Goodwood wrap: Desert Hero carries royal Classic hopes

Desert Hero emerged as a genuine Classic prospect for the King and Queen as he followed up his famous Royal Ascot success by landing the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old raised the roof when carrying the royal silks to victory in the King George V Stakes, providing the King and Queen with their first winner at the showpiece meeting.

He had more to do stepping up to Group Three level, but proved up to the task under a typically well-judged ride from Tom Marquand.

The Sea The Stars colt was positioned at the back of the field half a mile from home and off a steady pace as the front-running Chesspiece markedly increased the fractions on turning into the straight, but the winner travelled smoothly in behind and found the gap he needed to challenge late on to overhaul the pace-setter and score by a neck, with the pair clear of Canberra Legend in third.

The winner was cut to 6-1 from 16-1 by Betfair for the St Leger at Doncaster in September, a race the late Queen won in her Silver Jubilee year of 1977 with Dunfermline.

Marquand said: “Today was a testament to how tough Desert Hero really is. While he had to be brave to find gaps at Royal Ascot, he had to be brave again today on ground that is extremely tough work.

"He is obviously improving, but it's been a fantastic job by the team to get him on this path – I am thrilled. He filled me with confidence because of what he did at Royal Ascot, and while it was always going to be tougher on this ground, he has got a kick over a mile and a half. He was really tough and you can't ask for more than that."

Of Desert Hero's St Leger chances, Marquand said: "He stays well and has shown he handles ground that will be no worse at the back-end of the season. Whether that is on the agenda, I will leave it to William, Mr [John] Warren and His Majesty to figure out.

"We would all want to see a Royal runner in the St Leger and how lucky are we that they are so involved in our sport. We should celebrate every bit of success they have.”

John Warren, racing manager to Their Majesties The King & Queen, said: “It is remarkable, and so lovely to have a horse in the stable that is so committed. Royal Ascot was wonderful when he cut through horses and so wanted the race.

"Desert Hero is an incredible horse, so for The King and Queen to have a horse of this calibre in their first year, taking on from The Queen and with a horse that was bred by her, is a dream come true. They are so excited and so thrilled.

"It is a beautiful trophy – The King won a wonderful race in Australia at the beginning of the year with Chalkstream, who won the Australia Day Cup. That was the first win, then came Ascot and now this, so they are really getting a wonderful feel for it.

"The King told me many years ago that he was always going to be committed to taking on the bloodstock portfolio [from his mother] and, true to his word, he has been fascinated by it because now it is on his watch. The story is wonderful for racing in particular because The Queen [Camilla] is so interested and they get such pleasure together out of it. The King and Queen looked at the stock ten days ago and they are really getting their head around the young stock that is coming on. A race like this on an amazing track like Goodwood makes the effort worthwhile.

"As anyone knows it is a very sophisticated thing to breed, train and ride a thoroughbred and The King understands that and The Queen is a tremendous horsewoman who understands all the nuances. It is about taking the disappointments and understanding that, because they are both horse people brought up around horses. As we know there are more disappointments than success stories.

"It's now time for them to build on the detail and enjoy the pleasure of racing. People used to ask me why the late Queen liked racing, where horses started over there, ran around there and finished over there - what's the point? The explanation is the back story. The King and Queen can now really start enjoying the back story with the stock that is coming along. They can enjoy the half-brother or sister, the foal, the mare – they are all the back stories. We are lucky they are so engaged.”

Of Desert Hero's St Leger prospects, Warren said: "Why not give it a go? I am not saying that lightly and there's a bit to think about. When you have horses that try, things can happen."

Co-trainer of Cheespiece, Simon Crisford, said: “We just got outpaced at a crucial moment. Chesspiece wants a mile and six furlongs. He loved the ground and ran his heart out – fantastic. The St Leger dream is still alive.”

James Ferguson said of Canberra Legend: “I was very pleased with the run. Most importantly, it is the first time he got all the prelims bang on. He has really grown up and mentally matured. He handled the occasion and the step up in trip no problem. I think the winner is very impressive and it’s great for His Highness to have a winner here, and I think Chesspiece has proven a very good horse. Canberra Legend has certainly run a career best. We thought he was very good at the beginning of the season, so onwards and upwards, and if he is ok, we will go back to York for the Voltigeur.”

