Wokingham Stakes |
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| Heritage Handicap, Ascot 17:00 £175,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 2  |
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| Saturday 18th June 2016 | |
1 Outback Traveller 10/1
2 Brando 7/1f
3 Glen Moss 25/1
4 Absolutely So 25/1
5 Buckstay 10/1
NR: George Dryden (IRE)
28 ran Distances: hd, 1½l, ¾l
TIME 1m 14.05s (slow by 1.45s)
Outback Traveller beats Brando in the Wokingham to give Robert Cowell a second Royal Ascot win for the week
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Outback Traveller gave trainer Robert Cowell another big sprint prize after he ran out the gutsy winner of the Wokingham Handicap.
The 10/1 shot was always travelling powerfully for jockey Martin Harley and he boxed on well in the final furlong to deny runner-up (and 7/1 joint-favourite) Brando by a head.
Cowell, who was recording his fourth Royal Ascot winner, revealed after the race that he could drop the winner back in trip as he seeks to step him up in class.
"I need to go back to the yard and see who is training these horses as they need a pay rise!" joked Cowell.
"It's been brilliant. We come to Royal Ascot with chances but we never expect to win. To come away with two winners (Cowell also trained Norfolk Stakes winner Prince Of Lir on Thursday) is pretty remarkable. We do what do and I don't really know what it is. We have a certain way of training and it suits horses. I try and put speed into horses instead of making them stretch out and maybe bring them back to their two-year-old days when they were all sprinters.
"I wouldn't mind dropping him back to five furlongs - I think he's nailed on to win something nice over that trip. Six furlongs just about stretches him in this company but if we drop him to five, he could be even better. I'm blessed to have a really good bunch of riders working for me at the moment, including Martin, who has been a lucky jockey for me. It's been a mind-boggling week and it will take a long time to sink in.
"Tom Morley (son of the co-owner) has been instrumental in buying good horses for me. We go through a process of buying them in the first place and Tom is an important part of that. We've found some really nice horses with him, Prohibit being one (winner of the 2011 King's Stand Stakes) and Goldream was another (winner of the 2015 King's Stand Stakes). There's no real secret to it but we just try and relax them and make them happy.
"This fellow's handicap performances were pretty good last year (for trainer Jeremy Noseda) and he had the form in the book.
"We came here this week with two very good chances and both horses have won. I am delighted with him and Toofi ran a great race as well. It seems that everything has come together this year - I obviously haven't been a naughty boy - and I am absolutely thrilled.
"You can't come here just for a day out - I did that yesterday and it was great fun but I had no horses running - but you have to come here with horses that have chances. It's lucky that I have got some great supporting owners that buy horses that I want to train. Fair dues to them all and Tom Morley.
"I am going to go back and look at my training schedule and find out exactly what I am doing. Whatever I am doing, it is working for the time being but I am going to find what it actually is, because I don't know."
Jockey Martin Harley expressed his delight after Outback Traveller provided him with his first winner of the Royal meeting 2016 and his third winner overall, when the five-year-old landed the Wokingham Handicap by a head, at odds of 10/1.
Harley, who came third in Thursday's Gold Cup on Sheikhzayedroad, said: "Full credit to the horse - he travelled real good. It's hard to know if you are in the right place in these big sprint handicaps but it worked out good and he was very tough.
"I rode him over seven the last day and I got there way too soon. I came into Robert (Cowell, trainer) and said that I thought he could win the Wokingham. Robert has definitely got more speed into him and he has definitely improved him again.
"He doesn't want to get there too soon and Robert told me to ride him whatever way I wanted - he gave me loads of confidence and it worked.
"I wouldn't have liked to have gone another 100 yards. He knows he has done enough - in fairness to him, he stuck his head out - but he has definitely got more speed than he used to have.
"The race worked out well. There was plenty of pace but he took a furlong to get going but when he did he went a good one. I didn't want to get there too soon."
Reflecting on Robert Cowell's good record with sprinters, after landing the Norfolk Stakes on Thursday, Harley commented: "He's done a fantastic job with these sorts of horses."
Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap)
£175,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 2
28 ran
Going: Good to Soft
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (28) | Outback Traveller (IRE) 10/1 | M Harley 9-1 |
R M H Cowell | 5 | |
| 2nd | (11) | hd | Brando 7/1j | T Eaves 9-2 |
K A Ryan | 4 |
| 3rd | (26) | 1½ | Glen Moss (IRE) 25/1 | P Makin 9-1 |
M Dods | 7 |
| 4th | (6) | ¾ | Absolutely So (IRE) 25/1 | Oisin Murphy 9-10 |
A M Balding | 6 |
| 5th | (1) | 1 | Buckstay (IRE) 10/1 | J P Spencer 9-10 |
P W Chapple-Hyam | 6 |
| 6th | (27) | nk | Burnt Sugar (IRE) 20/1 | James McDonald 9-7 |
R Hannon | 4 |
| 7th | (14) | nse | Spring Loaded (IRE) 12/1 | S W Kelly 9-1 |
P W D'Arcy | 4 |
| 8th | (30) | ½ | Toofi (FR) 8/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-4 |
R M H Cowell | 5 |
| 9th | (8) | ½ | Jack Dexter 25/1 | F M Berry 9-3 |
J S Goldie | 7 |
| 10th | (7) | nk | Shared Equity 16/1 | D Nolan 9-1 |
Jedd O'Keeffe | 5 |
| 11th | (3) | hd | Mutawathea 20/1 | Edward Greatrex (5) 9-3 |
S Crisford | 5 |
| 12th | (19) | ½ | Coulsty (IRE) 28/1 | Tom Marquand (3) 9-10 |
R Hannon | 5 |
| 13th | (13) | nk | Dinkum Diamond (IRE) 33/1 | Hector Crouch (5) 9-3 |
H Candy | 8 |
| 14th | (10) | ¾ | Poyle Vinnie 33/1 | Alistair Rawlinson (3) 9-5 |
M Appleby | 6 |
| 15th | (20) | nk | The Happy Prince (IRE) 7/1j | R L Moore 9-2 |
A P O'Brien | 4 |
| 16th | (4) | nk | Accession (IRE) 40/1 | George Wood (7) 9-1 |
C Fellowes | 7 |
| 17th | (2) | ½ | Humidor (IRE) 66/1 | P Cosgrave 9-4 |
George Baker | 9 |
| 18th | (23) | 1 | Tupi (IRE) 20/1 | P J Dobbs 9-10 |
R Hannon | 4 |
| 18th | (18) | d.h | Boom The Groom (IRE) 50/1 | William Carson 9-2 |
A W Carroll | 5 |
| 20th | (21) | s.h | Stepper Point 66/1 | S Hitchcott 9-4 |
W R Muir | 7 |
| 21st | (9) | 1¼ | Huntsmans Close 16/1 | J D Doyle 9-1 |
R Charlton | 6 |
| 22nd | (12) | nse | Interception (IRE) 12/1 | G Baker 9-8 |
D R Lanigan | 6 |
| 23rd | (17) | nk | Majestic Moon (IRE) 40/1 | George Buckell (5) 9-1 |
J Gallagher | 6 |
| 24th | (24) | 1 | Ninjago 14/1 | A Kirby 9-3 |
P T Midgley | 6 |
| 25th | (15) | 1 | Ashpan Sam 66/1 | L Morris 9-1 |
David Drinkwater | 7 |
| 26th | (5) | 3¼ | B Fifty Two (IRE) 33/1 | D Holland 9-1 |
C Hills | 7 |
| 27th | (25) | 3¼ | Salateen 25/1 | D Tudhope 9-3 |
D O'Meara | 4 |
| 28th | (16) | 3¼ | Flash Fire (IRE) 20/1 | W Buick 9-10 |
C Appleby | 4 |
| NR | (29) | George Dryden (IRE) 16/1 | Non Runner 9-4 |
Mrs A Duffield | 4 |
BRANDO - GROUP TWO NEXT?
Brando, who has been progressing of late showed his ability when running the Outback Traveller to a head.
