Goldsmiths Ladies Day, Raceday Round Up
FIORENTE gave trainer Sir Michael Stoute a remarkable ninth win in the day's feature, the Princess of Wales’s Goldsmiths Stakes under Ryan Moore.
Moore was at his finest aboard the son on Monsun, who was sent off an 11/2 chance. Liam Jones aboard Harris Tweed had kicked for home some way out but Moore didn’t panic and gradually wound his mount up.
He took over the running with over a furlong to go and stayed on well up the hill to be Joshua Tree by an easy two and three quarter lengths.
Stoute, who has won four of the last seven runnings of the Group 2, said: “He's been off a long time and he's a big horse and lightly raced, so I think it's just taken a lot of winding up.
“We've always held him in high esteem and I think he would be equally as effective over ten furlongs and I think he's impervious with regards to ground.”
Moore was completing a double having taken Goldsmiths Handicap on the Andrew Balding-trained Stature.
Champion jockey Paul Hanagan was seen at his best aboard Alhebayeb, who took the TNT July Stakes for trainer Richard Hannon.
The son of Dark Angel showed a likable attitude to come out on top, just holding the fast-finishing Lewisham by a neck.
Richard Hannon Jnr, son and assistant, said: “We knew he'd come on a fair bit from Ascot, he's been flying at home and he obviously loves this soft ground, his dad won a Middle Park on it.
“Paul said he will get seven furlongs so the Dewhurst is an option, as is the Gimcrack and the Middle Park.”
Shantaram continued the terrific run of form for trainer John Gosden and jockey William Buick with an impressive victory in the opening contest on the card, the Bahrain Trophy.
The son of Galileo quickened up impressively in the closing stages to land the spoils by three and a half lengths.
Gosden said: “I underdid him for his last race and the ground was very loose. He has a lovely action and didn't like that but he's improved a lot and I would have been disappointed had he not won today. He's in the Great Voltigeur and will also be put in the Leger and he'll go in those directions. He needs racing so we'll probably go to York.”
Sovereign Debt looks set for bigger assignments ahead following his comfortable victory in the Portland Place Conditions Stakes.
The Michael Bell-trained colt was settled at the rear by jockey Jamie Spencer and passed all his rivals to win by two lengths.
Bell said: “He’s an exciting horse especially on soft ground. I’m pleased he stayed the mile and we rode him to get the trip. If it stays wet then the Hungerford Stakes is an option.”
Trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni has a tremendous record with his juvenile fillies on the July Course and Certify looked another exciting prospect when bounding clear in the Three Chimneys EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
A daughter of Elusive Quality, Certify took the eye in the paddock and oozed class throughout the race, winning in the hands of Mickael Barzalona by three lengths.
The concluding Egerton House Stables Handicap went to the Richard Fahey-trained Jedward, completing a double for Hanagan.
To view the sectional timing from Goldsmiths Ladies Day click here.
Day two of the Piper-Heidsieck July Festival kicks off tomorrow at 1.20pm.
