Timeform's View
Weekend Review
The Ballydoyle Juggernaut powers on and win number seventeen at the highest level this year marked a fitting end to Glorious Goodwood 2008. Sent off at 5/1 in the Nassau Stakes, Halfway To Heaven, following up her success in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, just prevailed in a close finish from the luckless Lush Lashes and the revitalised Passage Of Time. A product of sprinters, Halfway To Heaven could prove harder to place in future – this renewal of the Nassau far from a vintage one and run at a sedate gallop for a long way. She’s still to prove she stays a truly-run mile and a quarter.
William Haggas achieved a memorable 1-2 in the latest renewal of the Stewards’ Cup but not in the order the betting had suggested. Sent off at 40/1, Conquest landed his first success in handicap-company, responding well to lead close home and just hold off the challenge of his fast-finishing stable-mate King’s Apostle. Borderlescott ran another superb race to finish in the first three for the third successive year. He really is one of the most genuine and consistent sprinters around and heads next for the Nunthorpe at York, another track where he has a commendable record.
Mark Johnston enjoyed another sound Glorious Goodwood and ended the week with three winners at the West Sussex venue. For his final success, Jukebox Jury landed what is sure to turn out to be a strong maiden in the style of a horse who’ll go onto better things. Deserving extra credit having had just about the worst draw, Jukebox Jury produced a storming run down the centre of the course to nose ahead close home. Bred to stay at least a mile, he’s open to considerable improvement and his trainer has stated he’ll have a less exalting challenge next time before being upped to pattern company.
Another maiden race liable to throw up plenty of winners in the future was the closing contest on Doncaster’s card. Sortita deserved plenty of credit for her success, making all by three and a quarter lengths from Censored. She looks destined for a higher grade. Even at this early stage, the runner-up looks a force to be reckoned with in handicaps, whether it’s this season or next. She’s been patiently handled and proved a different proposition than on her debut, hard driven and responding well to mount the strongest challenge to the winner. Handicaps are also on the cards for Plavius, who retains the unwanted tag of most expensive maiden in training, Falcativ, who, in the very best of hands, should prove a force to be reckoned with in that sphere, and the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Cwm Rhondda, who is one to look for when her yard is in better form.
The feature race at Chester on Sunday was the Listed Queensferry Stakes and it provided Green Manalishi with his third consecutive listed success at the track. Ideally placed throughout, Green Manalishi got first run to avoid most of the trouble in the straight and battled on well to beat Damika by half a length. He’s a tough, straightforward sort, but placing him to further advantage will surely prove troublesome now.
Newbury hosted a competitive six-race card and a couple of handicappers successful over the course of the afternoon are worth keeping on side. Cheveton, who landed his fourth successive win when defeating Brandywell Boy by a length, could well land a good prize before the season is out, such is the way he’s progressed since dropped in trip to five furlongs. While Miss Rochester, as expected, left the form of her three runs in maidens well behind with victory in the weak handicap which closed proceedings. Sir Michael Stoute’s three-year-old filly promises even more when upped in trip and will win more races before the season is out.
- Timeform
