Qatar Goodwood Festival Thursday reports and replays: Desert Hero wins Gordon Stakes

Royal winner in Classic frame

Desert Hero (7/1) overcame a market drift and trouble in running to win the Group 3 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The winner of the King George V Stakes moved into contention travelling like a good horse, having moved up from last, but the gaps refused to open prompting Tom Marquand to switch his mount towards the inside rail.

Once in the clear Desert Hero stuck his head down and galloped on strongly, overhauling the front-running Chesspiece in the final half a furlong to win by a fairly comfortable looking neck.

Uneasy 7/4 favourite Espionage got warm and edgy beforehand and failed to get involved before being eased down to finish last.

"Today was a testament to how tough he really is," said Marquand. "While he had to be brave to find gaps at Royal Ascot, he had to be brave again today on ground that is extremely tough work.

"He's obviously improving, but it's been a fantastic job by the team to get him on this path - I'm thrilled. He filled me with confidence because of what he did at Royal Ascot, and while it was always going to be tougher on this ground he's got a kick over a mile and a half. He was really tough and you can't ask for more than that."

Desert Hero was cut to 6/1 from 16/1 by Betfair Sportsbook for the St Leger at Doncaster, a race the late Queen won in her Silver Jubilee year of 1977 with Dunfermline.

Maureen Haggas, representing the winning trainer, said: “It wasn’t the easiest watch, but Tom said he always thought he was going to win. The important thing with this horse is getting him switched off early, which he did really well, and I think if you can do that you can let the rest of the race unfold. He wants to win and that counts for a lot.

“The obvious aim would be the St Leger, I suppose, and I think, with all these things, you never really know until you run in the race. We thought Storm The Stars would stay all day and he didn’t quite get home in the St Leger, so you never really know until you try, but there’s no reason not to try, is there?

“He’s a little bit of a worrier, but he is getting better. When he arrived up here he was sweating, and we washed him and he walked round, and the longer he was here, the more he was relaxing. Luke Carson rides him at home and has done a brilliant job, because he hasn’t been the easiest horse and he’s improved a hell of a lot from two to three, and he’s still improving physically and mentally.”

Van motors home

Wednesday's rain led to five of the seven declared runners being taken out of the Markel Richmond Stakes, including the two market leaders at first show, but that was of no concern to connections of Vandeek (11/8 favourite) who went a long way to living up to his tall reputation.

An expensive breeze-up purchase, Vandeek went into many a notebook when clocking some impressive sectionals on debut at Nottingham and followed-up stylishly in this Group 2 despite again showing signs of inexperience.

He missed the break slightly but Andrea Atzeni soon had him tracking leader Toca Madera; when pulled out to challenge, Vandeek put daylight between himself and the field until idling close home, allowing Ballymount Boy to close to within a length.

It was a second winner of the week for Atzeni who said: "At Nottingham he did very well to win, when I missed the break by six or seven lengths I thought the race was over and I was happy to give him a chance to run on and run a promising race but he made up a lot of ground and put the race to bed quite nicely.

"For a breeze-up horse he's got a great mind and he's obviously very smart. He needs to come out of the stalls a little bit better but apart from that he knows his job.

"I do think he's a horse that needs a bit of juice in the ground, the ground is hard work there, it's quite sticky. I was pleased we ended up racing down the middle because it's slightly fresher ground than the stands' side. He travelled into it and he quickened up quite nicely."

Joint-trainer Simon Crisford believes Vandeek will handle quicker conditions in time, saying: "A little bit of juice in the ground suits him, but next year he will go on quick ground. This year as a two-year-old we'll keep him to sensible ground and not too firm. His bones still aren't mature enough to cope with really quick ground.

"I think nothing really took him into the race for as long as we would like today. He was in front a bit too soon, he sort of idled when he hit the front, I think there’s tonnes of room for improvement to come.

"We will head to the Prix Morny, August 19. Obviously that’s dependent on Sheikh Khalid’s wishes, but he likes to be bold and brave, I’m sure he would very much like us to go for the Group 1 in Deauville."

Rhyme routs rivals

Punters' fingers were burnt when 2/1 favourite Perfuse failed to fire in the opening Coral Kincsem Handicap.

All the rage after an eyecatching run at Royal Ascot, Perfuse was stuck behind a wall of horses in the straight but failed to pick-up even when racing room allowed. By that stage, Royal Rhyme (9/1) was away and gone.

An easy winner on soft ground in May, Karl Burke's charge had been off since running slightly disappointingly in the competitive London Gold Cup later that month and rewarded connections' patience with an impressive display.

