Goodwood Racecourse

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Masterpiece Holds Court in Sussex Stakes
03/08/06

Six-year-old Court Masterpiece, an unlucky second in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, made amends in some style when beating a high-class field to take the Group 1 Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes by two lengths from Soviet Song.

“He was very unlucky at Ascot when nearly knocked over but that’s history and he’s now one of the best milers in Europe,” said winning trainer Ed Dunlop.

“He’s very good round here and won like a really good horse today. The key with him is that he can quicken so well and he did that off a decent pace today, then the gap came nicely and he kept on well.

“He goes on any ground and hopefully this win will find him a`place as a stallion, he’s a horse that’s very dear to hearts.

“He ran very well in Hong Kong last year, finished third in the Lockinge and second in the Queen Anne so I’m very pleased for him to have won this.

“He could stay at a mile but I still think he could be a Group 1 horse on soft ground at six furlongs, last year’s winner of this went for the Haydock Sprint. I’d like to take him to America as a companion for Ouija Board but we’ll so what Sheikh Mohammed wants to do.”

Jimmy Fortune, who partnered the winner, added: “He’s normally a hold-up horse and travels so well. Today everything went his way and he won like a good horse. They’ve gone a real good gallop and it felt to me like a good Group 1. He might well have won at Ascot last time if he had not been badly hampered.”

This was Court Masterpiece’s fourth victory at Goodwood.

SOVIET BACK ON SONG AFTER NEWMARKET FLOP

Soviet Song could not match Court Masterpiece in Glorious Goodwood’s highlight event, the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes, but by finishing runner-up for the second year she returned to something like her best form.

She ran poorly at Newmarket in the Falmouth Stakes behind Rajeem, but trainer James Fanshawe said: “Johnny [Murtagh] said the ground was lovely today, but she may just have got a bit jarred up at Royal Ascot [where she won the Windsor Forest Stakes]. None of my horses that ran at Ascot ran well at Newmarket.

“She’s coming back to something like her best, and I’d like to have another go at something like the Matron Stakes [which Soviet Song won in 2004]. We’ve entered her in the Sun Chariot Stakes this morning, but the main thing is she’s enjoying her racing again.

“It’s going to cost an awful lot of money to get her into the Breeders’ Cup, so you’ll have to talk to her owners [Elite Racing] about that, but in the past she hasn’t lasted [a full season]. This year I think she’ll go on - it’s taken a while for her to come and she’s run well today. Don’t forget this was her final race last season, but her feet are in good nick and she’s come to herself now.”

Sir Michael Stoute, trainer of third-placed Rob Roy, said: “That’s the first time he’s run well in a Group 1 race. It’s a little too early to make plans, but he’s in the totesport Celebration Mile here and that’s a possibility.”

Owner Philip Newton said of Rob Roy: “I’m delighted. That’s the first time we’ve got him settled and please God he’s not injured. He’s run in three Group 1s and always come back with an injury, but hopefully not this time.

“It’s been bad luck to get stress fractures and shoulder injuries, but he’s a serious piece of kit. We came here today to settle him and that’s worked too, so we’re really pleased.”

La Cucaracha, winner of last year’s Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes, returned right back to her best to come from nearly last to first to capture the Group 3 Audi Stakes by three-quarters of a length.

“This year she had a bit of a low-grade virus but just came back to herself in time for Royal Ascot,” said winning trainer Barry Hills. “The draw didn’t help her that day but she was only beaten a couple of lengths but I think that race might have put her back again.

“I wasn’t particularly happy before the July Cup but she seemed right back and really ready for it today.”

The mare was trimmed from 10/1 to 4/1 with the sponsor for the VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes and Hills added: “She’ll go for the Nunthorpe again and maybe Hong Kong if the ground is quick enough. I think it was a mistake not to have gone for the Abbaye last year because the ground was not that bad.”

Michael Hills, the winning jockey, added: "They went very quick. I've got to be patient on my filly and can't get there too soon. I put here on the bridle and said, 'look, get ready for when it happens', and she was there waiting. As soon as the opening half came, I sent her through, and she just took off.

"The trouble was Neil [Callan] was getting away and the others were dying, so I needed to get through them. Luckily a small opening came and I managed to thread through.

"All credit to my father - he said I was on a different filly today, and the signs over the last 10 days have been very, very good. He was exactly spot on. She was working well and ran a good race in the July Cup, and after that race things were different. She really started to sparkle and improve. They're not machines and you just have to wait for them to happen.

"I presume the Nunthorpe is the target and I'd love a crack at the Hong Kong race at the end of the year. She loves fast ground and as long as conditions are right she'd be there."

Michael Hills, the winning jockey La Cucaracha: "They went very quick. I've got to be patient on my filly and can't get there too soon. I put her on the bridle and said, 'look, get ready for when it happens', and she was there waiting. As soon as the opening half came, I sent her through, and she just took off.

"The trouble was Neil [Callan] was getting away and the others were dying, so I needed to get through them. Luckily a small opening came and I managed to thread through.

"All credit to my father - he said I was on a different filly today, and the signs over the last 10 days have been very, very good. He was exactly spot on. She was working well and ran a good race in the July Cup, and after that race things were different. She really started to sparkle and improve. They're not machines and you just have to wait for them to happen.

"I presume the Nunthorpe is the target and I'd love a crack at the Hong Kong race at the end of the year. She loves fast ground and, as long as conditions are right, she'd be there."

Neil Callan, rider of the runner-up Desert Lord, said: "The horses are running really well, but this fellow was unfortunate because I felt him leaning off the rail the last half furlong and we realised afterwards that he pulled off a shoe on his near fore.

"Because it is slightly downhill, he can get into his stride very fast - he is a very fast horse, probably the fastest horse I have sat on. He has travelled sweetly for me. When I went past the two (furlong pole) and let him go he actually picked up, and he's gone so quick early on.

"I was unaware it was Michael in behind me but I was going as well as the winner. When I let him down he has actually picked up.

"Kevin (Ryan) has only had him a season. Beaten by a Group One horse like that, we've got to be over the moon, especially as he was only beaten three parts of a length after pulling a shoe off. He won the Dash at Epsom in a fast time so he's a very fast horse, and, hopefully, he's got a bit of youth on his side, so he's good a few years left in him."