QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes |
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| Group 1, Ascot 14:00 £600,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 15th October 2016 | |
1 The Tin Man 13/2
2 Growl 50/1
3 Brando 14/1
NR: Mobsta (IRE)
13 ran Distances: 1l, shd, ½l
TIME 1m 12.15s (fast by 0.45s)
The Tin Man, trained in Newmarket by James Fanshawe, won the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes for the Fred Archer Racing syndicate.
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Fourth in this race last year - when Muhaaarar won - The Tin Man had not won at the top level before, but being a four-year-old gelding he could race on for many years. A 13/2 shot, ridden by Tom Queally, he scored by a length and a short-head from Growl (50/1) and Brando (14/1), and became Fanshawe's second victory in the race - Deacon Blues, a half-brother to The Tin Man, won it in 2011, and the stable also landed the 2013 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes with Seal Of Approval.
Fanshawe said: "He's been a very difficult horse to get right this year - in the Spring he didn't really thrive, and while I thought I'd got him right for Royal Ascot it didn't work out. Then the ground came up soft at Haydock [Sprint Cup] and so this is the first time this year we've had a really clear run with him, although it's easy to say in hindsight.
"It's been a really big team effort to get him right for today. Jacko [his wife] started the Fred Archer Syndicate - Archer built my yard. He's a very exciting horse and on his day he's very good, but you've got to get them right.
"It's great for Tom [Queally] who has been a big help to the yard this year - he rode him really coolly and stuck to the way he said he would ride him and it's great to see him riding a Group One winner again.
"It's also great for my son Tom [19], who rides the horse out every day - he's at the University of Pegasus Stables!"
The Richard Fahey-trained Growl was a fast-finishing length-second, outrunning his odds of 50/1.
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The four-year-old, stepping up to Group One company for the first time today, has been improving all year and finished a length and a quarter-second to Brando in the Ayr Gold Cup in September.
Fahey said: "I was delighted with that performance. I would like to see the race again as I had four runners in the race so I don't know where he came from.
"Graham said he was always travelling really well and I thought he was going to run a big race so it is a great result. It was a huge run and we are happy."
Fahey suggested a possible trip to Dubai next year could be on the cards for the four-year-old son of Oasis Dream. He remarked: "Marwan [Koukash, owner] mentioned Dubai for him when I spoke to him just now and that could be an option. He seems to go on any ground as well which helps.
"His run shows what a tough race the Ayr Gold Cup is to win and he has improved again today."
Graham Lee, Growl's jockey, said: "He has run a brilliant race. Everything went perfect for him in the race, we had a great run through and he has run a great race at a huge price."
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 2)
£600,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 1
13 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (3) | The Tin Man 13/2 | T P Queally 9-2 |
J R Fanshawe | 4 | |
| 2nd | (8) | 1 | Growl 50/1 | G Lee 9-2 |
R A Fahey | 4 |
| 3rd | (7) | s.h | Brando 14/1 | T Eaves 9-2 |
K A Ryan | 4 |
| 4th | (2) | ½ | Signs Of Blessing (IRE) 9/1 | S Pasquier 9-2 |
Francois Rohaut | 5 |
| 5th | (1) | s.h | Don't Touch 33/1 | T Hamilton 9-2 |
R A Fahey | 4 |
| 6th | (6) | 1½ | Librisa Breeze 6/1 | R Winston 9-2 |
D K Ivory | 4 |
| 7th | (9) | 1¼ | Quiet Reflection 4/1j | D C Costello 8-12 |
K R Burke | 3 |
| 8th | (4) | ¾ | Jack Dexter 100/1 | D Tudhope 9-2 |
J S Goldie | 7 |
| 9th | (5) | 1½ | Mr Lupton (IRE) 33/1 | J P Spencer 9-1 |
R A Fahey | 3 |
| 10th | (10) | ¾ | Shalaa (IRE) 4/1j | L Dettori 9-1 |
J H M Gosden | 3 |
| 11th | (11) | 5 | Twilight Son 5/1 | R L Moore 9-2 |
H Candy | 4 |
| 12th | (14) | nk | Mecca's Angel (IRE) 8/1 | P Mulrennan 8-13 |
M Dods | 5 |
| 13th | (13) | 3¼ | Donjuan Triumphant (IRE) 40/1 | Alexis Badel 9-1 |
R A Fahey | 3 |
| WN | (12) | Mobsta (IRE) 66/1 | P J Smullen 9-2 |
M R Channon | 4 |