Jockey Daniel Muscutt added: “Canberra Legend ran a huge race. I found a really nice rhythm in behind Chesspiece. We went an even gallop, without going mad on the underfoot conditions. I thought he worked into the race really nicely, although we did get racing quite early. I had to challenge on the inside, which I didn’t really particularly want to, but he toughed it out well and the front two were just too good.”

Vandeek looked an exciting prospect in confirming the promise of his successful racecourse debut with a comprehensive victory in the Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s grey justified cramped odds on his introduction at Nottingham a fortnight ago and was the 11-8 favourite taking a swift step up to Group Two level, in a race that had seen the withdrawal of likely market leader Jasour.

Ridden with plenty of confidence by Andrea Atzeni, Vandeek was initially settled in behind the pacesetting Toca Madera before being switched to the far side of the track to throw down his challenge.

A smart change of gear propelled him clear of the chasing pack and he only needed to pushed out hands and heels in the closing stages to score by a comfortable length.

Atzeni said: “He looked pretty special when he won first time out at Nottingham.

“Obviously when you step up to this level, you never know how good you are until you try. He’s got a bit of a pedigree, he’s obviously improved since Nottingham and he showed today how good he is.

“He’s a very smart colt and I think he is a very good horse. He’s won at Group Two level now, he’s going to go up one way to Group One level and I can’t see why he wouldn’t be good enough.”

Vandeek looks set for an immediate tilt at Group One company in France later in the month.

“Nothing really took him into the race for as long as we would like today, he was in front too soon and he sorted of idled when he hit the front,” said Simon Crisford.

“I think there’s tons of improvement to come and I think we’ll head for the Prix Morny on August 19. Obviously that is dependent on Sheikh Khalid’s wishes, but he likes to be bold and brave and I’m sure he will want to go for the Group One.

“We don’t know how this form is going to stack up, the Prix Morny is going to be an altogether different kind of a race.

“Stamina-wise, he’s of out an Exceed And Excel mare, there’s tons of speed in his pedigree but he strikes us at home like he will go further. He’s big, scopey, he stands over a lot of daylight – he will stay.”

Ballymount Boy outran odds of 25-1 with an excellent effort to fill the runner-up spot, with Toca Madera five lengths further back in third.

Ballymount Boy’s trainer, Adrian Keatley, said: “He didn’t help himself early on – he was a bit slow away and slow to get into his stride, but he’s a fair horse and we were expecting that kind of run from him.

“We’ll see where we go with him next, but we might contemplate going seven furlongs.

“He’s a proper horse now, he’s a Group horse for sure, so onwards and upwards.”

Royal Rhyme (9-1) marked himself down as a Stakes horse in waiting when scooting clear of a competitive field to take the Coral Kincsem Handicap by six and a half lengths.

Back on slower ground, the Karl Burke-trained son of Lope De Vega travelled powerfully and was the only contender still on the bridle passing the two-furlong pole.

Once asked to quicken, Royal Rhyme forged clear to give jockey Clifford Lee his first winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Runner-up Have Secret won the battle for the minor honours, with Alsakib three quarters of a length further back in third.

Lee said: “We have definitely liked this horse for a while. Today he had a great draw [2] and the plan was to get in amongst them, get him to relax, and he has finished off his race really nicely.

“I thought we went a nice, even gallop. He always travels so well, and he loves passing horses. Last time out didn't really help because I was stuck wide and didn't get any cover.

“I was in a lovely position throughout and he travelled lovely through the race. Once we went through the three [furlong marker] today, I knew we were going to pick them off. It was just a matter of pushing the button.

“He is a nice horse when things go right. He definitely needs cover, so being in amongst them helps. You can really be patient, and today he has done it well.

“I think he is definitely Listed class and possibly a Group horse in the making. This is his kind of trip. He probably would get further if he learns to relax, but for now, definitely a mile and a quarter.

“He loves this type of ground. He travels very well on it. I think it has dried up a lot compared to yesterday; it’s quite loose and tacky out there and definitely on the soft side.”

Richard Fahey said of Have Secret: “He has run a cracking race, which he has done all season. He is a horse who is getting better with racing, but he keeps just finding one or two too good. But we are delighted with him.”

