Neptune Investment Management Gordon Stakes |
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| Group 3, Goodwood 14:30 £80,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f, Class 1 |
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| Wednesday 30th July 2014 | |
1 Snow Sky 9/2
2 Windshear 13/2
3 Somewhat 7/2
NR: Ayrad (IRE)
7 ran Distances: nk, hd, 1l
TIME 2m 33.08s (fast by 0.92s)
Sir Michael Stoute's Lingfield Derby Trial winner Snow Sky takes the Gordon Stakes
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Snow Sky was given a quote of 12/1 for Ladbrokes St Leger by the sponsor following his narrow victory this afternoon.
The son of Nayef, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, was coming in on the back of a fourth in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, having missed the Derby with a setback.
He was produced to lead by James Doyle approaching the final furlong but had to resist the challenges of Windshear and the front-running Somewhat as the winning post loomed. The winning margin was a neck, with a head back to the third.
Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to Snow Sky's owner Khalid Abdullah, said: "Snow Sky has travelled well into the race but, looking at the head on, he saw the bend passing the winning post and just ducked a bit. James straightened him up and once Snow Sky changed his legs, he has gone on again.
"Obviously, the great man (Sir Michael) isn't here and I can't speak for him but I think we will consider the Great Voltigeur Stakes next. It's certainly a possibility now.
"The important thing is that he has come again. Since Ascot he has been very straightforward and worked well.
"He is by Nayef out of a Dansili mare and there is plenty of stamina in the pedigree."
Snow Sky was giving Sir Michael Stoute his 167th Goodwood winner and his 70th at the Glorious meeting.
Trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Richard Hughes must wonder what they should do to change their Glorious Goodwood 2014 fortunes.
Luckless and winless on day one, they suffered another frustrating time in the Gordon Stakes, in which their Windshear became boxed in, then flew down the outside to finish fast and too late into second, beaten a neck.
Following the race Hannon said of Windshear: "He's run a good race."
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Johnston said of Somewhat: "He's run a very good race and Joe [Fanning] confirmed something we already knew that he is quite deceptive. With his big, lumbering stride he looks flat out, and in hindsight Joe wishes he had gone a bit quicker. The horse's stride suggests he is flat out, but he has more to give.
"We've no complaints, because he's run a good race.
"The English St Leger [sponsored by Ladbrokes] is still on his agenda. Earlier this season we thought we would be sticking to a mile and a quarter with him, but as we've seen today he clearly stays. The Leger could be on the cards.
"His stablemate, Hartnell, is more likely to be our Great Voltigeur runner."
Neptune Investment Management Gordon Stakes
£80,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Firm
