William Hill Celebration Mile
Group 2, Goodwood 14:40
£150,000 guaranteed,
3yo plus,
1m, Class 1   
Saturday 26th August 2023

Boylesports

1 Angel Bleu 9/2
2 Knight 11/2
3 Charyn 4/1
7 ran NR: Aldaary Distances: ½l, 1¼l, ¾l
Time: 1m 44.67s (slow by 7.87s)

A dual Group One-winning two-year-old in France a couple of seasons ago, Ralph Beckett’s Angel Bleu has largely struggled since, although he did land a Listed prize at Haydock in May.

He was unable to make an impact in either the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in June or the Summer Mile at the Berkshire track last month, but showed his true colours back in more demanding conditions on the Sussex Downs.

With heavy rain during the morning turning the ground soft, Hector Crouch tracked the favourite Epictetus into the straight aboard 9-2 shot Angel Bleu, but had to move around the market leader soon after as he faltered disappointingly.

Angel Bleu looked booked for minor honours at best after Charyn came from the rear to grab the lead, but the Beckett runner finished off strongly to get up and beat the rallying Knight by half a length, with Charyn beaten into third.

The trainer was also on the mark at York with Kinross and Newmarket with Lezoo.

“It’s always the old boys that get you out of trouble, I’m thrilled to bits because it didn’t really happen for him at three,” Beckett told ITV Racing.

“That rain was very helpful for him this morning.

“I think I’m right in saying that’s Hector’s biggest win (Group Two) so I’m pleased for him, too.”

SureWIn

Celebration Mile (Group 2)
£150,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (3)    Angel Bleu 4 9-6 Ralph Beckett Hector Crouch 9/2
2 (2) ½ Knight 3 9-0 Simon & Ed Crisford James Doyle 11/2
3 (8) 1¼ Charyn 3 9-0 Roger Varian David Egan 4/1
4 (1) ¾ Holguin 3 9-0 Andrew Balding David Probert 11/1
5 (6) 2¼ Epictetus 3 9-0 John & Thady Gosden Kieran Shoemark 15/8F
6 (5) 4¼ Random Harvest 5 9-3 Ed Walker Saffie Osborne 17/2
7 (4) ¾ Galeron 3 9-0 Charles Hills Tom Queally 16/1
NR 1 (7) /1-424 Aldaary 5 9-6 William Haggas NON RUNNER

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