Saturday 23 May 2015 17:41, UK
A round-up of the pick of the action from Goodwood where The Corsican left connections dreaming of Royal Ascot.
The Corsican's connections are dreaming of Royal Ascot after the four-year-old was produced late by Jim Crowley to make a winning return after 254 days off the track in the 888sport Festival Stakes at Goodwood.
David Simcock's lightly-raced colt, who was last seen landing a Doncaster handicap in September, was held up at the rear until well into the straight when he made his challenge on the outside to book his ticket for next month's showpiece meeting.
Educate and the pace-setting Lamar were duelling for honours when The Corsican (7-2) was produced to lead inside the final furlong and beat the former by a cosy two lengths.
The long-absent former Royal Ascot winner Remote had to settle for fifth on his first start for 702 days.
Simcock said: "He's always shown plenty of ability and is naturally progressive and going the right way.
"He's also slightly ground dependent and would not want it too quick. Jim struggled to pull him up today, which is a good sign, but I'm now faced with a dilemma over where to go with him.
"His entries are quite grand. We are looking at a choice between the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Hardwicke."
The Corsican was cut to around 20 and 25/1 by bookmakers for the Prince of Wales's from 33s and 40s.
Graham Lee, who missed his ride on Grandeur in the first race after being stuck in traffic, wasted no time in making his presence felt as he struck on Ayrad (7-2) in the 888sport Tapster Stakes.
Regarded highly enough to run in the French Derby last year, Ayrad justified the faith held in him as he took this Listed prize on the back of a warm-up run in the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown a month ago.
Lee weaved Roger Varian's charge through on the far rail to hit the front in the closing stages and hold Rawaki by half a length.
The jockey explained why he had been late arriving at the Sussex course.
"The M1 was shut and it was bottle-necked after that. I left my house near Ripon at 7am," he said.
Will Johnson, Varian's pupil assistant, said of the winner: "He's come on for his first run which he needed and his subsequent work at home has been nothing short of brilliant, so we came here with plenty of confidence.
"He was down the class ladder from Group to Listed and stepping up to a more suitable trip, and Graham gave him the perfect ride.
"We'll reassess our options after seeing how he comes out of it."
Enlace (12-1) just got the verdict by a nose from the lunging King To Be in the 888sport Handicap.
The Mark Johnston-trained filly made a lot of the running under Nicky Mackay and, after getting the better of Mullionheir, appeared to have seen off all-comers.
Cam Hardie conjured a last-gasp effort out of the unlucky-in-running King To Be, but the post came a fraction too late. The first two were a length and three-quarters ahead of the others, headed by Mullionheir.
Deirdre Johnston, the trainer's wife and assistant, said: "That made me sweat, I thought that right on the line we were beaten, but it's a tremendous relief.
"We'd had the task of finding a situation that would tick all the boxes so that she could get her head in front.
"I think the ground, which was loose on top, made the difference. It suited the filly but not so much our other runner Mister Universe.
"It's a nice win for Nicky Mackay. He's a capable rider and we use him on and off."
Quest For More (9-2) held the late challenge of Oasis Fantasy to take the Lindsay Silver Anniversary Handicap.
Roger Charlton's stayer stormed past long-time leader Boite just inside the final furlong but had to rousted by Jimmy Fortune to keep the runner-up at bay by half a length.
Fortune said: "They put him up 6lb for coming second last time so it was a good effort to win today. He'd been a bit keen for his own good at Newmarket, but not today."
Bournemouth Belle (5-6 favourite), the first of Canford Cliff's offspring to run for the Richard Hannon yard, duly landed the odds in the ebfstallions.com Maiden Fillies' Stakes under Pat Dobbs.
Third on her first start, she was an appropriate winner for the stable responsible for the stallion's racing career that saw him win five Group Ones including the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Sussex Stakes.
Owner Jeremy Gompertz said: "Her name derives from the fact that she's by Canford Cliffs, and that they are near Bournemouth, but also after the steam locomotive the Bournemouth Belle that used to run between the town and London."
Black Cherry (6-4 favourite), ridden by 3lb claimer Cam Hardie, gave the Hannon team a double when justifying market support in the EBF Stallions Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
The Milton Bradley-trained Divine Call (20-1) pounced late to claim the Federation Of Bloodstock Agents Stakes (Veterans' Handicap) under a strong Franny Norton drive by a length from Langley Vale.
