Norfolk Stakes |
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| Group 2, Ascot 14:30 £100,000 added, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1  |
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| Thursday 22nd June 2017 | |
1 Sioux Nation 14/1
2 Santry 13/2
3 Cardsharp 8/1
17 ran NR: Rock Of Estonia Distances: ½l, 1½l, ¾l
Time: 1m 0.88s (slow by 1.88s)
Aidan O'Brien's Sioux Nation wins under Ryan Moore
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Well positioned throughout the five-furlong event by Moore, the two-year-old son of Scat Daddy ran on tenaciously in the closing stages to score by half-a-length from Declan Carroll's Santry in second.
The Mark Johnston-trained Cardsharp, was a further length and a half back in third.
Sioux Nation was one of a four-strong group who came up the far-side rail, quelling speculation for Moore that there had been a bias for horses drawn on the stands' side over the first two days.
He said: "There is nothing wrong with the track and it was just that the pace has been down the stands' side rail so far.
"It was just that over the first couple of days, the pace was towards the stands' side and that was the difference.
"I would have been better off on the other side as there were more horses and I would have got more of a lead, but the track is not a problem.
"The ground is probably even everywhere but, in all of the races over the first couple of days, the pace was always low (sic). You will see in the Britannia later today that the pace is low again.
"Luckily, we had speed where we were and we were kind of always ahead. I wouldn't read too much into the track or the draw - this is a very good colt. When you see how big he is, he needed his first run and then the ground has gone against him."
Moore, who was also providing the master of Ballydoyle with his 57th winner at the Royal Meeting and second winner of the week, pointed to the ground as a pivotal factor for his colt, continuing: "This horse needs good, fast ground.
"He has got back on that ground today and always travelled like the winner. He was a bit lonely on his own but he is a very good colt.
"The ground is the same as the first two days. It has had a bit of damage but it is the same."
Norfolk Stakes
£100,000 added, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1
17 ran
Good to Firm (Watered)
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (2) | Sioux Nation (USA) 14/1 | R L Moore 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 2 | |
| 2nd | (16) | ½ | Santry (IRE) 13/2j | Jim Crowley 9-1 |
D Carroll | 2 |
| 3rd | (15) | 1½ | Cardsharp 8/1 | James Doyle 9-1 |
M Johnston | 2 |
| 4th | (3) | ¾ | Frozen Angel (IRE) 9/1 | R Kingscote 9-1 |
Tom Dascombe | 2 |
| 5th | (5) | 1 | It Dont Come Easy (IRE) 8/1 | P Hanagan 9-1 |
R A Fahey | 2 |
| 6th | (17) | nse | True Blue Moon (IRE) 16/1 | D O'Brien 9-1 |
Joseph P O'Brien | 2 |
| 7th | (10) | nk | Mcerin (USA) 13/2j | David Flores 9-1 |
Wesley Ward | 2 |
| 8th | (18) | 1¼ | Koditime (IRE) 9/1 | A Kirby 9-1 |
C G Cox | 2 |
| 9th | (6) | nk | Consequences (IRE) 16/1 | D Tudhope 9-1 |
D O'Meara | 2 |
| 10th | (14) | 1½ | Havana Grey 7/1 | P McDonald 9-1 |
K R Burke | 2 |
| 11th | (7) | nse | Billy Dylan (IRE) 50/1 | S M Levey 9-1 |
R Hannon | 2 |
| 12th | (4) | 2 | Nine Below Zero 9/1 | P J Smullen 9-1 |
R M Beckett | 2 |
| 13th | (12) | 1¾ | Pilkington 50/1 | P Mulrennan 9-1 |
D O'Meara | 2 |
| 14th | (13) | 1¼ | Viscount Loftus (IRE) 20/1 | S De Sousa 9-1 |
M Johnston | 2 |
| 15th | (11) | 3 | Gift In Time (IRE) 40/1 | Joe Doyle 9-1 |
J G Given | 2 |
| 16th | (9) | 5 | New Empire 100/1 | M Harley 9-1 |
P W Chapple-Hyam | 2 |
| 17th | (8) | 23 | Poorauldjosephine 200/1 | Liam Jones 8-12 |
D Flood | 2 |
| NR | (1) | Rock of Estonia (IRE) | J P Spencer 9-1 |
C Hills | 2 |
BAD LUCK OF THE DRAW BEATS SANTRY IN THE NORFOLK
Champion jockey Jim Crowley was rueing the luck of the draw after finishing second on Santry.
"I am bloody pissed off!" sighed Crowley. "If the other horse had been my side, we'd have won. My horse just gets to the front and thinks he's done enough. He always had everything beat on the stands' side, unfortunately he had nothing to battle with.
"He's a very good horse and he handled the ground well."
Santry's trainer Declan Carroll added about the 13/2 joint favourite: "He will go further, I will have a chat with Jim and we'll see how he comes out of this race. He's a nice horse, I am proud of him.
"As Jim says he was just too far wide and Santry won't do a lot in front ¬- he is still a bit juvenile that way. We are just a bit unlucky. He's a lovely horse and easy to do."
Charlie Johnston, son of trainer Mark Johnston, said of the third-placed Cardsharp: "He ran super race. After he got beat here at on his second start we thought he's definitely want six furlongs, but after he then showed so much speed when he won at Beverley we decided to reroute and drop back to five.
"Watching that now, we are thinking we should have run in the six furlong race on Tuesday!
"Cardsharp's run a smashing race - he took a bump from the American horse at the one and half furlong point, just at the wrong time, but he stayed on great from there.
"He can run over five or six and there are plenty options going forward. He's a fun two-year-old for the summer, that's for sure."
