Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer Stakes
 QuinnBet
Group 3, Newbury 15:00
£37,000 added,
3yo plus,
1m 5f 61y, Class 1   
Saturday 15th August 2020

SureWIn

1 Hukum 4/1
2 Max Vega 6/1
3 Alignak 7/2
7 ran NR: Almania Distances: 2½l, 2¼l, ½l
Time: 2m 53.42s (slow by 7.92s)

Trainer Owen Burrows may yet have his first runner in the St Leger later this season after Hukum scored with an impressive success at Newbury. 

The lightly-raced son of Sea The Stars had little trouble in backing up his King George V Stakes success from Royal Ascot in the Group Three contest over a mile and five furlongs – always travelling well just off the pace before ranging up alongside Max Vega just over a furlong out.

Once in the clear, the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt quickly put daylight between himself and the field under Jim Crowley to cross the line two and a half lengths clear of the game Max Vega. 

Burrows said of his 4-1 scorer: “Jim said he travelled very well, but they didn’t go very quick. He did mention that he thought he would be better going a bit quicker. He was just very impressive. 

“He had never run on soft ground and until they run on it there is always that little worry will they handle it – but he handled it fine. He is strengthening as the year goes on and is very exciting.”

Hukum was introduced at 8-1 for next month’s final Classic at Doncaster by Coral, a race which will now come under serious consideration. 

Burrows said: “I don’t think he will go too much further, but there is the St Leger which has been spoken about. He has got a bit of speed. I don’t think we are necessarily talking about a proper staying horse. I don’t see him as a cup horse at all.

“I will speak with Sheikh Hamdan, Angus (Gold) and Richard (Hills) and make a plan. It is great to have one like him.”

Though Hukum’s latest victory may have only been a Group Three, the Lambourn handler believes he is up there with the best he has trained.

He said: “I was very fortunate early on to have Massaat who was placed in a 2000 Guineas, placed in another Group One and won a Group Two here. For the mile-and-a-half-type of horses he would certainly be up there with the best. Laraaib won a Cumberland Lodge, but this horse has got a bit of class about him.

“When I spoke to Sheikh Hamdan after Royal Ascot he was mindful that this horse will be even better next year.”

BetZone

Geoffrey Freer Stakes
£37,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 5f 61y, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (3)    Hukum 3 8-9 Owen Burrows Jim Crowley 4/1
2 (5) 2½ Max Vega 3 8-9 Ralph Beckett Harry Bentley 6/1
3 (2) 2¼ Alignak 4 9-5 Sir Michael Stoute Oisin Murphy 7/2
4 (1) ½ Morando 7 9-5 Andrew Balding Silvestre De Sousa 3/1F
5 (7) 4¼ Sextant 5 9-5 Sir Michael Stoute Louis Steward 16/1
6 (8) 1 Tritonic 3 8-9 Alan King Andrea Atzeni 9/2
7 (6) 4 Communique 5 9-5 Mark Johnston Adam Kirby 16/1
NR 2 (4) Almania 4 9-5 David Simcock NON RUNNER

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