Beat The Bank cashes in for Goodwood glory
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Beat The Bank stamped his class on the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
A winner on his only start for Irish trainer Darren Bunyan, the gelded son of Paco Boy, who is owned by Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, made a successful debut for Andrew Balding at Newmarket in April.
The Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot proved a bridge too far, but he bounced back to win a Listed prize on Newmarket's July Course last month and was the 7-4 favourite stepped back up to Group Three level.
Ryan Moore, riding the middle leg of a treble, had to wait for the gap to arrive but when it did, Beat The Bank went through it willingly and galloped all the way to the line to score by three lengths from Make Time.
Balding said: "He's looked very smart at home and we were all impressed with him at Newmarket.
"I was just worried about the ground, but he handled it well and Ryan gave him a fantastic ride.
"He's just won a Group Three. The next stage will hopefully be to look for a Group Two. It's exciting."
Balding believes Beat The Bank could develop into a Sussex Stakes contender next summer.
He said: "We've got all sorts of options but I need to talk to the owners.
"We have just got to bear in mind he is a three-year-old and that he will be around for a while, I hope.
"He is only three and he has handled Goodwood well. Next year's Sussex Stakes is not impossible."
Trainer David Menuisier said of runner-up Make Time: "He still has a bit of improvement to come and he only started his season two weeks ago, what with all the problems we've had at the yard, so it is early days with him.
"There is a question mark over him staying a bit further and I still won't write that off as at Sandown he looked like he would stay a bit further.
"We will take it slowly with him. You have got the Group Three at Salisbury in a couple of weeks' time but we will just see how he comes out of this race and take it from there."
After landing the King George Stakes with Battaash, trainer Charlie Hills doubled up with Red Roman in the Betfred Mobile Nursery Handicap.
Ridden by Harry Bentley, the 11-2 chance came home with a length and a quarter in hand over 66-1 shot New Empire.
Hills said: "He had a pretty soft lead, which was handy, and he travels really well and handles that ground.
"We think quite a lot of him and ran him in the Coventry at Royal Ascot. I think we can build off this now. We'll see what the handicapper does next week.
"He's still pretty lightly raced, he's going to come on from this. If we can, we'll look for another nursery."
Walton Street came from the clouds to land the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap.
Charlie Appleby's charge was a 7-2 chance after making a winning debut at Pontefract last month, but looked to be going nowhere fast rounding the home turn.
However, he really found his stride in the straight under William Buick and powered home to comfortably beat 2-1 favourite Londinium, a winner at the track on Wednesday.
Appleby's assistant Alex Merriam said: "We will see how he is and Charlie will make a decision where to go next. He is a big, raw horse that I would have thought would not do much racing this year."
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