Coppull wins the Hungerford
Coppull - made all in Hungerford

Coppull wins Hungerford Stakes: Report, reaction and free video replay


Coppull blitzed his rivals in the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes to complete a Newbury treble for jockey Hector Crouch.

Successful in the Geoffrey Freer aboard Wine Dark Sea and the TPT Fire Handicap on Addison Grey, the rider took the 15/2 chance to the front in the far side group and never looked in danger.

Clive Cox’s charge drifted to the far rail as Prince Of India (14/1) tried to close him down. He was the only runner to make any impact from the stands’ side party but was still a length-and-a-quarter away at the line.

5/2 favourite Symbol Of Honour was third.

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Sky Bet and Paddy Power cut Coppull to 10/1 from 12s for the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Cox said: “I was thrilled with him, but he had to prove that he got that seven furlongs. That prospect was always alive and very possible. That will give him a bit of confidence more than anything. The way he has won that, with such authority, was class.

“We won this race for the first time with Lethal Force back in 2012 and it was similar as he made the running that day. He was in front all the way that day, never mind from halfway. To be able to hold on, against a quality field of Group One performers, it is a really special feeling and a joy to be here.

“The York race closed before we were thinking about the Hungerford. At that stage we were six furlongs all over. I was a little bit deflated as we were so near, yet so far in the July Cup, and he didn’t get the best run, which was visible. These things happen in racing.

“Lethal Force helped me in as much that we ran him over seven. Those top quality sprinters have the ability to stay that little bit further, and they need to for the speed of those six furlong races. That was why I was drawn here, and thankfully that will give us a whole load of confidence which puts us back in the fast lane where we want to be.

“I’m over the moon. It is a long year as we start preparing these horses earlier every year and it is so important to be here on the big stage. Lethal Force went on to be champion sprinter the year after he won this. I’m still not convinced he likes it really soft but, with the dry summer we have had, we have got the choice, that if he comes back alright, we could still run in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

“We still have the Park Stakes, which he would have a penalty in now, but in the meantime we have got choices.”

Celebration time for the Coppull team

Crouch added: “Clive filled me with loads of confidence. He was absolutely spot on about the horse and massive credit goes to him and his team. I just felt that when I moved off away from following Saffie it was like running on a faster strip of ground the whole way.

“He went from tracking Saffie to going a couple of lengths clear without having to do anything. I think I managed to catch a few off guard. He has got options to drop back to six furlongs for the Group One at Haydock Park or he can stay at seven. He is a very exciting horse moving forward and winning a Group One is the next target.”

Marco Botti said of Prince Of India: “He ran a big race. It was just a shame how the race unfolded in the last three furlongs. The race just split into two groups. Pat (Dobbs) said if he followed the other group he would have had no cover.

"The winner is a good horse as he was in front of us in the July Cup. When the day goes right he will win a big race as he is capable. The luck has not been on his side, but it was still a good performance. He has beaten the rest of them, and it was a good field. He has proven he is up to this level.

“It wasn’t a fluke in the July Cup, despite him being 80-1. He has proven today he is as good as anyone in the race. His optimum trip is a stiff six furlongs, so something like the July Course or Ascot.”


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