Norfolk Stakes |
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| Group 2, Ascot 14:25 Winner: £29,600, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1  |
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| Friday 19th June 2020 | |
1 The Lir Jet 9/2
2 Golden Pal 12/1
3 Imperial Force 15/2
12 ran NR: Emirati Dirham, Get It
Distances: nk, 3l, 2½l Time: 1m 1.55s (slow by 2.55s)
Thriller in the Norfolk!
— Timeform (@Timeform) June 19, 2020
THE LIR JET stays on strongly and gets up on the line under @oismurphy on his first run for @Qatar_Racing!pic.twitter.com/HspWFUPqtS
It looked as if American challenger Golden Pal had it in the bag but a strong run from The Lir Jet in the closing stages saw the latter get up to score by a neck.
It was an eighth Royal Ascot victory for Newmarket-based Bell and a fifth for Oisin Murphy – the jockey’s second win of the week following Sir Busker in Wednesday’s Silver Royal Hunt Cup.
The winner is now unbeaten in two starts, having won on debut at Yarmouth on June 3, when he was owned by the trainer’s son Nick. Following that win, the two-year-old Prince Of Lir colt was purchased by Qatar Racing.
Michael Bell said: “During the race, I was a bit worried when the leader went so far clear. Oisin [Murphy] obviously thought he had it in control, but The Lir Jet battled. He is very inexperienced – he had only run the once – and has never had to dig in before because when he won at Yarmouth, he won on the bridle. He has learnt how to race today and I think you will see an even better performance next time, hopefully.
“At Yarmouth he broke the track record, but he did not learn a lot because he went so easy, so today he really had to dig in and learn how to race. I think it’s so good when you see a horse with that sort of attitude, and it bodes very well for the future.
“I think he is all speed; he is by a sprinter out of a Green Desert mare. I think he will definitely get six, but I wouldn’t be thinking he will get further than that.
“The sire [Prince Of Lir] won the Norfolk [in 2016] on soft ground, so we were quite hopeful with the ground, I did not think that would worry him. He has obviously already won on fast ground, so he is one of those lucky horses that goes on anything.
“My son Nick found him from Robson Aguira, who bought him very cheaply and was going to breeze him up. When the breeze-ups were cancelled Robson and Nick came to an arrangement and the horse came to us. Then Sheikh Fahad was watching Yarmouth on telly and sent me a text asking if he was for sale, and the rest is history. A good bit of business for all involved, and very nice for us to have a good winner for a very important owner – it is high profile for us. Any trainer needs good horses and good winners, especially for big operations like Qatar.
“I am particularly pleased because this is very much Nick’s deal and he must take a huge amount of credit.
“My gut feeling is that if The Lir Jet runs in another G2, he’ll be carrying a penalty, so I’d be inclined to point him at something like the [G1] Prix Morny, but I think we should talk to Sheikh Fahad and David Redvers, and we will come up with a plan.
“The Nunthorpe would be another option, but the balls will go in the air. When you start winning Group races with two-year-olds there is stallion potential, so there are all sorts of things that need to be considered. But if Battaash was to go for the Nunthorpe, I would probably say he should be avoided.
“The Commonwealth Cup would be an obvious target this time next year – when all the crowds will be here.”
Norfolk Stakes
Winner: £29,600, 2yo only, 5f, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Good to Soft
1 (1) The Lir Jet 2 9-1 Michael Bell Oisin Murphy 9/2
2 (6) nk Golden Pal 2 9-1 Wesley A Ward Andrea Atzeni 12/1
3 (2) 3 Imperial Force 2 9-1 Andrew Balding James Doyle 15/2
4 (14) 2½ Lipizzaner 2 9-1 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 5/2
5 (10) nk Macho Pride 2 9-1 Ben Haslam Harrison Shaw 80/1
6 (8) nk Ventura Tormenta 2 9-1 Richard Hannon Pat Dobbs 33/1
7 (7) 1¾ Andronicus Beau 2 9-1 Tom Dascombe Richard Kingscote 80/1
8 (13) ½ Jojo Rabbit 2 9-1 Archie Watson Hollie Doyle 22/1
