Arqana July Stakes |
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| Group 2, Newmarket 14:40 £80,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1  |
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| Thursday 9th July 2015 | |
1 Shalaa 14/1
2 Steady Pace 9/2C
3 Elronaq 11/2
9 ran Distances: 1l, 2l, nk
TIME 1m 11.19s (slow by 0.99s)
John Gosden sends out Newmarket double as Shalaa stamps authority on the Arqana July Stakes for Robert Havlin
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Shalaa bounded away from his rivals in the closing stages to easily land the Arqana July Stakes at Newmarket.
The Invincible Spirit colt travelled well throughout for Rab Havlin before being asked to go and win the race.
Shalaa (14-1) produced a decisive turn of foot to go on and score by a length from Steady Pace, despite drifting over to the far rail. Elronaq was two lengths away third.
The victory gave John Gosden a quick double after the success of Mr Singh in the Bahrain Trophy.
Shalaa had gone into the race as second string for owners Al Shaqab Racing, with Frankie Dettori choosing Eltezam, who faded in the final furlong after being prominent.
Havlin said: "Before he ran this year we thought he could be a Coventry horse. He just needed a couple of days away from the yard to learn how to do everything right.
"He put it all together today and did it well.
"He travelled with a lot of ease through the race and it was just a matter of pressing the button. When he stopped quickening he started idling, so there was a bit left in the tank."
Gosden said: "He's a horse that just needs to settle a bit and I'd love to see him relax a bit more.
"Frankie rode him the other day and said he had to ride the horse that was third in the Coventry (Eltezam). Rab knows this horse well at home and they had confidence in each other, which is very important.
"We did plan to have him as a Coventry horse, but he was still a little bit nervous.
"When we ran him first time at Newbury he got stage fright, so we brought him here and schooled him and gave him a stalls test which he passed.
"He's a talented horse and has always been our fastest two-year-old this year. The plan now is to go for the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood."
Arqana July Stakes (Group 2)
£80,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good to Firm
| Dr | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (3) | Shalaa (IRE) 14/1 | R Havlin 9-0 |
J H M Gosden | 2 | |
| 2nd | (5) | 1 | Steady Pace 9/2c | James Doyle 9-0 |
S bin Suroor | 2 |
| 3rd | (9) | 2 | Elronaq 11/2 | P Hanagan 9-0 |
C Hills | 2 |
| 4th | (8) | nk | Eltezam (IRE) 9/2c | L Dettori 9-0 |
R Hannon | 2 |
| 5th | (1) | ½ | Orvar (IRE) 8/1 | R Hughes 9-0 |
R Hannon | 2 |
| 6th | (7) | 1¼ | Areen (IRE) 9/2c | J P Spencer 9-0 |
K A Ryan | 2 |
| 7th | (4) | ½ | Sixth Sense (IRE) 7/1 | W Buick 9-0 |
M Johnston | 2 |
| 8th | (2) | 2¾ | Sandahl (IRE) 25/1 | R Kingscote 9-0 |
R M Beckett | 2 |
| 9th | (6) | 2¾ | Experto Crede (IRE) 9/1 | R L Moore 9-0 |
Ed Walker | 2 |
