Latest news with #JerseyStakes
Leader Live
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Merchant overcomes wide draw for King George V glory
Drawn in stall 20, Marquand had chosen to drop in behind horses while Ryan Moore on Serious Contender, who was also posted out wide, opted to go forward. Moore was still in front as they entered the final furlong but Merchant picked up well to defy an 8lb rise for winning at York last time out and justify 3-1 favouritism by a length, with Pantile Warrior a further neck back in third. 'It was difficult to watch because all I was watching was the time per furlong and they set off like scalded cats,' said Haggas. 'I then thought they hadn't gone fast enough because in every race this week on the round track, they've gone so fast and everything has come off the speed. 'He was plenty far back and I knew when he turned for home he'd be able to sit a bit, I knew he'd come home. I was really pleased with him. 'You hope (they are good enough). He's clearly progressive and I'm afraid I don't know how far he will go. It's extremely exciting.' Arabian Story provided Saeed bin Suroor with a 40th Royal Ascot winner in a dramatic finish to the Britannia Stakes. Having just the fourth run of his life and his first on turf, the 15-2 chance had to be brave under Oisin Murphy. La Botte and Fearnot both threw down late challenges but it was Arabian Story who prevailed by a neck and a head. Bin Suroor said: 'We took him to Dubai and physically he improved a lot. He always works well in the morning and I said to Oisin keep him handy and he gave him a great ride. Oisin is the best – he is world-class and one of the best around. 'He is still improving and it was only his second race in the UK. We'll have to maybe find a Group race for him now and Oisin said he is definitely a Group horse. 'He's good at the mile but he could go further, maybe up to a mile and a quarter.' Never So Brave, trained by the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute in his early days, then provided Murphy with a double in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. Now with Andrew Balding, the 4-1 favourite positively shot clear once a gap appeared on the rail and triumphed by two and a quarter lengths. Akkadian Thunder ran on for second, with Holguin a further two and a quarter lengths back in third. It was Balding's 13th winner at the meeting and he said: 'He's a really lovely horse and I think gelding him over the winter has helped him and improved him. 'Sir Michael always had a high opinion of him and he ran here in the Jersey Stakes last year, so I think he was probably a Group horse in a handicap today. 'He settled well today and I think the key is to get him to relax early in his races. He has an excellent turn of foot when you can get him to do that.'
South Wales Argus
17 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Merchant overcomes wide draw for King George V glory
Drawn in stall 20, Marquand had chosen to drop in behind horses while Ryan Moore on Serious Contender, who was also posted out wide, opted to go forward. Moore was still in front as they entered the final furlong but Merchant picked up well to defy an 8lb rise for winning at York last time out and justify 3-1 favouritism by a length, with Pantile Warrior a further neck back in third. 'It was difficult to watch because all I was watching was the time per furlong and they set off like scalded cats,' said Haggas. 'I then thought they hadn't gone fast enough because in every race this week on the round track, they've gone so fast and everything has come off the speed. 'He was plenty far back and I knew when he turned for home he'd be able to sit a bit, I knew he'd come home. I was really pleased with him. 'You hope (they are good enough). He's clearly progressive and I'm afraid I don't know how far he will go. It's extremely exciting.' Arabian Story provided Saeed bin Suroor with a 40th Royal Ascot winner in a dramatic finish to the Britannia Stakes. Having just the fourth run of his life and his first on turf, the 15-2 chance had to be brave under Oisin Murphy. La Botte and Fearnot both threw down late challenges but it was Arabian Story who prevailed by a neck and a head. Bin Suroor said: 'We took him to Dubai and physically he improved a lot. He always works well in the morning and I said to Oisin keep him handy and he gave him a great ride. Oisin is the best – he is world-class and one of the best around. 'He is still improving and it was only his second race in the UK. We'll have to maybe find a Group race for him now and Oisin said he is definitely a Group horse. 'He's good at the mile but he could go further, maybe up to a mile and a quarter.' Never So Brave, trained by the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute in his early days, then provided Murphy with a double in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. Now with Andrew Balding, the 4-1 favourite positively shot clear once a gap appeared on the rail and triumphed by two and a quarter lengths. Akkadian Thunder ran on for second, with Holguin a further two and a quarter lengths back in third. It was Balding's 13th winner at the meeting and he said: 'He's a really lovely horse and I think gelding him over the winter has helped him and improved him. 'Sir Michael always had a high opinion of him and he ran here in the Jersey Stakes last year, so I think he was probably a Group horse in a handicap today. 'He settled well today and I think the key is to get him to relax early in his races. He has an excellent turn of foot when you can get him to do that.'
