European Wealth Solario Stakes |
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| Group 3, Sandown Park 14:40 £45,000 added, 2yo only, 7f 16y, Class 1 |
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| Saturday 30th August 2014 | |
1 Aktabantay 9/4
2 Future Empire 5/4F
3 Lexington Times 16/1
NR: Elm Park
5 ran Distances: shd, nk, hd
TIME 1m 29.84s (slow by 2.84s)
Aktabantay come out on top in a photo finish. Cracking race!
Dewhurst or Breeders' Cup likely targets for Aktabantay
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Hugo Palmer's Aktabantay needed all of the seven furlongs and 16 yards to get his head in front and give the Newmarket trainer his first Group success.
Pallister made the running before Lexington Times went on and looked like springing a surprise, but the stiff finish brought the field together and Aktabantay produced a final flourish under Ryan Moore to score by a short head from the 5-4 favourite Future Empire, who also came late.
Moore told Channel 4 Racing: "He got pinched coming out of the stalls and I was sitting five of five and we weren't going mad.
"I didn't want to go all the way round them. I got a nice split through, but Lexington Times got away and pinched a length or two.
"It took him a while to get going too, I think he was just a bit green and inexperienced. Hopefully he'll come on for that."
Palmer added: "Ryan said he got pinched coming out of the stalls and had to sit last. That wasn't the plan, but two down I thought he was going to win easily, but (Richard) Hannon's horse (Lexington Times) kept galloping and it took him a while to get there.
"I don't know whether he wants better ground or a stronger gallop. I dream and hope as we go up in grade they will go faster and that will get him going. You can see why I put cheekpieces on him to make him concentrate.
"It will be up to the owner and I know he is keen on the Dewhurst. I think he will be well suited by the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf over a mile in Santa Anita.
"Outstrip was third in the Dewhurst before winning it last year, so we'll just see. He's a Group winner now and he's a valuable commodity."
European Wealth Solario Stakes
£45,000.00 added, 2yo only, 7f 16y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Soft on Round (Back Straight Good) and 5f is Soft, Good to Soft Places
| Pos | Dist | Horse | Wgt | Jockey | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (3) | Aktabantay | 9-1 | R L Moore | H Palmer | 9/4 | |
| 2nd | (2) | sh | Future Empire | 9-1 | James Doyle | Saeed bin Suroor | 5/4f |
| 3rd | (6) | nk | Lexington Times (IRE) | 9-1 | P J Dobbs | Richard Hannon | 16/1 |
| 4th | (4) | hd | Cock Of The North | 9-1 | Freddie Tylicki | S Dixon | 6/1 |
| 5th | (5) | 3 | Pallister | 9-1 | J Fanning | M Johnston | 7/1 |
| NR | (1) | Elm Park | 9-1 | Oisin Murphy | A M Balding |
