Ben Linfoot unpicks the result of the Ladbrokes Celebration Mile at Goodwood and picks out two horses to follow from the afternoon's action for your My Stable trackers.
Dream result for Crisford team
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With Mohaather recently retired this was an opportunity for a horse to put forward their claims for end-of-season honours in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes against champion miler-elect, Palace Pier.
After 82mm of rain in the last 10 days the ground was riding soft-heavy, conditions that can present themselves on Champions Day, and that suited CENTURY DREAM who took advantage of his ground preference to dismiss his five rivals in ruthless fashion.
Regal Reality took them along under Ryan Moore and he gave Century Dream the perfect tow into the race, with James Doyle happy to sit in the leader’s slipstream in second.
From an early stage this was winning a horse race by numbers stuff. The winner broke well, settled beautifully, travelled smoothly and he was on the bridle when hitting the lead two furlongs from home.
Things couldn’t have gone any more perfectly for the Simon & Ed Crisford-trained horse and he didn’t miss the open goal, extending clear for an emphatic four-and-a-half length success.
His career-best run came in the 2018 QEII when he was a three-quarter-length third to Roaring Lion, but the wind surgery he had in the winter break gives hope that he can surpass that level of form now.
Two from three this season after this victory and his Diomed Stakes win at Newbury, he’ll head to the QEII at Ascot in the form of his life with connections ultra-confident about his ability to handle autumn conditions.
He’ll have to improve again to trouble Palace Pier, something that may well be beyond the six-year-old, but he’s right in the mix in the best-of-the-rest category.
Oisin Murphy replaced Callum Shepherd on Sir Busker after Benbatl’s withdrawal due to the ground and William Knight’s horse continued his progression with a good effort in second, even if he was no match for the winner.
This small field hardly played to his strengths as he’s graduated from being dropped in in big-field handicaps, but he knuckled down well to grab the silver medal in the circumstances.
Given he won the Silver Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot he could well run in the QEII, as well, and the more runners the better for him.
Regal Reality played the front-running role and had to settle for third after tiring late on.
The soft-heavy ground wouldn’t be his preference but he did nothing here to suggest that connections haven’t made the right call in dropping him in trip in a visor.
Indeed, considering his Sovereign Stakes win on fast ground last time, he’s well worth persevering with over this trip but faster ground looks a must for him so perhaps Sir Michael Stoute will look abroad.
The rest were outclassed.
Positive, in cheekpieces after running in blinkers last time, doesn’t quite look up to this level and this was further evidence that he’s not quite as good at three as he was at two.
Duke Of Hazzard likes Goodwood but he didn’t look to enjoy the ground and this was a below-par performance, which is probably best excused on account of the conditions.
And in last place was Urban Icon, having his fifth crack at a Group race and again he fell short at the level, but conditions were hardly to his liking, either.
Saturday Eyecatchers
SUMMERGHAND
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We know all about David O’Meara’s six-year-old Summerghand, a gelding that’s now notched up 43 career performances after his second in the Listed Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
However, this was a terrific effort off what wasn’t a rip-roaring gallop on testing ground that you wouldn’t pick as his optimum.
He’s versatile on that score, but the cheekpieces have elevated his form to a new level and he could have a Group race over six furlongs in him by the season’s end on the evidence of his last two runs.
The only one who got involved from off the pace, considering plenty went against him this really was an excellent run and he could well strike in pattern company while he's in such good form.
MILLTOWN STAR
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Middleham Park enjoyed a fabulous one-two in the Brian Chattaway Celebrating 50 Years At Ladbrokes Handicap at Goodwood thanks to Cold Stare and Magical Wish.
However, the one to take out of the race for the autumn was Milltown Star.
This was his first run for 284 days and first since being gelded, while he was dropped out by James Doyle before finishing nicely enough once switched to the centre.
A promising effort all things considered and this was solid proof he’s trained on and further evidence of his liking for soft ground.
He won’t go up much for this and the son of Roderic O’Connor can be placed to advantage before the season’s end by Mick Channon.