Betfred Temple Stakes |
|
| Group 2, Haydock Park £90,000 added, 3yo plus, 5f, Class 1 |
|
| Saturday 24th May 2014 | |
1 Hot Streak 9/4F
2 Pearl Secret 100/30
3 Kingsgate Native 8/1
NR: Sole Power
9 ran Distances: ½l, 3l, nk
TIME 1m 0.15s (slow by 1.65s)
 |
Hot Streak becomes only third 3-y-o winner of the Temple Stakes since 1996 as he justifies 9/4 favouritism.
"I only gave him two flicks.... He's very high-class" says Oisin Murphy.
Kevin Ryan sums up Hot Streak's performance in one word - "Awesome".
The three-year-old turned in a masterclass of sprinting to repel the game Pearl Secret, who carried the same Qatar Racing silks as the winner.
Murphy bounced Hot Streak (9-4 favourite) out of stall seven and soon had him smoothly into his stride at the head of affairs. Pearl Secret, by contrast, came with slightly more protracted tactics on the far rail under Ryan Moore, who made up lots of late ground to succumb by half a length.
Last year's winner Kingsgate Native was third, but another three lengths in arrears.
The race lost a little of its shine following the late defection of excellent Irish sprinter Sole Power because of the softened ground, but Hot Streak's display handsomely compensated for that loss.
Murphy, one of the rising stars of the weighing room, said: "Kevin didn't tie me down to instructions, I'd hoped to make the running as I didn't think I could get across to the rail from my draw.
"He travelled like a superstar and he's won easily. H e's very high class and probably one of the best sprinters now.
"I gave him two flicks, he hasn't had a race - it was like a strong piece of work. He's very high class. He was a steering job and I'm just very grateful for the opportunities."
Hot Streak's odds for both the King's Stand Stakes and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot unsurprisingly shortened to around 5-1 following this Group Two triumph.
Ryan said: "We've always thought the world of him. We know there's more improvement from him and it's all for Royal Ascot now.
"He's an awesome horse. He's the best I've trained, without a shadow of a doubt. He's everything you'd want in a good horse. He's just a wonderful horse to train. He's not ground dependant, he's just one of those real good horses that can cope with everything."
David Barron said of runner-up Pearl Secret: "It was a great run. He obviously handled that ground well and we're delighted to get him back on track.
"It was a shame he couldn't race with the winner. We were trying to get through a gap on the far side and the winner was gone, but he finished well and we're happy.
"I would imagine that (Royal Ascot) will be the plan, but we'll speak to the owners and see what they want to do."
Chris Richardson, racing manager for Kingsgate Native's owners Cheveley Park Racing, said: "It was touch and go whether we ran him because of the ground, but he's run really well.
"He slipped a bit coming out of the stalls and was a bit uptight after that, but we're happy with the way he performed on ground which didn't suit him. He could go for the July Cup next."
Betfred Temple Stakes (British Champions Series)
£100,000 added, 3yo plus, 5f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Soft
| Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
SP Distance |
|
| 1 |
Hot Streak K A Ryan |
Oisin Murphy 8st 10lbs |
9 - 4 Winner |
| 2 |
Pearl Secret T D Barron |
R L Moore 9st 4lbs |
10 - 3 1/2 length |
| 3 |
Kingsgate Native R M H Cowell |
Jim Crowley 9st 4lbs |
8 - 1 3 lengths |
| 4 |
Justice Day D R C Elsworth |
M Barzalona 8st 10lbs |
14 - 1 Neck |
| 5 |
Jack Dexter J S Goldie |
G Lee 9st 4lbs |
6 - 1 Head |
| 6 |
Justineo R Varian |
Andrea Atzeni 9st 4lbs |
11 - 1 2 lengths |
| 7 |
Mirza Rae Guest |
S Sanders 9st 4lbs |
9 - 1 3/4 length |
| 8 |
Hawkeyethenoo J S Goldie |
G Bartley 9st 4lbs |
14 - 1 5 lengths |
| 9 |
Smoothtalkin-rascal D O'Meara |
D Tudhope 9st 4lbs |
25 - 1 4 1/2 lengths |
| NR |
Sole Power E Lynam |
R L Moore 9st 4lbs |
- |
