Glorious Goodwood

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Zidane Overcomes Negatives For Last-gasp Win
04/08/07

1st 20 Zidane 6/1 FAV
2nd 3 Borderlescott 12/1
3rd 22 Knot In Wood 7/1
4th 14 That's Hot 33/1

Zidane may have been drawn in the stall no-one wanted but that didn’t stop James Fanshawe’s charge lifting the bluesquare.com Stewards’ Cup by a short-head in a last-gasp swoop.

The five-year-old had been the long time ante-post favourite for the six-furlong sprint until the failure of connections to attend Thursday night’s draw saw him allotted the unwanted 11 stall, and a drift in the market ensued.

Faith in the five-year-old returned in the build-up to the race and he was sent off the 6/1 favourite.

Punters were rewarded as Jamie Spencer brought Zidane with a storming late charge to deny last year’s winner Borderlescott in the final stride of a breath-taking contest.

A delighted Fanshawe said of missing the draw: “It’s a bit embarrassing and I’ve had a lot of stick as you can imagine. It probably turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

“He actually worked badly on Wednesday in his last blow-out and I was worried about the ground too. I rang the owners and said we probably shouldn’t run but they insisted and then we missed the draw.

“The owners have always gone to the Stewards’ Cup draw in the past and we all thought it was Friday and so no-one really questioned that it might actually be on Thursday.”

Zidane was keeping up a family tradition in the bluesquare.com Stewards’ Cup as both his sisters, Frizzante (4th in 2003) and Firenze (3rd in 2006) went close for Fanshawe and owners Jan and Peter Hopper.

The trainer said: “Both his sisters, Frizzante and Firenze, were placed in this race for us.

“He just loves to travel with something to aim at. With two furlongs to race, if you’d asked me if I thought he was going to win I’d have been a bit negative. I watched it on the telly and the fellow next door said we’d won.

“We’ll probably go for black type now. He has the class to hold his own as he has a wonderful turn of foot. He’s been working with Bentley Biscuit who runs in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest in France tomorrow, so it’s quite exciting.”

Winning rider Jamie Spencer said: “His head went right down as we hit the line. He’s some horse.

“I never asked him until two out. You just have to ride him like the star he is. Borderlescott found a bit more when I got to him.”

More bluesquare.com Stewards’ Cup

MORE FROM THE WINNING RIDER

Jamie Spencer, the winning rider, said: “Zidane stuck to it - I must have been 15 to 20 lengths off the leaders at half-way and he picked them off one by one.

“I spokes to James (Fanshawe the trainer) before the race and he was adamant that they would all go down the middle and he said make sure you go down the middle.

“So after a 100 yards I was calling him some names and had to edge back nearer the rail.

“With the ground Zidane made up, he was always going to flatten out 100 yards from the line.

“Then his guts kicked in and he nailed them right on the lollipop.

“At Ascot things did not go right, we had a bad draw and were on the unfavoured ground.

“He’s proved himself a good horse and I would like to think he can step up into Group company.

“When you win these big handicaps, it is like a Group race really.

“I had to give him a few cracks all right but I am sure he won’t mind.”

Race 4 - bluesquare.com Stewards’ Cup

BORDERLESCOTT PIPPED IN FOLLOW-UP BID

Little but a sinew separated Zidane and Borderlescott at the finish of this gripping sprint handicap, the £100,000 bluesquare.com Stewards’ Cup.

Borderlescott, last year’s winner, led near the line, but the photograph showed Zidane had scored by an official short-head, while Knot In Wood and That’s Hot were half a length and a head further behind in third and fourth. Given that only one horse has ever won back-to-back runnings of the race it was a heroic effort by the runner-up - Sky Diver, in 1967 and 1968, remains the sole dual winner.

After Royston Ffrench had steered Borderlescott into the place reserved for the second, trainer Robin Bastiman admitted: “I was spot on the line and I thought he’d won it. He was just beaten and I hate being second. It would have been nice to win it two year’s running, but he’s run his heart out. He’s only small.

“The Ayr Gold Cup is a possible, and the owner’s from Scotland, but there’s also a Listed race at Newmarket at the end of the month. He’s a bit better than a handicapper - I tried him in the best and he wasn’t up to Group One, but it may be a different ball game next year when he could start Listed and work his way up.”

Richard Fahey, trainer of Knot In Wood, expressed surprise that those jockeys drawn high had elected to come back towards the stands’ rail. Fahey said: “He’s run a blinder and Paul [Hanagan] was delighted with him. He said that if he’d been drawn a bit lower - in the middle where no one wanted to be [when the draw was made] - he’d have won. He had to follow them across because you can’t race on your own.