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Haatem shines with back-to-back Royal Ascot victories
Placed in the English and Irish Guineas last season, Richard Hannon's charge won the Jersey Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago, but was not seen in competitive action again until April. Having finished fifth on his Sandown comeback and then fourth in a Listed event in France, Haatem (8-1) stepped up to a mile and a quarter and saw out the trip well to beat Galen by three-quarters of a length under James Doyle, with 4-1 favourite King's Gambit – like the winner carrying the Wathnan Racing colours – a strong-finishing third. Hannon said of Haatem: 'He's pleased everyone all the way through his career, especially me. 'He's an amazing horse and a pleasure to be involved with, for old connections and new connections, and he's one of those horses that makes you remember why you train horses. 'What did he cost, 27,000 guineas? And the best thing about racing is you can find these horses and they then win these big races. 'He worked in the week and it was the best piece of work he's done all year and I thought 'is this the right thing to do, upping him in trip, maybe we should stick to a mile?'. 'James said he's loved it despite being a bit eager early and it's not out of the question we come back to a mile, but he will probably turn up in the Eclipse (would need to be supplemented) and I could see him running very well in that.' The Wathnan team and retained rider Doyle completed a quickfire double in the concluding Copper Horse Stakes, with John and Thady Gosden's French Master flying home to delight favourite-backers. Making his first outing since being bought by the Qatar-based owners and also sporting blinkers for the first time, the 5-2 market leader was nearer last than first at the top of the straight but was doing his best work at the finish and was two and a half lengths clear at the winning line. The Gosdens were also completing a double following the spectacular earlier success of Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace Stakes.
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Haatem shines with back-to-back Royal Ascot victories
Placed in the English and Irish Guineas last season, Richard Hannon's charge won the Jersey Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago, but was not seen in competitive action again until April. Having finished fifth on his Sandown comeback and then fourth in a Listed event in France, Haatem (8-1) stepped up to a mile and a quarter and saw out the trip well to beat Galen by three-quarters of a length under James Doyle, with 4-1 favourite King's Gambit – like the winner carrying the Wathnan Racing colours – a strong-finishing third. Hannon said of Haatem: 'He's pleased everyone all the way through his career, especially me. 'He's an amazing horse and a pleasure to be involved with, for old connections and new connections, and he's one of those horses that makes you remember why you train horses. 'What did he cost, 27,000 guineas? And the best thing about racing is you can find these horses and they then win these big races. 'He worked in the week and it was the best piece of work he's done all year and I thought 'is this the right thing to do, upping him in trip, maybe we should stick to a mile?'. 'James said he's loved it despite being a bit eager early and it's not out of the question we come back to a mile, but he will probably turn up in the Eclipse (would need to be supplemented) and I could see him running very well in that.' The Wathnan team and retained rider Doyle completed a quickfire double in the concluding Copper Horse Stakes, with John and Thady Gosden's French Master flying home to delight favourite-backers. Making his first outing since being bought by the Qatar-based owners and also sporting blinkers for the first time, the 5-2 market leader was nearer last than first at the top of the straight but was doing his best work at the finish and was two and a half lengths clear at the winning line. The Gosdens were also completing a double following the spectacular earlier success of Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace Stakes.
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Haatem shines with back-to-back Royal Ascot victories
Placed in the English and Irish Guineas last season, Richard Hannon's charge won the Jersey Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago, but was not seen in competitive action again until April. Having finished fifth on his Sandown comeback and then fourth in a Listed event in France, Haatem (8-1) stepped up to a mile and a quarter and saw out the trip well to beat Galen by three-quarters of a length under James Doyle, with 4-1 favourite King's Gambit – like the winner carrying the Wathnan Racing colours – a strong-finishing third. Hannon said of Haatem: 'He's pleased everyone all the way through his career, especially me. 'He's an amazing horse and a pleasure to be involved with, for old connections and new connections, and he's one of those horses that makes you remember why you train horses. 'What did he cost, 27,000 guineas? And the best thing about racing is you can find these horses and they then win these big races. 'He worked in the week and it was the best piece of work he's done all year and I thought 'is this the right thing to do, upping him in trip, maybe we should stick to a mile?'. 'James said he's loved it despite being a bit eager early and it's not out of the question we come back to a mile, but he will probably turn up in the Eclipse (would need to be supplemented) and I could see him running very well in that.' The Wathnan team and retained rider Doyle completed a quickfire double in the concluding Copper Horse Stakes, with John and Thady Gosden's French Master flying home to delight favourite-backers. Making his first outing since being bought by the Qatar-based owners and also sporting blinkers for the first time, the 5-2 market leader was nearer last than first at the top of the straight but was doing his best work at the finish and was two and a half lengths clear at the winning line. The Gosdens were also completing a double following the spectacular earlier success of Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace Stakes.
