Goodwood Friday review: Kyle Of Lochalsh wins in style

Fox bounds clear as Murphy completes treble

Fox Legacy will have his ability tested in deeper waters after running riot against his rivals in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes.

Arriving on the back of a ready success in the John Smith’s Cup at York, the Andrew Balding-trained four-year-old took another step towards being aimed at Listed and Group races in the future following his latest success.

While there were question marks about how the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of Lope de Vega would handle the ground he answered them in emphatic fashion to provide four-time champion jockey Murphy with a third winner on the card.

Sent off an 11/4 chance to back up his latest win on the Knavesmire, the King Power Racing Co Ltd-owned gelding turned the race into a procession once hitting the front under Murphy with the pair storming to glory by five and a half lengths.

Anna Lisa Balding, wife of the winning trainer, said: “If Sir Michael had the opportunities to do what we have, rather than thrive and come to Kingsclere, I’m sure he would have done the same in Newmarket.

“He is a lovely horse that has done nothing but improve. It was great to see him go on that ground today as it was a bit of a question mark, but Alastair Donald (racing manager to King Power Racing Co Ltd) was absolutely sure that he would.

“He has got that action that we hoped he would, but until you do it you don’t know, but he has done it really well and I have to say I’ve not enjoyed watching a race more in a long time. He had a very complimentary jockey on board when he hopped off.

“He is getting better and he is straightforward. Hopefully he will be a stakes horse in time. He has been on the go for a long time so whether York might come a bit soon, I don’t know. There are races like the Winter Hill at Windsor.

"I think what we have got to do is see how he comes out of it as he has had a race today and these horses aren’t conditioned to run on this ground so it takes a lot more out of them."

Seagulls in full flight

Seagulls Eleven is set to be sent on his travels across the globe once again after hitting the back of the net for the first time this season in the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.

The Hugo Palmer-trained three-year-old, who is owned by past and present players from Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion, was scoring for the first time since winning a novice contest on his second start at Haydock Park last June.

In that time the Galileo Gold gelding has tackled Group Ones in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien Stakes at the Curragh, the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and the Betfred 2000 Guineas back on the Rowley Mile.

Having built on a solid run on his first start as gelding in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot the Two Plus Three Two Plus Four-owned runner, took a step forward last time out when filling the runner’s-up spot in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes last time out on the July Course.

And he built on that run when going one better under Oisin Murphy in the mile Group Three prize, which he dictated matters from soon after the field of four exited the gates.

Although the race got a tad untidy at the end with Cosmic Year denied a clear run up the inside the 11/4 chance was not for stopping out in front with Murphy steering his mount to glory by three quarters of a length from Diego Ventura.

Palmer said: “I’ve just about recovered from his dad being beaten in the Sussex Stakes and it has taken ten years! We probably over-faced him a bit last year and he danced some pretty big dances, but he is a very generous horse and you could see they were getting past him there. Gelding him has made a bit of difference.

“There was a mare called Mrs Milner at Cheltenham and Michael (Owen) suggested to James Milner to back it and it all went from there.

“I think he goes on any ground. He ran well on soft ground the first time out and Harry Davies rode him that day and Harry rode him again to win on fast ground. He said he is a better mover on fast ground.”

And following the victory Palmer was swift to nominate the Golden Eagle at Rosehill in November as a long term target for Seagulls Eleven.

He added: “The Golden Eagle in Sydney has been mentioned, so why not have a go. It is a ten million dollar race, when can you say that in England. There is a guy here with Adrian Beaumont, who runs Sydney Racing, and he said bring that horse to the Golden Eagle.

“We were worried about him going to the Breeders’ Cup last year, as he is a handful, but he took it very well and he ate everything we gave him the whole way. Maybe we will have one more run here. We could talk about supplementing him for the City Of York, which he is not in, or the Celebration Mile back here. I’ve not really thought beyond today.”

As for the runner-up, his trainer Hamad Al Jehani suggested a step up in trip could be on the cards.

He said: “He ran well to be honest. We decided to declare him after the forecast changed the ground as he likes softer ground. We had confidence he would put up a good performance today. I think he has shown the best performance of his career finishing second in a Group Three. I think we will try him over nine or ten furlongs next time because he is hitting the line very well. I think he needs that distance to help him more.

“He always deserves to be in big races. He won a Listed race at the beginning of the year in France. I think we will see him win a Group Three this year before he has a break.”