The four-year-old Pivitol gelding, who was sent off the 17/1 joint favourite, has run in handicaps so far this year but his trainer Kevin Ryan thinks that a Group Two at the Curragh (July 16) could be his next target. "I wouldn't be surprised if I did go for it as the big sprint handicaps like the Stewards Cup or an Ayr Gold Cup can sometimes be tricky. I wouldn't go any further in trip with him but I would take him back to five furlongs." he said, adding: "It was a fantastic run. Tom (Eaves) gave him a great ride. He travelled well, Tom had him in a position where he was going to get a run either way. Tom said he could see the other horses going to go and he had to go as well. His group fell away a little then but he stuck to it well."
"He's a young horse who is progressing and progressing at a rate of knots."
Phillip Makin, rider of the third home Glen Moss, commented after the race: "It was a real good run, probably the run of his life. I was a little bit concerned about the draw to start with but it turned out all right. He's run very well."
Glen Moss holds an entry for the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket's July Meeting and Makin said: "He has run very well over seven-furlongs so I don't see why he wouldn't do well there."
Past results
2015-WINNER-INTERCEPTION 5-9-03 Owner-Bjorn Nielsen; Trainer-David Lanigan; Jockey-George Baker; SP-10/1
2ND-Robert Le Diable 6-9-05 Owner-Bryan Lynam; Trainer-Didier Prod'homme FR; Jockey-Damien Oliver; SP-12/1
3RD-Lancelot Du Lac 5-9-05 Owner-Michael & Heather Yarrow; Trainer-Dean Ivory; Jockey-Robert Winston; SP-25/1
4TH-Related 5-8-12 Owner-J Barnett & M Caine; Trainer-David Simcock; Jockey-Fergus Sweeney; SP-50/1
25 ran; Time-1m 13.20s; Dist-11⁄4, 1, 3⁄4 7/1 Fav Watchable (5th)
2014-WINNER-BACCARAT 5-9-02 Owner-Sir Robert Ogden; Trainer-Richard Fahey; Jockey-George Chaloner; SP-9/1
2ND-Professor 4-9-08 Owner-Poilin Good; Trainer-Richard Hannon; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-10/1
3RD-Rivellino 4-9-04 Owner-Melba Bryce; Trainer-Karl Burke; Jockey-William Buick; SP-25/1
4TH-Alben Star 6-9-04 Owner- J Shannon & M Scaife; Trainer-Richard Fahey; Jockey-Paul Hanagan; SP-16/1
28 ran; Time-1m 12.09s; Dist-11⁄2, 3⁄4, nk 4/1 Fav Absolutely So (15th)
2013-WINNER-YORK GLORY 5-9-02 Owner-Salman Rashed & Mohamed Khalifa; Trainer-Kevin Ryan; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP-14/1
2ND-Shropshire 5-9-01 Owner-Catherine Corbett & Chris Wright; Trainer-Charlie Hills; Jockey-James McDonald; SP-12/1
3RD-Dinkum Diamond 5-9-02 Owner-Eight Star Syndicate; Trainer-Henry Candy; Jockey-Cathy Gannon; SP-22/1
4TH-Khubala 4-9-05 Owner-Pinar Araci Bas; Trainer-Hugo Palmer; Jockey-Frankie Dettori; SP-16/1
26 ran; Time-1m 13.79s; Dist-13⁄4, 1, 3⁄4 6/1 Fav Gabriel’s Lad (9th)
2012-WINNER-DANDY BOY 6-9-08 Owner-Malih Al Basti; Trainer-David Marnane IRE; Jockey-Pat Dobbs; SP-33/1
2ND-Waffle 6-9-02 Owner-Laurence O’Kane & Paul Murphy; Trainer-David Barron; Jockey-Fran Berry; SP-11/1
3RD-Hawkeyethenoo 6-9-04 Owner-Johnnie Delta Racing; Trainer-Jim Goldie; Jockey-Graham Lee; SP-20/1
4TH-Morache Music 4-9-07 Owner- R P Marchant, D M Ahier & Mrs E Lee; Trainer-Peter Makin; Jockey-Seb Sanders; SP-20/1
28 ran; Time-1m 13.87s; Dist-11⁄4, 1⁄2, sh 15/2 Fav Lightning Cloud (9th)