Oisin Orr added: “He has run a good, solid race. I travelled everywhere, I had to sit and wait for a bit of room, but I don’t think I would have beaten the winner anyway. He has run a good race.”

Ornellaia (7-4F) looks certain to step up into Stakes company following a dominant success in the seven-furlong Tatler British EBF Fillies’ Maiden.

The Moyglare Stud Stakes entry, third on debut on Newmarket, looked every inch a Pattern-race performer after putting the race to bed halfway up the straight, ultimately winning by two lengths. Debutant Classical Song (11-2) was an eye-catcher in second with Get Jiggy With It (18-5) back in third.

This was a second winner of the meeting for jockey Kevin Stott, following Magical Sunset in yesterday’s Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes, while it was a first career success at the Qatar Goodwood Festival for trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis.

Ffrench Davis said: “That was a very smart performance. We have always loved her; she went through a little bit of a weak spell when she first came in, but has really flourished the last six weeks and was crying out for a run today. We were nearly put off by the rain and the ground, but on pedigree she should have handled it and she seemed to handle it well.

“She knew what she was here for today; she was very laid-back for the Newmarket run and the penny didn’t really drop until late on, whereas today she knew exactly what she was here for.

“We will have to have a look and see what’s next, but I would love to think that she might be up to something like the Moyglare. Kevin did seem to think to stay at seven furlongs at the moment. She might be different on slightly better ground, though.”

Ffrench Davis sent out Persian Dreamer to win the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes last month and he added: “We have always thought Ornellaia might be a Guineas filly – it would be nice to think we might have two Guineas fillies in the yard, two with live chances.”

Stott said: “Ornellaia ran really nicely first time at Newmarket, and the form of that race obviously got boosted with the winner [Sacred Angel] winning again at Ascot very impressively.

“We did quite like her before Newmarket, but we were just a little worried about the ground today. Had it just been nice good to soft, we would have been a lot more happy, but she went through it very nicely. I kept it very simple – jumped nicely, travelled lovely, and she actually picked up quite impressively inside the two. She was getting a bit lonely if anything, but she was nice.”

On whether she may be good enough for the Moyglare, he added: “It is hard to say. We will obviously see how she comes out of this race and see what happens going forward. I think she has improved from the race at Newmarket and if she can go and improve again from today, why not?”

“She is quite tall, and you would like to think that if she grows a little bit and fills out, that she would get a mile next year. I would stick to seven for now. We will see what happens and take it when the time comes.”

Fresh from landing the feature Qatar Nassau Stakes 35 minutes earlier, Roger Varian wasted no time in doubling up with Mission To Moon in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Nursery.

Having finished second on two of his three previous starts, Mission To Moon had a mark of 81 for his handicap debut and was racing on the slowest ground he has encountered so far.

The King Power Racing-owned runner was always well placed under David Egan and, once switched to the outside, powered home to win by three lengths.

Gamraan (28-1) stayed on from the rear to take second, while 13-8 favourite Gray’s Inn - who was 17lb ‘well in’ after finishing fourth in a Listed race at Sandown last week - was third.

Varian said: “Mission To Moon has been a work in progress, and was very green on debut. He didn't really do himself justice but ran fine the last twice. In those small-runner novice fields he had to make the running twice and just got passed by one with more experience on each occasion.

"I thought he would run well today and the festival set-up would suit him with a big field and strong pace. He was able to get a good position, but not lead, and David gave him a nicely timed ride and the horse got through the ground okay and was strong through the line.

"The Goffs Million is definitely something to think about, but we have no big plan and I was encouraged by the way he handled the ground. For any autumn races we won't have to be shy about soft ground and hopefully he can keep progressing.”

Egan said: “Mission To Moon is a horse who definitely relished the testing conditions today. He has raced on quicker surfaces but I think that is his preferred surface. Coming into the autumn now, he should benefit from the ground having a bit of ease in it.

“I had a nice draw in six, luckily for me the boss is pretty open to how I ride them – I’m riding them on instinct a lot of the time. I thought they went a nice gallop in front, but he is a horse who doesn’t do anything quickly, so I was glad I was able to sit one off the fence so that I could angle out nice and early. He didn’t do anything too quick from the three to the two, but once we got inside the two-furlong pole, he stayed on well. He is probably a horse who could get a mile.”