MOORHOUSE LAD READY TO BLITZ HIS RIVALS IN THE GROUP THREE AUDI STAKES
Thirsk trainer Bryan Smart is relishing the prospect of unleashing his improving speedster Moorhouse Lad in the £50,000 Group Three Audi Stakes over five furlongs at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday, August 2, which has attracted a fantastic 23-strong entry.
The four-year-old has been a revelation since joining Smart’s Hambleton House yard in January, improving from winning a Southwell handicap on his first start for the stable to running a highly-respectable 10th of 20 in the Group Two King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Moorhouse Lad showed his blistering pace to defy top-weight of 10st and win the Voute Sales Handicap over five furlongs at Newmarket on July 12, off a career high mark of 93.
The trainer revealed today: “He has come out of the Newmarket race fantastically well. He carried a lot of weight that day and performed well, so I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
“He’s a very fast horse who has not stopped improving. He has strengthened and put a lot of weight on since we got him. He has muscle in the right places. He’s a very fast horse and I’m excited about him.”
The Bertolini gelding relishes a downhill run and has twice gone close over Epsom’s lightning fast five furlongs, finishing a neck third to Cape Royal in April despite having the worst of the draw, and then going down by the same distance when runner-up to Hogmaneigh in the Vodafone Dash on Derby day.
Smart reported: “A downhill tracks suits him, that’s why we’re going to Goodwood. A Group Three is a bold shout but I think he’s going there with every chance. The horse seems to improve all the time so all I can do is hope he keeps doing so.
“He wouldn’t want the ground too soft but I can’t see that being a problem at Goodwood.”
The entries for the Group Three Audi Stakes include last season’s runner-up and subsequent Group One Prix de l’Abbaye winner Desert Lord from the Kevin Ryan yard, as well as his stablemate Wi Dud, runner-up in the Group Three Betfair Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last term before taking the Group Two Persimmon Homes Flying Childers Stakes at York.
The William Haggas-trained Enticing, who held Wi Dud by a short-head in the Betfair Molecomb Stakes could take her chance, as could the Michael Jarvis-trained Listed winner Blue Echo.
David Nicholls, successful with Fire Up The Band in 2005 and Rudi’s Pet in 1999, has entered Group Three winners Peace Offering and Tax Free, while 2003 hero The Tatling is set to represent Milton Bradley.
Sylvester Kirk has entered 2006 Listed Windsor Castle Stakes winner Elhamri, while David Barker may saddle Group Two winner Celtic Mill, successful in a Newmarket conditions event on July 20.
Also among the entries are the Barry Hills-trained Prime Defender and Tawaassol from the Michael Stoute yard.
The Audi Stakes was first run in 1911 and has been won by some exceptionally fast sprinters down the years such as Ahonoora (1979), Soba (1983), Primo Dominie (1985) and Silver Fling (1988).
More recent winners include the brilliant Lochsong (1993 & 1994), who went on to secure the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye following each success, as did Hever Golf Rose after taking the Goodwood prize in 1995.
Last year’s winner, the Barry Hills-trained La Cucaracha, had won the previous year’s Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
The £50,000 Group Three Audi Stakes will be shown live on Channel 4 at 2.50pm on day three of the five-day Glorious Goodwood Festival, which runs from Tuesday, July 31 to Saturday, August 4.
Day three of Glorious Goodwood features the £100,000 Group Two ABN Amro Goodowood Cup (3.25pm) over two miles, which has attracted a top-class entry of 21, including Geordieland, runner-up to Yeats in the race last season before chasing home the same rival in the Group One Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, and crowd favourite and Group One winner Sergeant Cecil .
The entry also includes the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Distinction who won the prestigious staying event in 2005 and has not raced since running third in the 2006 Ascot Gold Cup. Distinction is due to work on the July Course at Newmarket tomorrow morning.
The other Group race on the day’s fantastic seven-race card is the £50,000 Group Three Lillie Langtry Fillies’ Stakes (2.15pm) over a mile and three-quarters, which has 17 entries.
The John Best-trained Rising Cross, runner-up in the 2006 Vodafone Oaks and fourth in the Group One Vodafone Coronation Cup at Epsom in June, may take her chance, as could the Henry Cecil-trained Brisk Breeze, who was fourth to Turbo Linn in the Group Two HBLB Lancashire Oaks on July 11.
