Boughey keeping everything in check as Bow Echo bids to stay unbeaten

Excitement is George Boughey’s overriding emotion as he looks forward to seeing his unbeaten superstar Bow Echo test his powers against his elders for the first time in a mouthwatering Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Three from three as a juvenile, the Night Of Thunder colt was nothing short of sensational when winning the 2000 Guineas in May and showed a different side to his game when overcoming adversity to beat the reopposing Gstaad in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot.

As well as Gstaad, Bow Echo has top-class older milers Opera Ballo and Ten Bob Tony and the largest Sussex Stakes field in over a decade to contend with on Wednesday, but Boughey is confident his charge is in the best possible shape to show his best.

“It’s great for Goodwood I suppose to have a full field of 12 runners for their feature race. It’s a strong field and we’re looking forward to taking on the older horses,” Boughey told the Press Association.

“He’s been incredibly straightforward and not missed a piece of work. He’s hit every target so far this year, so we just have to pray everything goes well between now and the race and he turns up in the shape he’s in right now. We’re very happy with him.”

Having strode almost three lengths clear of Gstaad in the 2000 Guineas, there was just a short head between the pair at the Royal meeting, leading some to believe Aidan O’Brien’s colt could improve past Bow Echo in their third clash of the season.

However, given his runner received an early bump amid a messy start at Ascot, Boughey feels any notion that his runner’s progress has plateaued would be misplaced.

He added: “I think physically and mentally he’s on the right curve. Circumstances at Ascot were different to what they were at Newmarket and I imagine he’ll get a different scenario again at Goodwood.

“We’ve always thought he’s a horse that will handle Goodwood, I think a slicker mile will probably suit him and to be drawn in (stall) four, we couldn’t have asked for much more than that.

“It’s a landmark race for the year and we’re just incredibly excited to be part of it with a horse that is in the shape he is in going into the race.”

With Gstaad just one of three Ballydoyle representatives and Charlie Appleby’s Opera Ballo a confirmed front-runner, Boughey is hoping for a strong pace to give Bow Echo the opportunity to show off his dazzling acceleration.

“He’s a horse that’s got that turn of foot and hopefully we’ll be able to see it on Wednesday,” said the Newmarket handler.

“The fact that Opera Ballo has drawn a nice gate (three) and Gstaad is also drawn low (one), it looks like they’re probably going to be forward ridden and it’s just got the make-up of being a real showdown that everyone wants to see.

“There are nerves, but more a sense of excitement that we have a horse who is unbeaten going into Goodwood. It hasn’t happened for a long time – Frankel was the last one to do it and I think before that you have to go back to the 1970s to find another horse to be in this position.

“He’s got a massive assignment ahead of him, but it’s always nice as a trainer to have a horse who has jumped through every hoop. Sometimes you go to the races when you’ve not had a perfect preparation, but we’re in a beautiful position and it’s a credit to all my team at home for preparing the horse in the shape that he’s in because a lot goes into these horses.

“A lot goes into the preparation of every horse, but when you do have an unbeaten colt with the profile he’s got, there’s obviously extra scrutiny and everyone has done a super job from the top to the bottom – we’re just thrilled with the condition he’s in.”

O’Brien is optimistic Gstaad will again give Bow Echo a real run for his money.

He said: “He ran a good race at Ascot. He came out of it very well and we’re looking forward to going to Goodwood with him – we always thought it was a race that would suit him.

“He’s getting heavier, which is a good sign. His mind is very good. He’s coming through his work very well and coming through his races very well.

“We always thought a mile and a quarter wouldn’t be outside his compass. It’s nice to have a horse like that where you’re not minding him through a race and you know he’s going to finish for you.”

Gstaad stablemate Puerto Rico finished last of six runners in the St James’s Palace Stakes, but O’Brien expects to see a “different horse” at Goodwood.

“Obviously Ascot was a complete mess for him. He went forward and I think he got taken on for the lead. It just all went out the window,” he added.

“We had planned on making the running with him. He won his two Group Ones making the running – it just didn’t work for him on the day.

“We’re very happy with his progress since and we feel that we will see a different horse this time.”

Ten Bob Tony was a shock 50-1 winner of the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and will get the opportunity to prove that victory was no fluke, provided ground conditions are deemed suitable.

“They do a great job with the track and we’re all very keen to run. If it’s safe for him we’ll have a go but I’m slightly nervous about quick ground,” said trainer Ed Walker.

“We took a chance on it at Ascot and got away with it, but at Ascot you can. But he will go there a Queen Anne winner and that’s why we want to have a go and now take on Guineas winners and Breeders’ Cup winners and the rest.”