Lee said: "We went a nice even gallop and I wasn't as keen, he always travels so well and loves passing horses. I was in a lovely position throughout and he travelled lovely through the race.

"It was just a matter of pushing the button. He's a nice horse when things go right - he definitely needs cover so being in among them helps. You can really be patient, and today he's done it well.

"Last time out didn't really help because I was stuck wide and didn't get any cover - he loves running through horses. Once I we went through the three furlong marker I knew we were going to pick them off.

"I think he’s definitely Listed class and possibly a Group horse in the making.

"This is his kind of trip. He probably would get further if he learns to relax, but for now, definitely a mile and a quarter.

"The ground is good to soft and just getting a bit tacky."

Best of the rest

Gray's Inn had 17lbs in hand in the Jaeger-Lecoultre Nursery having been reassessed following her fourth in Listed company at Sandown but she proved no match for the impressive Mission To Moon (14/1).

Roger Varian's charge raced in midfield on his nursery debut before responding to pressure inside the final quarter of a mile, pulling clear to win by 3 lengths from Gamraan with 13/8 favourite Gray's Inn third.

Mission To Moon was completing a quickfire double for Varian following Al Husn's success in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.

“He’s been a work in progress," the trainer explained. "He’s run very well the last twice in novices where there hasn’t been much pace and he’s had to make the running and just got caught by one on both occasions.

"Today was nice - a big field, a proper festival race and they went a nice gallop and he got a good position. He switched off, he got through the ground and he hit the line strong. I think the set-up of the race really helped him, and he handled the ground quite well as well.”

Novus (7/2 favourite) gained a remarkable success in the Buccellati Handicap.

An unlucky in running second on Tuesday, it looked as though lightning would strike twice for Gary Moore's filly who found herself desperately short of room as the field bunched against the inside rail in a rough race.

However, she forced her way out under Tom Queally, running on strongly to deny Wildfell and Man Of Eden; John Chard VC was fourth.

“It’s not something I planned to do (run twice) because she is quite a talented filly," said Moore. “She is kind of ground-dependent, hence why I pulled her out so quick, because the ground was obviously softer today than it was on Tuesday. Tuesday’s ground was just a bit too good for her.

"Tom was brilliant in that he got her into a good position early on, and the cutaway, I don’t know if it helped her. It was six and two threes there. She got in a punch-up with a couple of others halfway down there. I’m just delighted she’s won. I hope there’s no trouble in the stewards’ room!

"She’s a lovely filly and next she’s got to get black type. That has to be the plan. I think France is an obvious place for her to go.”

The market got it right in the Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes with Ornellaia (7/4 favourite) landing the odds with ease.

Always well placed, she quickened well and had the race in safe keeping before being eased down near the line allowing newcomer Classic Song and Get Jiggy With It to close the gap to two lengths.

Winning rider Kevin Stott said: “We were always quite keen on her, we were just a little bit worried about the ground but she handled it nicely. She’s quite tall, you would like to think that if she grows a little bit and fills out, that she would get a mile next year. I’d stick to seven for now. We will see what happens and take it when the time comes.”

On whether she may be good enough for the Moyglare, he added: “It’s hard to say. We will obviously see how she comes out of this race and see what happens going forward. I think she’s improved from the race at Newmarket and if she can go and improve again from there, why not?”

Trainer Dominic ffrench-Davies seemed keen to allow her to take her chance, adding: “That was a very smart performance. We’ve always loved her. We’ll have to have a look and see what’s next, but I’d love to think she might be up to something like the Moyglare.

“We’ve always thought she might be a Guineas filly - it would be nice to think we might have two Guineas fillies in the yard, two with live chances.”

John Quinn and Jason Hart were already on the scoreboard this week and they successfully combined with Jm Jungle (9/2 joint-favourite) in the World Pool Handicap.

Racing in the front rank, Jm Jungle hit the front at the furlong pole and kept pulling out more to keep the challengers at bay.

Quinn said: “He’s got a lot of speed from the gate, so we felt that this track would suit him. The first time he ran this year at Thirsk, I thought he could be better for it, and the ground was on the soft side and he ran really well, which was a bit of surprise but was great, so ground-wise he’s very versatile and very tough.

"He could possibly go to York, but he won his maiden at Hamilton as a two-year-old and there’s quite a valuable sprint there at the end of this month, so maybe - maybe we should wait.

“Highfield Princess is here  now - well, I hope she is; they were supposed to arrive about an hour ago. I’m happy with her and I hope all goes well. She’s training well.”

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