Lead Artist makes all at Goodwood

Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes report and replay: Lead Artist makes all

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri August 02, 2024 · 7M ago

Lead Artist made all under Kieran Shoemark to win the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.

The lightly-raced Dubawi colt jumped out of stall one and hugged the far rail under Kieran Shoemark as they set a sharp early pace in the Group Three contest.

French Guineas runner-up Dancing Gemini and Native American raced prominently in behind, but the smooth-travelling King’s Gamble looked the main danger once he found racing room down the outside.

King’s Gamble gave chase inside the final furlong, but the John and Thady Gosden-trained Lead Artist had built up enough of a lead to come home three-quarters of a length clear at 9/2.

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The winning rider told ITV Racing: "The plan was to get a little bit of cover but Tom Marquand said to me entering the gates that he was give Socialite a bit of a chance. I didn’t want caught down on that rail with no cutaway today – he made his own running and was very straight today.

“He’s always been talented and I think the ground was a little bit too soft for him at Newmarket last time. He possibly needed the run too. He has come on for that run and the quick ground has certainly suited.

“When he won the conditions race at York, I thought that he was quite special, so it’s nice to see him get his Group success today. He’s still very unexposed – he’s a lightly raced three-year-old – so the future is bright.”

John Gosden added: "I think the key thing was that Tom [Marquand], draw right beside us, who’s horse went very strongly last time – he said to Keiran in the stalls that he was taking his horse back. When you are drawn one here and the cutaway is gone, you have to get out and get a position because it’s the easiest place to get boxed in.

“Kieran controlled the race and dominated it very well. The horse has improved greatly – he didn’t like that ground at Newmarket, it was too soft – and hopefully he’s good enough to come back here for the Celebration Mile.

“He missed all of last year, so he started out in the Wood Ditton. He’s very much a horse on an upward curve but the good thing is that we have August, September, October, so plenty of racing to come. If he gets better and better, he could be a lovely four-year-old too.

“There are seven retained jockeys in the stable already, retained by their owners. To that extent, it does limit what Kieran can ride. He hasn’t had the rub of the green on some of them, some of them have been slow to come to themselves, but that’s normal. We are still only just halfway through the year, so there’s a long way to go.

“We have a lot of other jockeys who are attached in the stables. We had two winners at Royal Ascot, they were both by retained jockeys, so Kieran couldn’t have ridden them if he wanted to.”

Ralph Beckett trains the runner-up and third home Task Force and said: "Delighted with both of them. I think King’s Gamble is still learning on the job, it’s only his fifth start, he’s run on conventional tracks so far, and to come here - it’s a test. From his draw he had to drop in, rolled around coming down the hill and obviously finished really well, and Task Force looks like he’s back on track.

"I think the tongue strap encourages him to breathe properly, and he enjoyed being ridden like that. I’d say one of them will show up in the Celebration Mile - one or both. Other than that, I’m not sure.”

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