FULLANDBY PRIMED FOR “TOUGH” TEST IN £50,000 SKYBET DASH
North Yorkshire trainer Tim Etherington is hopeful of another fine effort from stable stalwart Fullandby in a hot renewal of the £50,000 Skybet Dash (3.50pm) at York tomorrow, Saturday, July 28.
The Malton handler revealed today: “It’s a tough race tomorrow but we’re going there with a lot of hope.”
Etherington saddled Fullandby to victory in a competitive renewal of the Giles Insurance 40th Anniversary Heritage Handicap over five furlongs at Ayr on July 16, in which the gelding drew three quarters of a length clear of Gallery Girl.
The consistent five-year-old, rated the 11/2 second-favourite with Sky Bet and a winner over six furlongs on heavy ground at Haydock in September, has been in fine form in top handicaps this season, taking third in the totesport.com Victoria Cup over seven furlongs at Ascot in May, before finishing a close fourth in the GNER Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh on June 9.
The trainer said: “We’re happy with him after his Ayr win but the time he won on heavy it was at Haydock and the race time actually wasn’t that slow. I just feel that we’re going into unknown territory tomorrow at York. It’s a tough race on very difficult ground.
“We’re looking forward to tomorrow but you’ve got to respect the others. We’re actually a few pounds wrong with one or two of them. For example, when we met The Kiddykid at Newmarket in May we were 12th and he was 11th and neither of us were beaten much more than three lengths but we’re 10lb wrong with him now for a head. Technically he has the beating of us but we go there in hope.
“I wish I had 10 like him. Horses like him don’t come along very often. The horse has a lot of guts and he’s got ability as well, which is a good combination. Kevin (Darley) gets on great with him and knows him well.”
Fullandby faces 12 rivals in the Skybet Dash including current market leader El Bosque (7/2 with Sky Bet), trained by Rod Millman, as well as the Dandy Nicholls-trained trio of Gift Horse (8/1), Turnkey (12/1) and Bahamian Pirate (16/1).
Richard Fahey saddled Wyatt Earp to success in the Skybet Dash last season and the Malton trainer has the 8/1 shots Green Park and Philharmonic primed for action.
The £50,000 Skybet Dash is part of a fantastic seven-race card exclusively sponsored by Sky Bet, that also features a high-class renewal of the £100,000 Group Two Skybet York Stakes (3.15pm), which sees the Aidan O’Brien-trained Group One Vodafone Derby runner-up Eagle Mountain take on seven older rivals over 10 furlongs.
The £35,000 Skybet.com Silver Cup over a mile and three-quarters was won last year by the Mark Johnston-trained Lina’s Selection and this year’s race has attracted a classy seven-strong field, which includes 2005 German St Leger winner El Tango, trained by Peter Schiergen.
Also in the field are the Geoff Wragg-trained Group Three-winning stalwart The Whistling Teal and John Smith’s Northumberland Plate runner-up Macorville, trained by George Moore.
Latest Sky Bet prices for the Skybet Dash:
El Bosque 7/2
Fullandby 11/2
Gift Horse 8/1
Green Park 8/1
Philharmonic 8/1
River Falcon 8/1
Skhilling Spirit 10/1
Turnkey 12/1
The Kiddykid 14/1
Zomerlust 14/1
Bahamian Pirate 16/1
Invincible Force 33/1
Each Way terms: 1/4 of odds for 1st 3 places
JULY COURSE SATURDAY WORK-OUTS FOR ASIATIC BOY, IRRIDESCENCE & DISTINCTION
ASIATIC BOY AND IRRIDESCENCE TUNE UP FOR THEIR IMPENDING GROUP ONE APPOINTMENTS
Mike De Kock's two stable stars, Asiatic Boy and Irridescence, will work on the July Course at 9.00am tomorrow (Saturday, July 28) ahead of their Group One engagements in the next fortnight.
Asiatic Boy heads to Goodwood on Wednesday, August 1, for the BGC Sussex Stakes, while Irridescence, runner-up to Simply Perfect in the UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes at the Ritz Club July Festival on July 11, will be jetting off to the States to contest the Beverly D Stakes at Arlington on August 11.
DISTINCTION ON COMEBACK TRAIL
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Distinction, not seen on a racecourse since finishing third to Yeats when favourite for last year's Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, will continue his progress towards a comeback when working with one galloping companion on the July Course at 7.00am tomorrow, Saturday, July 28.
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