, and he lost momentum at a key time, but he was beaten too
far to say he was unlucky,” jockey William Buick said. “He’s a better horse when
he has something to follow — he ran a fine race.”
Justineo, who finished third, beaten a head by the runner-up, has no entries
in top-grade sprints, but a date in Paris on the first Sunday in October is in
the mind of trainer Roger Varian.
“It took us a while to find the right trip for him, but it seems five
furlongs is the answer,” he said. “He’s a very fast horse and we’re pleased with
how he ran.”
“I think if he got a good draw in the Prix de l’Abbaye he could run very
well, because he has speed — and that is as fast a five furlongs as you will
find — and goes on any ground.”
Toronado, the three-year-old miling star of the Richard Hannon stable, may
find he has competition in his division after his stablemate, Montiridge, won
the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes on Friday at Goodwood by a comfortable 1 1/4
lengths under a typical Richard Hughes late delivery. Richard Hannon Jr. could
not disguise his excitement over the Ramonti colt’s future.
“He’ll be a proper Group 1 horse,” he said. “He’s just getting better and
better. He’s starting to relax now, so it’s all coming easier to him. Last year
and at the beginning of this year he was keen and pulled a lot, but he’s growing
up and settling with racing.
“He’s getting a bit of a racing brain on him now and he’ll stay in training
next year. I think he’ll be up to races like the Prix du Moulin and Queen
Elizabeth II Stakes.”
Montiridge gave Richard Hannon Sr., who took out a license in 1970, his 250th
winner at Goodwood, and his 70th at the Glorious meeting.
Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin missed out on the top prize in the Thoroughbred,
but it accounted for both second and third place.
Tawhid, who had been one place behind Montiridge in Royal Ascot’s Jersey
Stakes, had to settle for the runner-up spot, while Snowboarder maintained his
consistent run of form when taking third.
Saeed bin Suroor, who trains Tawhid, said: “The best form he has shown has
been on softer ground or even heavy ground. He ran well enough today and was
beaten by a better horse — maybe on softer ground it might have been a
different result.
“He is entered in several races over seven furlongs (Newbury’s Hungerford
Stakes and the Park Stakes at Doncaster) and a mile (Goodwood’s Celebration
Mile), but where he runs will depend on the ground.”
Snowboarder is trained by Godolphin’s new handler Charlie Appleby, who said:
“I was pleased with his effort, and, as could be clearly seen, he didn’t get the
best of runs at a crucial time in the race.
“I’m pretty sure he can win a black-type race at some point this season. He’s
ultra-consistent, and while the ground today is good and there are no excuses,
he is better on quicker ground.”
Royal Ascot winner Forgotten Voice followed up in good style when landing
Friday’s opening race, the Group 3 Glorious Stakes.
Trainer Nicky Henderson, better known as Britain’s champion jump trainer, has
done a fine job with the eight-year-old gelding, who has been sidelined more
than once by injury, but has now won nine of 22 races over hurdles and on the
Flat.
“I thought that a mile and a half might be hard going today against a lot of
horses that stay well but he settled great,” jockey Johnny Murtagh said. “He is
a good horse and probably as good now as ever. He jumped well and I following
Mickael Barzalona (on Masterstroke) and got a lovely tow into the race. I looked
up and saw the four-furlong marker and told myself to relax. He won quite well.”
Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford had different views of the
operation’s two runners in the Glorious. He was pleased with runner-up Lost In
the Moment, but disappointed in Masterstroke, who finished fifth of six on his
first run since his third in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
“He’s run well,” he said of six-year-old Lost In the Moment. “He didn’t
appear to be thinking too much about it and he’s run all the way to the line.
But it’s back to the drawing board with Masterstroke, I think. He’s not done
particularly well physically from three to four and today he was a bit keen and
fizzy.
“He traveled all right in the middle part but found nothing. We’ll probably
look for a smaller race on soft ground to try to get his confidence back.”
David Simcock was philosophical after Sheikhzayedroad’s arguably unlucky
third place, beaten two lengths by the winner Forgotten Voice.
“You take it as it comes,” the Newmarket trainer said. “He’s not
straightforward and doesn’t make it easy for any jockey. Martin (Lane) gets on
with him very well, and rides him well. But there was jockeyship out there today
— Johnny (Murtagh) saw him coming, and almost took a pull.
“He’ll go for the Ebor, and I’d be quite excited about running him in that. A
big field on a fast flat track should suit and the trip shouldn’t be a problem.”
The 1 3/4-mile Ebor Handicap is at York on August 24.
Jonathan Portman made it a summer festival treble when Annecdote won the
Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes. The filly had already won the Sandringham Handicap at
Royal Ascot, and her stablemate, Pasaka Boy, took a handicap at Epsom on Derby
Day.
“If there is a happier man here than me, I’d like to meet him,” the Lambourn-based
trainer said.
The seven-furlong race did not go entirely to plan for rider Richard
Kingscote, on his second winner of the week after Brown Panther in the Goodwood
Cup.
“He actually did just what I said not to do,” the trainer said “I didn’t want
him on the rail as too many horses this week have got into trouble there, but he
missed the break slightly, made the decision and it has worked out well.
“The filly is not very big and robust as an individual, but she is so tough.
She ran only a week ago and was in such good form afterwards that we decided to
come here. I don’t usually like running them so soon, but there’s a limited
program for one of her rating.
“I’d like to take her to America,” Portman added. “There has been a lot of
interest from there in her, to buy her, but I’d like to think we might be brave
enough to race her there ourselves. The program would suit her.”
Consistent filly Winning Express picked up more prize money when second in
the Oak Tree, but trainer Ed McMahon was left ruing what might have been. His
filly had been fourth in the One Thousand Guineas, and had won a Listed race
subsequently, so this Group 3 event looked a winning opportunity. McMahon saw it
that way, too, and said succinctly: “Should have won.”
He expanded on that, and clearly felt jockey Franny Norton was at fault, when
he said: “If you have been watching the racing here this week you will notice
that any horse that leads at the two-furlong pole gets caught. We got caught.
“She’s entered in a Group 3 race at Tipperary (on August 22) but a run there
depends on whether the owners can go because they have a big event at York that
day. We also have the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster in September.
“Seven furlongs is ideal because she has the toe to go with them early, but
this should have been one for us.”
Third-placed Instance, a five-year-old mare trained by Jeremy Noseda, ran
well enough on her final racecourse appearance. She is in foal to Makfi, and
will be offered at the December Sale in Newmarket.
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