Champion Stakes on agenda for Haydock hero Foxes Tales

Champion Stakes on agenda for Haydock hero Foxes Tales

By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Andrew Balding is considering a potential tilt at the Qipco Champion Stakes with Foxes Tales following the three-year-old’s gritty victory in an attritional renewal of the MansionBet Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock.
With likely market leader Real World one of three non-runners because of the rain-softened ground, Foxes Tales was the 5-4 favourite in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa.
Majestic Dawn led the six runners into the home straight, with last year’s winner Extra Elusive initially his nearest pursuer – racing nearest to the stands rail under Hollie Doyle.
However, Extra Elusive faded tamely – while Majestic Dawn did his best to fend off the challenges of both Foxes Tales and eventual runner-up Fancy Man.
In the end, Majestic Dawn had to give best – with Foxes Tales finishing strongest to land Group Three victory by three-quarters of a length.
Balding said: “It was an excellent performance – he gritted it out well and he’s a horse who’s improving and should hopefully have a good future.
“He showed his class today, and I think he was well on top at the end. Although he was the first one off the bridle, he really found for pressure – which was great.
“His options are going to be a little bit tight moving forward. But he’s in the Champion Stakes at the end of the year, which is a possibility after showing he can handle that kind of ground today.
“That would be another big step up in class, so we’ll find something between now and then – hopefully a Group Two race somewhere.”
Jockey Jack Mitchell couldn’t hide his pleasure at picking up a Listed success with the consistent filly Waliyak (Evens favourite), who impressed when winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Dick Hern Stakes in good style for the Roger Varian team.
The line-up for the one mile contest was depleted by the soft going, with five taking their chance, but none could hold a torch to Waliyak, who travelled well into proceedings under Mitchell and edged clear in the closing stages to record a three and a quarter length success.
The four year old Le Havre filly had been shaping well at this kind of level so far this season and Mitchell was delighted to get a reward for her consistency.
He said: “She’s very tough and I think her style of racing on those quicker surfaces means she hits a bit of a flat spot when they’re quickening in-front of her. The key today was to get her out – not a lot was going to come off the pace today – so the plan worked out well and her class has shone through in the end.
“The ground was a little question mark but she’s a big filly, she’s by Le Havre so she’s not a daisy cutter by any means. She’s probably handled it better than others and she’s won it like a nice filly.
“She’s always worked nicely at home and I’ve always thought a lot of her, she’s got bits of black type before but she’s got that win under her belt now.”
It has proven to be a good start to the afternoon for Mitchell, who also struck in the opening race on the card - the MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap over a mile - with the Daniel and Claire Kubler-trained Bowland Park (9-4 Joint-Favourite).
The three year old got up within the shadows of the post at Epsom Downs last month and completed a double in completely different fashion here in tricky conditions, getting to the front and gamely holding off the attentions of fellow market leader Yorkshire Lady by a length under Mitchell.
It was a performance which delighted his trainer Daniel Kubler, who feels the son of New Bay is now ready for a step up in class. He said: “We always like him a lot last year. He’s enthusiastic about everything he does and that’s probably played into his favour in this race because when the other horses have come to him he’s gone on again and he’s just tough.
“He just got there last time and today he proved he can do it the other way and guts it out from the front so he’s versatile. We’ll have to start looking at nicer races for him now, we’re going the right way and I think probably he deserves a go in one.”
The tricky conditions caught out plenty on the card but they certainly played into the hands of the David O’Meara-trained Cold Stare (4-1 Joint-Favourite), who bounced back to form in the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Handicap over seven furlongs.
Each of the six year old’s last three victories had come when there had been cut in the ground and he travelled well into the contest under Danny Tudhope, before gamely holding off the attentions of both Edgewood and Chookie Dunedin in a thrilling finish.
And Tudhope was pleased with the performance. He said: “He loves these conditions and this is where he’s at his best. I was hoping for a bit more cover for a bit longer really but in this ground he just loves it. He’s a strong traveller and switched off nicely today.”
Meanwhile, there was plenty to like about the performance of the Roger Varian-trained Fantastic Fox (6-4 favourite), who showed a good attitude when winning the MansionBet Bet £10 Get £20 Handicap.
Having travelled well into the mile race under De Sousa, the three year old Frankel colt was given the signal at the two furlong pole and he stayed on well in the sticky conditions to grind out a two and a half-length success.
And De Sousa was delighted with his charge, who he feels could still have plenty more to offer yet. He said: “I don’t think this was his favourite ground, but he’s shown his class. He’s still learning and is a bit of a boy, he’s very babyish but the day he grows up he’ll be a nice horse.”
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