“The race didn’t go to plan, but that’s racing. It was quite a strange race.”

“I just hope the handicapper drops him because he’s due to go up another 6lb. He has to have a stalls test now so there are no plans at the moment, but if the handicapper doesn’t drop him he’ll have to go into Pattern company.”

3.55pm bluesquare.com STEWARDS’ CUP
Class 2, Heritage Handicap, £100,000 guaranteed. For 3yo+, 6f. Weights: highest weight not less than 9st 10lb; minimum weight 7st 12lb. Penalties: after June 30 a winner 3lb; a winner of 2 races 5lb. Weight for age: 3yo from 4yo+ 4lb. Penalty values: 1st: £62,320; 2nd: £18,660; 3rd: £9,330; 4th: £4,670; 5th: £2,330; 6th: £1,170

1) ZIDANE (Jan & Peter Hopper) James Fanshawe 5-9-01 Jamie Spencer [11] 6/1 Fav
2) BORDERLESCOTT (Border Rail & Plant Limited) Robin Bastiman 5-9-09 Royston Ffrench [7] 12/1
3) KNOT IN WOOD (Rhodes, Kenyon & Gill) Richard Fahey 5-8-13 Paul Hanagan [25] 7/1
4) THAT'S HOT (John Burke) Ger Lyons IRE 4-9-03 Richard Quinn [13] 33/1
5) BEAVER PATROL (G C Stevens) Eve Johnson Houghton b1 5-8-10 Richard Hills [6]
6) BALTHAZAAR'S GIFT (Ryder Racing Ltd) Luca Cumani 4-9-13 Kerrin McEvoy [26]
7) FAYR JAG (Jonathan Gill) Tim Easterby 8-9-04 David Allan [12]
8) FANTASY BELIEVER (The Fantasy Fellowship B) John Quinn 9-8-11 Jimmy Fortune [14]
9) PROTECTOR (Joshua Snellings) Gay Kelleway 6-9-04 Ryan Moore [4]
10) INTREPID JACK (Michael Lynch) Hughie Morrison 5-9-05 John Egan [5]
11) GRANTLEY ADAMS (Mrs T G Trant) Michael Channon 4-9-05 Hugh Bowman [10]
12) SOMETHING (John Humphreys) Terry Mills 5-9-05 Johnny Murtagh [3]
13) MACHINIST (Berry & Gould Partnership) David Nicholls 7-8-12 Silvestre De Sousa [16]
14) BENTONG (H R H Sultan Ahmad Shah) Paul Cole t4-8-12 Tolley Dean (5) [8]
15) BECKERMET (Great Head House Taylor Nash Edwards) Roger Fisher 5-9-07 Martin Dwyer [9]
16) ADVANCED (T Doherty & McHeen) Kevin Ryan 4-9-10 Ted Durcan [17]
17) MUTAMARED (Errigal Racing) Kevin Ryan 7-9-02 Neil Callan [27]
18) VIKING SPIRIT (The Masterminds) Walter Swinburn 5-8-12 Adam Kirby [22]
19) THE TATLING (Dab Hand Racing) Milton Bradley 10-9-01 Francis Norton [21]
20) BARON'S PIT (A M Pickering) Ed Vaughan b7-9-02 Dane O'Neill [18]
21) OUT AFTER DARK (The Night Owls) Clive Cox p6-8-05 Luke Morris (5) [24]
22) KOSTAR (Mrs P Scott-Dunn & Mrs F J Ryan) Clive Cox 6-9-01 Philip Robinson [15]
23) KING ORCHISIOS (Mr & Mrs Julian & Rosie Richer) Kevin Ryan p4-9-03 Jamie Moriarty (3) [2]
24) MASTERSHIP (Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum) Clive Brittain b3-8-11 Seb Sanders [1]
25) QADAR (Nigel Shields) Nick Littmoden b5-8-13 Ian Mongan [20]
26) RIPPLES MAID (Rex & David Mead) Jonathan Geake 4-8-12 Travis Block (3) [19]
27) BOND CITY (Reg Bond) Geoff Oldroyd 5-9-04 Chris Catlin [23]

27 ran Non-Runner: Excusez Moi (withdrawn not under starter’s orders)
Time: 1m 10.50s Distances: sh, .5, hd, .5, sh, 1.5, sh, sh, nk, nk, .5, sh, nk, hd, sh, .5, nk, sh, nk, hd, nk, .75, sh, sh, sh, 1.5
Breeder: Jan Hopper & Mrs E M Grundy Breeding: b g Danzero - Juliet Bravo (Glow (USA))
Tote Win: £8.30 Places: £3.10; £3.60; £2.60; £5.00 Exacta: £133.30

