bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes |
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| Group 3, Sandown 14:20 £65,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 7y, Class 1  |
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| Friday 28th April 2017 | |
1 Ulysses 3/1
2
Deauville 9/2
3
My Dream Boat 11/4F
8 ran Distances: 1l, 3l, 1¾l
Time: 2m 14.16s (slow by 8.86s)
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Last seen finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, he looks the stereotypical older horse with which Stoute does so well.
Beautifully bred, by champion sire Galileo out of an Oaks winner in Light Shift, he was a Group Three winner last season but seems set to be a player in all the major prizes this season.
Ryan Moore tried to make all on Deauville and having fended off the challenge of Royal Artillery, probably felt he would go on to win, but Andrea Atzeni cruised by under hands and heels to win by a length at 3-1, with 11-4 favourite My Dream Boat getting going too late in third.
Atzeni said: "He travelled nicely and settled which was the most important thing.
"The ground is pretty slow out there, but he wouldn't want it any slower than that. He picked up well when I wanted him to.
"He's a different horse this year, much stronger and mentally more mature, he's a horse with a bright future.
"I'd say 10 furlongs is his trip, but he hit the line quite strong."
Alan Cooper, racing manager to winning owners Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, said: "He did that very smoothly and he picked up gently to do it well.
"The thought at the moment is to stay at 10 furlongs rather than 12 and that is why he has entries in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Prince of Wales's Stakes.
"We'll see what Sir Michael would like to do, as he is the boss.
"The ground was a little bit slower than ideal, but he handled it well."
He added: "Let's get through May and June and then think about July (Coral Eclipse), but he's a course and distance winner so why not think about it?"
Roger Varian will take aim at an Oaks trial next for Serenada (2-1) after she completed a double for the Newmarket handler, and the final leg of a treble for Atzeni, with a short-head success in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden.
Varian said: "She showed good fighting qualities today and I think she will improve for the run as she is not quite there in her coat. We will see how she comes out of it and look at trying one of the Oaks trials to test her credentials."
Jumira Bridge (11-4) provided Varian and Atzeni with an earlier victory when obliging by half a length in the five-furlong handicap.
Bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes
£65,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 7y, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
| Pos | Draw | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (6) | Ulysses (IRE) 3/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-0 |
Sir Michael Stoute | 4 | |
| 2nd | (5) | 1 | Deauville (IRE) 9/2 | R L Moore 9-0 |
A P O'Brien | 4 |
| 3rd | (1) | 3 | My Dream Boat (IRE) 11/4f | A Kirby 9-0 |
C G Cox | 5 |
| 4th | (8) | 1¾ | Royal Artillery (USA) 3/1 | L Dettori 9-0 |
J H M Gosden | 4 |
| 5th | (4) | s.h | Muntazah 16/1 | Jim Crowley 9-0 |
Owen Burrows | 4 |
| 6th | (2) | 2½ | Arthenus 20/1 | T P Queally 9-0 |
J R Fanshawe | 5 |
| 7th | (3) | ½ | First Sitting 33/1 | Harry Bentley 9-0 |
C F Wall | 6 |
| 8th | (7) | 1¼ | Restorer 50/1 | M Dwyer 9-0 |
W R Muir | 5 |
