Chanced on ground firmer than ideal in Thursday’s Brigadier Gerard (Eng-G3)
at Sandown, Western Hymn (High Chaparral) overcame that issue to take his record
over this track and 10-furlong trip to three-for-three having won last year’s
Classic Trial (Eng-G3) and the Gordon Richards S. (Eng-G3) on his seasonal bow
April 24.
At three, the bay’s highlight had come when annexing the Prix Eugene Adam
(Fr-G2) in authoritative fashion on a testing surface at Maisons-Laffitte in
July and after subsequent fourth placings in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (Fr-G2)
at Deauville in August and Ascot’s Champion S. (Eng-G1) in October, the decision
was made to geld.
Sitting with only one behind early as Ryan Moore set out to use the stamina
of the favorite Arab Spring (Monsun), Western Hymn traveled smoothly to that
rival and into a slight lead passing the quarter-pole. Needing encouragement
from James Doyle to impose himself, it was only in the last stride that he
managed to overcome that John Porter S. (Eng-G3) winner as the outsider
Niceofyoutotellme (Hernando) stayed on in eye-catching style.
“I told James he was spot on for the race, but not to make his move until
inside the two as he thinks he has done it all and has a look at the crowd when
he gets to the front,” trainer John Gosden explained. “He’s a lovely character
and would probably have won by a half-length if he’d waited longer. The second
is a lovely horse who set a true pace and they were both carrying penalties.
“I was particularly delighted with Eagle Top (Pivotal) (in fourth), because
he wants a big field with cover and Frankie (Dettori) said he wanted to race
from six out. He was very fresh and needed it, but was in great shape after the
race and he’ll go to the Hardwicke S. ([Eng-G2] at Royal Ascot June 20) and if
the ground is reasonable Western Hymn will go for the Prince of Wales’s S.
([Eng-G1] June 17).”
With all the big cats away from Sandown’s Henry II S. (Eng-G3), Vent de Force
(Hurricane Run) took full advantage to creep into the June 18 Gold Cup (Eng-G1)
scene with an all-the-way first black-type success under Richard Hughes.
After winning the 14-furlong Melrose H. at York’s Ebor meeting in August, the
bay finished second in the Prix Chaudenay (Fr-G2) over an extra furlong at
Longchamp on Arc weekend and was then 11th on testing ground in the latter
venue’s Prix Royal-Oak (Fr-G1) later in October. No match for Mizzou (Galileo)
but clear second-best when staying on from behind in Ascot’s Sagaro S. (Eng-G3)
on his comeback April 29, he was able to dictate here in a change of tactics and
after seeing off all challengers in midstretch was gone beyond reach by the time
Trip To Paris (Champs Elysees) was extricated from his pocket.
“He did it the hard way from the front and that proves you can ride him where
you like,” trainer Hughie Morrison commented. “Hopefully that will put him spot
on for Ascot and that’s where he’ll go, providing he doesn’t have any blips in
the next few weeks.”
Forced to sit out the Craven S. (Eng-G3) and therefore forego a tilt at the
Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) after disappointing in his preparatory work last
month, Consort (Lope de Vega) showed the benefit of Sir Michael Stoute’s
infamous patience when impressing on his return in the Heron S. on Thursday.
Shaken up out of the gates by Moore to race in a pocket behind the leaders,
the gray, who had impressed many when winning a seven-furlong maiden at
Newmarket on debut in September, was lit up exiting the back straight but had to
wait for the gap. When that came with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining after “TDN
Rising Star” White Lake (Pivotal) had swooped on Secret Brief (Shamardal),
Consort picked up with a vengeance to inhale that pair in the last 150 yards en
route to a convincing win.
“He just took a long time to come to himself in the spring and it was only
last week that he did an impressive piece of work,” commented his trainer who
was recording a 10th success in this race. “I like the way he quickened and he’s
done nothing wrong on the racecourse.
“Hopefully, he’ll have a Royal Ascot engagement but I’d like a word with Ryan
and let’s see what the race does for him. I thought coming here tonight that he
might be a mile and a quarter horse, as he’s not an impressive home worker, but
he’s pretty effective over a mile. It could either be the St James’s Palace S.
([Eng-G1] June 16) or the Tercentenary S. ([Eng-G3] June 18).”
King of Rooks (Acclamation), third to Steady Pace (Dark Angel) going five
furlongs at Ascot first up May 9, graduated by six lengths stretching out one
panel at Newbury last time May 15, and punched his ticket to Ascot’s Royal meet
with another demolition job in his black-type bow in the National S.
The bay was sharp from stall three and seized an immediate lead along the
fence. Shaken up approaching the final eighth, he exhibited a smart turn of foot
to quickly put distance on toiling rivals and was in splendid isolation when
stumbling slightly nearing the line to continue the Hannon-stable dominance in
this straight dash.
“He had a good draw, which is very important here at Sandown, and I think he
got the run of the race,” said winning trainer Richard Hannon Jr. “He traveled
lovely, did it well and I’m very pleased. I was disappointed with his first run,
but he’s a very talented, speedy 2 year-old.
“He could go for the Coventry S. ([Eng-G2] June 16) or the Norfolk S.
([Eng-G2] June 18), but I don’t know which yet. Right now he looks a Norfolk
horse, but there’s still three weeks to Royal Ascot so we’ll see.”
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