Winning trainer:-Name: Fanshawe, James Robert Date of birth:6/8/62. Date of first licence:1990 First winner: Black Sapphire, Salisbury, May 8, 1990 Previous Occupation: Assistant to Michael Stoute and David Nicholson. Wins in a season (1990-2006): 18; 22; 28; 34; 24; 29; 22; 23; 52; 46; 40; 38; 58; 46; 44; 43; 46 Number of horses in training (1990-2007): 32; 51; 78; 71; 82; 76; 62; 59; 58; 65; 98; 87; 84; 110; 106; 105; 103; 101 Wins in 2007: 21 Major wins include: Eclipse Stakes (1991 Environment Friend), Dante Stakes (1991 Environment Friend), Prix Kergorlay (1998 Arctic Owl), Jockey Club Stakes (1998 Arctic Owl), Prix du Cadran (1998 Invermark), Bonusprint Stakes (1999 Arctic Owl), Irish St Leger (2000 Arctic Owl), Fillies’ Mile (2002 Soviet Song), Royal Hunt Cup (2003 Macadamia), Falmouth Stakes (2003 Macadamia, 2004 & 2005 Soviet Song), Darley July Cup (2004 Frizzante), Sussex Stakes (2004 Soviet Song), Blue Square Stewards’ Cup (2007 Zidane) Trains at Pegasus Stables, Newmarket, Suffolk Other details: National Hunt successes include Champion Hurdle (1992 Royal Gait and 2002 Hors La Loi III) Royal Ascot Wins (6): Royal Hunt Cup (2003 Macadamia, 2006 Cesare), Buckingham Palace Stakes (2004 Unscrupulous), Queen Alexandra Stakes (2005 Cruzspiel), Windsor Forest Stakes (2006 Soviet Song), Britannia Handicap (2006 Sir Gerard) First Goodwood winner: Stylish Senor (July 30, 1991 - Gordon Stakes) Goodwood wins: 27 (7 at July Meeting).

Winning jockey:-Name: Spencer, James (Jamie) Peter Date of Birth: 08/06/1980 British Classic Wins: St Leger (2003 Brian Boru) Achievements: Champion Jockey in 2005 with 162 wins that Turf season. First jockey since 1885 to complete the Autumn Double (2006 Formal Decree and Detroit City) Major wins include: Cambridgeshire (2006 Formal Decree), Cesarewitch (2006 Detroit City), Champion Stakes (2005 David Junior), Dubai Duty Free (2006 David Junior), Eclipse Stakes (2006 David Junior), Falmouth Stakes (2003 Macadamia), Irish 1,000 Guineas (1998 Tarascon, 2002 Gossamer), Jockey Club Stakes (2002 Marienbard), Lockinge Stakes (2007 Red Evie), Matron Stakes (Red Evie), Moyglare Stud Stakes (2000 Sequoyah), Nunthorpe Stakes (2002 Kyllachy), Prix de l’Abbaye (2006 Desert Lord), Tattersalls Gold Cup (2004 Powerscourt), Weatherbys Champion Bumper (2002 Pizarro), William Hill Sprint Cup (2005 Goodricke), totesport Cambridgeshire (2006 Formal Decree), Blue Square Stewards’ Cup (2001 Guinea Hunter, 2007 Zidane) Wins in Britain (1998-2006): 3, 8, 78, 112, 86, 102, 27, 180* (*Champion Jockey), 155 Other details: Champion apprentice in Ireland 1999. Stable jockey to Aidan O’Brien in 2004, now freelance in Britain Wins in Britain in 2007: 115 Royal Ascot wins: (13) St James’s Palace Stakes (2007 Excellent Art), Coventry Stakes (2001 Landseer), Britannia Handicap (2003 New Seeker), Queen Mary Stakes (2004 Damson), Hampton Court Stakes (2004 Moscow Ballet), King Edward VII Stakes (2004 Five Dynasties), Albany Stakes (2005 La Chunga, 2007 Nijoom Dubai), Windsor Forest Stakes (2006 Soviet Song), Royal Hunt Cup (2006 Cesare), Sandringham Handicap (2006 Red Evie), Britannia Handicap (2006 Sir Gerard), Queen Alexandra Stakes (2007 Enjoy The Moment) First Goodwood win: Rizerie (Celer et Audax Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, June 30, 2000) Goodwood wins: 30 (7 at Festival Meeting)