Oisin Murphy reflects on a glorious Goodwood for both himself and Andrew Balding and looks ahead to his Saturday rides including Dancing Harry.
Great to get on the scoreboard at Goodwood
It was great to ride three winners at Goodwood and I also won an Arabian Group 1 which was lovely.
Alcohol Free winning the Sussex Stakes was obviously the highlight. She flew out of the stalls quicker than anything else, but thankfully I was able to get her back and find a bit of cover. The way she picked up on that ground was impressive, she really relishes slow conditions. Although she won a Group 1 on good to firm as a two-year-old, she seems very effective when the going is softer.
Passion And Glory did well to make all into a headwind in the Glorious Stakes on Friday’s card. I know I got a soft lead, but he’s an improver and I just love his attitude. The ground is the key to him, he doesn’t want it too fast.
Imperial Fighter won the maiden on Saturday and he looks a really nice horse. He has lots of size and I was delighted with the way he picked up and galloped through the line. There aren’t many horses you can’t pull up after a race, but he was one of them. I don’t know where he goes next, but I’d be surprised if he isn’t a smart horse. He could easily step up into Listed or Group 3 company, maybe something like the Solario Stakes at Sandown could be on his agenda. I haven’t spoken to Andrew Balding yet and we’ll just have to wait and see.
I also had a few seconds which was frustrating, but the likes of Able Kane, Urban Artist and Tribal Craft probably all ran career bests and had no excuses.
I followed the winner on Berkshire Shadow in the Vintage Stakes, but he got caught flat-footed on the slow ground. He stayed on when I got stuck into him until he flattened out again late on. He’s a top of the ground horse and I’m not sure where he’ll go next. I know he’s a Royal Ascot winner and he won his first start over five furlongs, but he’s a miler in the making. He is going to progress a lot physically from two to three, so there’s no great rush with him.
Withhold had every chance and ran very well in the staying race, while I followed the favourite in the Golden Mile on Rhoscolyn and Maydanny just had more gears than him in the finish.
Dragon Symbol got stuck behind Ornate and Good Effort in the King George Stakes and I had to shift right to get some clear running. Suesa got the perfect run but still looked very good. Dragon Symbol came out of Goodwood in great form and is going to go to the Nunthorpe all being well.
Hard work paying off for Balding team
It’s amazing for Andrew to be involved in the battle for the trainers’ championship. I’m very proud of where he is and I just hope there’s enough ammunition to keep him there. It means a lot to ride for someone who could be champion trainer and it is testament to all the hard work the staff in the yard are putting in. The results are there on the track.
Andrew has put together a strong team and there’s a lot of two-year-olds still to run, but it’s the big meetings where the championship is going to be won – York, Doncaster and Champions Day.
The QEII on Champions Day would make sense for Alcohol Free, but remember she’s been on the go a long while. Provided she stays healthy and she keeps her coat, then of course the QEII would be the ideal race. We’ll have to wait and see how it goes.
Seven winners in two days – and counting!
Ffos Las has been a lucky track for me and it was nice to get a double there on Tuesday. Beowulf is improving with the headgear on and loves that fast ground, while Harrow has always worked like a nice horse and I think the first two – Harrow and Tylos for the Crisford yard – are probably decent. Harrow might go to York next.
I had good chances at Kempton on Wednesday night and it was good to get the results with a five-timer, including a couple of winners each for Saeed bin Suroor and Hughie Morrison. They’ve both been really supportive of me.
Thunderclap is a lovely physical specimen, I’m glad he’s got his head in front and hopefully he can build on it. Mutafawwig has a massive engine and he recorded a very good time for that slow surface last night. Hopefully he stays sound and a mile seems fine for him. Mo’Assess is more of a ten-furlong horse and he should progress physically. He’s still quite tall and immature.
Vino Victrix might go to York and could possibly come back in trip, but we’ll have to see what Hughie thinks. Lastly, it was nice for Motorious to get his head in front, he bolted up for Stuart Williams. Hopefully he’ll progress for Opulence Thoroughbreds. They’re a new syndicate and they’re really into it, so it would be nice if they had some luck with this horse.
Saturday rides – Newmarket
Under Oath - 2.15
She worked smartly the other day. She may need the run fitness-wise, but other than that I think she’s pretty straightforward. I like her attitude and she’ll be very happy going forward and doing her own thing. She’s got a mixed pedigree, but I don’t see her getting much further than a mile. I think first time over seven furlongs is probably ideal for her.
Sunstrike - 2.50 Sweet Solera
She ran well at Sandown when I was able to go forward on her and she meets the second Wild Beauty again. I was very taken by the way the winner Inspiral took off in the straight at Sandown. As a type she’s got a bit of size and I think she’s an exciting one. Whilst this looks a competitive Group 3, there are no stars in here. It would be great to finish in the first three with my filly and hopefully Majestic Glory can run a nice race as well. She’s a Frankel filly who broke her maiden at Newbury and is owned by some friends of mine.
Neptune Legend - 3.25
He ran well first-time-out when I rode him. He might have found the ground a bit too quick at Leicester next time and then he ran okay at Lingfield. They’ve gelded him and given him a bit of time to freshen up since then. He was a very expensive yearling at £350,000 and a mark of 78 isn’t too harsh. Hopefully he’ll go well.
Storm Damage - 4.00
He’s a lovely horse. It would be fantastic if something went on and gave him a lead, but I’m struggling to find a front-runner in this. He’s clearly talented and I was thrilled with what he did when I rode him on his debut at Kempton. It was soft ground at Ascot and he definitely doesn’t want that, he’s from a very good Japanese family. It was nice to see what he did at Newmarket after that and hopefully he can continue to go the right way. This is very competitive despite the small field, though.
The City’s Phantom - 5.00
He’s a lightly-raced horse with a very good profile. He’s always good fresh and I think I hit the front a little bit too soon on him at Leicester, although he’s a horse who is very happy making the running. This looks a good opportunity for him and hopefully he can run well for Richard Spencer. He’s a young trainer and I like riding for him, so it would be nice to get him another winner.
Dancing Harry - 5.30
He showed a good attitude at Sandown, I liked the way he stuck his head out. A race like this will suit him, it’s a small field and I should be able to go forward and make plenty of use of him. He’s a proper galloper, he stays going and finds plenty for pressure.
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