Pommery Champagne Stakes
Group 2, Doncaster 15:00
£75,000 added,
2yo only, 7f 6y,
Class 1   
Saturday 14th September 2019

Free Racing Tips

1 Threat 6/5F
2 Royal Crusade 9/4
3 Juan Elcano 4/1
5 ran Distances: nk, ¾l, ½l
Time: 1m 25.42s (slow by 2.92s)

The Richard Hannon-trained Threat has been one of the leading lights of the juvenile scene this season, finishing second at both Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood before hitting the target in the Gimcrack Stakes at York.

Burdened with a 3lb penalty and keen through the early stages of this Group Two affair, he settled down and loomed large full of running well over two furlongs out, although Royal Crusade was also on the premises and did not go down without a fight.

The pair battled it out through the closing stages, but the 6-5 favourite always looked to be just holding the upper hand and in the end had a neck to spare, despite jinking slightly to his right as the line approached.

Hannon said: “When you see what he does at home you think, ‘how good can he be?’, but on track he just does what he has to do. He had a 3lb penalty there and it was quite cosy.

“He’s a stallion for the Thompsons (Cheveley Park Stud) now, which is important – he’s won two Group Twos.

“He’s in all the end-of-season Group Ones and we’ll just see where he ends up. We’ll work back from the Guineas.”

Charlie Appleby was happy with the effort of Royal Crusade, whose only previous run was in a novice event at Nemwarket last month.

He said: “The winner, as you could tell from the way he travelled, just has the experience. For just the second run of his career, I’m delighted. For a few strides when he hit the front I thought he was going to win.

“He lost nothing in defeat, it was a nice run and William (Buick) said he showed a nice bit of class and he should have no trouble with a mile next year.

“He’s in all the nice races at the end of the year and we’ll make a call in the next week or two.”

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Pommery Champagne Stakes (Group 2)
£75,000 added, 2yo only, 7f 6y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Firm

POS (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (3)    Threat 2 9-3 Richard Hannon Pat Dobbs 6/5F
2 (2) nk Royal Crusade 2 9-0 Charlie Appleby William Buick 9/4
3 (1) ¾ Juan Elcano 2 9-0 Kevin Ryan Andrea Atzeni 4/1
4 (4) ½ Fort Myers 2 9-0 A P O'Brien Donnacha O'Brien 8/1
5 (5) 3¼ Royal Dornoch 2 9-0 A P O'Brien P B Beggy 20/1

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RECENT WINNERS
Year Horse Trainer Jockey Owner SP

2018 Too Darn Hot
2017 Seahenge
2016 Rivet W J Haggas Andrea Atzeni The Starship Partnership 7/4f
2015 Emotionless C Appleby W Buick Godolphin 8/13f
2014 Estidhkaar Richard Hannon Paul Hanagan Hamdan Al Maktoum 10/11f
2013 Outstrip Charlie Appleby Mikael Barzalona Godolphin 13/8 jf
2012 Toronado Richard Hannon Richard Hughes Carmichael Humber 11/4
2011 Trumpet Major Richard Hannon Richard Hughes John Manley 7/1
2010 Saamidd Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 5/6 fav
2009 Poet’s Voice Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 10/1
2008 Westphalia Aidan O’Brien IRE Johnny Murtagh M Tabor, D Smith, S Magnier 100/30
2007 McCartney Mark Johnston Ryan Moore Sheikh Mohammed 8/1
2006 Vital Equine Eoghan O'Neill Richard Mullen Fasthandle Ltd 16/1
2005 DH Close To You Terry Mills John Egan Miss J A Leighs 8/1
DH Silent Times Eoghan O'Neiill Jamie Spencer John Fretwell 6/1
2004 Etlaala Barry Hills Richard Hills Hamdan Al Maktoum 6/1
2003 Lucky Story Mark Johnston Darryll Holland Abdulla Buhaleeba 2/1
2002 Almushahar David Loder Frankie Dettori Hamdan Al Maktoum 8/11 fav
2001 Dubai Destination David Loder Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 3/1
2000 Noverre David Loder FR Frankie Dettori Godolphin SNC 7/2
1999 Distant Music Barry Hills Michael Hills Khalid Abdullah 13/8 fav

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