9 (5) 2½ Eye Of Heaven 2 9-1 Mark Johnston Frankie Dettori 7/4F
10 (11) nk Nelson Gay 2 9-1 Richard Hughes Shane Kelly 25/1
11 (12) 7 Cooperation 2 9-1 Richard Hannon Sean Levey 80/1
12 (4) ¾ Papal Bee 2 9-1 Miss Katy Brown Cieren Fallon 250/1
NR 3 (3) Emirati Dirham 2 9-1 John Quinn NON RUNNER
NR 5 (9) Get It 2 9-1 Clive Cox NON RUNNER
NORFOLK STAKES WINNERS
YR/DATE GR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WGT SP
19/20/06 2 A'ALI
18/21/06 2 SHANG SHANG SHANG
17/22/06 2 SIOUX NATION Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-9-01 14/1
16/16/06 2 PRINCE OF LIR Robert Cowell Luke Morris Cool Silk Racing Partnership 2-9-01 8/1
15/18/06 2 WATERLOO BRIDGE Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor 2-9-01 12/1
14/19/06 2 BAITHA ALGA Richard Hannon Frankie Dettori Al Shaqab Racing 2-9-01 8/1
13/20/06 2 NO NAY NEVER Wesley Ward USA Joel Rosari Linda Shanahan & Ice Wine Stable 2-9-01 4/1
12/21/06 2 RECKLESS ABANDON Clive Cox Adam Kirby Miss J Deadman & S Barrow 2-9-01 4/1
11/16/06 2 BAPAK CHINTA Kevin Ryan Phillip Makin T A Rahman 2-9-01 6/1
10/17/06 2 APPROVE William Haggas Eddie Ahern Highclere Thoroughbred Racing 2-9-01 16/1
09/18/06 2 RADIOHEAD Brian Meehan Jamie Spencer Carmen Burrell & Jonathan Harvey 2-9-01 10/1
08/19/06 2 SOUTH CENTRAL Howard Johnson Robert Winston Transcend Bloodstock LLP 2-9-01 11/4F
07/21/06 2 WINKER WATSON Peter Chapple-Hyam Jimmy Fortune Comic Strip Heroes/Joy Trotter 2-9-01 2/1F
06/22/06 2 DUTCH ART Peter Chapple-Hyam Alan Munro Susan Roy 2-9-01 11/4
*05/16/06 3 MASTA PLASTA Howard Johnson Robert Winston Transcend Bloodstock Llp 2-8-12 7/2
04/17/06 3 BLUE DAKOTA Jeremy Noseda Eddie Ahern Adrian Nolan, Geraldine Ryan 2-8-12 5/4F
03/19/06 3 RUSSIAN VALOUR Mark Johnston Kevin Darley Tony Latter & Partners 2-8-12 4/1
02/20/06 3 BARON’S PIT Richard Hannon snr Richard Hughes Jeff & Kath Thomas 2-8-12 12/1
01/21/06 3 JOHANNESBURG Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 11/8F
00/22/06 3 SUPERSTAR LEO William Haggas Richard Quinn Superstar Leo Partnership 2-8-07 5/1
99/17/06 3 WARM HEART John Gosden Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 2-8-12 7/2
98/18/06 3 ROSSELLI Jack Berry John Carroll Terry Holdcroft 2-8-12 10/1
97/19/06 3 TIPPITT BOY Kevin McAuliffe John Reid Highgrove Developments Ltd 2-8-12 33/1
96/20/06 3 TIPSY CREEK Ben Hanbury Willie Ryan Abdullah Ali 2-8-12 7/2F
95/22/06 2 LUCKY LIONEL Richard Hannon snr Frankie Dettori Antonio Balzarini 2-8-12 11/1
94/16/06 3 MIND GAMES Jack Berry John Carroll Robert Hughes 2-8-13 5/2
93/17/06 3 TURTLE ISLAND Peter Chapple-Hyam John Reid Robert Sangster 2-8-13 3/1
92/18/06 3 NICHE Richard Hannon snr Lester Piggott Lord Carnarvon 2-8-08 9/1
91/20/06 3 MAGIC RING Paul Cole Alan Munro Fahd Salman 2-8-13 7/4F
90/21/06 3 LINE ENGAGED David Elsworth Steve Cauthen I Karageorgis 2-8-13 14/1
89/22/06 3 PETILLANTE Alex Scott Richard Hills Peter Newell 2-8-08 10/1
88/16/06 3 SUPERPOWER Bill O’Gorman Tony Ives Mrs Poh Lian Yong 2-8-13 EvensF
87/18/06 3 COLMORE ROW William Jarvis Bruce Raymond Doris Allen 2-8-13 10/3
86/19/06 3 SIZZLING MELODY Lord John FitzGerald Richard Hills Mary Watt 2-8-11 5/1
85/20/06 3 MAROUBLE Charlie Nelson Joe Mercer Countess of Lonsdale 2-8-11 20/1
84/21/06 3 MAGIC MIRROR Vincent O’Brien IRE Lester Piggott Stavros Niarchos 2-8-11 11/8
83/16/06 3 PRECOCIOUS Henry Cecil Lester Piggott Lord Tavistock 2-8-11 4/11F
82/17/06 3 BRONDESBURY Bill O’Gorman Tony Ives Ahmed Foustok 2-8-11 8/11F
81/18/06 3 DAY IS DONE Dermot Weld IRE Wally Swinburn Bertram Firestone 2-8-11 5/2
80/19/06 3 CHUMMYS SPECIAL Gavin Hunter Greville Starkey Jack Maxwell 2-8-11 11/2
79/21/06 3 ROMEO ROMANI Ryan Price Brian Taylor Harry Demetriou 2-8-11 7/2
78/22/06 3 SCHWEPPESHIRE LAD Michael Stoute Greville Starkey M Madden 2-8-11 9/4
77/16/06 3 EMBOSS Ron Boss Lester Piggott Torki Saud 2-8-11 11/4
76/16/06 3 GODSWALK Christy Grassick IRE Dermot Hogan Patrick Gallagher 2-8-11 8/13F
75/19/06 3 FALIRAKI Mick O’Toole IRE Lester Piggott Mrs M O’Toole 2-8-11 6/1
74/20/06 3 OVERTOWN Doug Smith Eric Eldin Sir H Calley 2-8-11 9/2
73/21/06 3 HABAT Peter Walwyn Pat Eddery Dr Carlo Vittadini 2-8-11 7/4F
*run at York