Palmer packs another punch

Classic winning trainer Hugo Palmer might have half-an-eye on securing a big money pot abroad with Seagulls Eleven, but he will look to hit another jackpot closer to home with Ardisia, who returned to winning ways in the Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap.

Having finished down the field in both the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and then the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury last time out, the Ardad gelded left those efforts behind on his first start over six furlongs to complete a double for the Malpas handler.

Favourite backers looked to be jumping for joy as Shaman Champion hit the front, but it was short lived after the 20-1 shot defied his double figure price tag to get up close home and score by a neck.

Palmer said: “The whole key to this horse has been getting out of the stalls. He has been his own worst enemy and we have taken a second ticket today so it means we can take one more before we have to have a stalls test.

“He just reared and reared in the Windsor Castle. He actually jumped well at Newbury, and he was unlucky as he got squeezed.

“He is as gold as gold in the stalls at home, so you can’t practice when they are perfect at home, just on a race day he is very tricky.

“We felt he should have been unbeaten going into the Windsor Castle and he completely blew it there. He is in the Harry’s Half Million (By Goffs) and he will definitely go as it is worth five hundred and eight thousand pounds.”

Lochalsh storms to victory

Group One options could soon come into the equation for Kyle Of Lochalsh, who underlined his appreciation for a thorough test of stamina in the Coral Goodwood Handicap.

Having finished fourth in the extended two and a half mile test 12 months ago the Hughie Morrison-trained five-year-old went three places on his return to the race.

Although not sighted since finishing sixth at Southwell in April the Highland Reel gelding had missed several recent engagements on account of ground conditions not being suitable. But with juice underfoot the 5/1 chance showed exactly what he is capable of when turning the £75,000 into a procession under Oisin Murphy.

Striking the front inside the final quarter of a mile, Kyle Of Lochalsh continued to pour on the pressure under Murphy with only useful dual-purpose performer Mordor, from the yard of Gordon Elliot, the only horse that could match strides with him.

But it soon became clear that it was all about Kyle Of Lochalsh, who pulled out more in the final furlong before crossing the line nine and a half lengths to the good of Mordor leaving connections to dream of even bigger things to come.

Charlie Harris, assistant trainer, said: "Hughie is at a family commitment unfortunately, but he was delighted with the win. We have been waiting for soft ground. He was in the Esher Stakes (Coral Marathon) in July and then at Newbury two Saturdays ago, but we had to take him out as his race was fifteen minutes before the rain came.

“It has been a big team performance to keep him on the boil and it was good to see him reach his full potential.

“He is quite a versatile horse, and he has still got a bit of toe on him, but we were really happy with that."

An outing in the Sky Bet Ebor at York, which he was cut from 33/1 into 25/1 by the sponsors, could be next on the agenda ahead of potential outings in the Prix du Cadran and Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp later in the season.

Harris added: “He is in the Ebor later this month and there are lots of nice pots to go for. Quite possibly (the Ebor comes into the equation). It is obviously a drop in trip, but they go a good pace in that, and that is what he wants. Tashkhan set a good pace today and it was a bit like Royal Ascot last year when he came third.

"The Royal-Oak would suit him very well. There are lots of good options. He is still quite lightly raced for a horse his age. He didn’t win until he was three.

"He had a really good year last year and we are hoping he is a typical Hughie Morrison staying improving. Hughie knows the family better than anyone having won three Listed races in France with the dam Quiz Mistress."

Crouch reaches his Limit

Ralph Beckett praised the balancing skills of jockey Hector Crouch after surviving a mid race scare before steering Push The Limit to glory in the Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap.

The son of Le Havre looked much more at home stepping up to one mile three furlongs for the first time having filled second spot on his two previous runs this season over shorter trips.

However, all was not plain sailing for the 5/2 favourite, who half-way up the home straight nearly saw his chances go up in smoke when stumbling at a crucial stage.

But after being gathered in the Valmont-owned colt showed that stamina is very much his forte when pulling out plenty late on to score by a length and a half from the James Owen-trained Ammes.

Beckett said: “He did very well to stay on his feet so he has done extremely well to win. The ground fitted, but he wants to go up in trip. Being an immature horse he will keep on progressing, I hope.

“It was a good effort at Carlisle the last day over a trip short of his best, but it is this ground he needs.

“He might have a Melrose entry, if the ground came his way, but there are a couple of one mile six furlong handicaps early in September for him so we might wait for one of them.

“He is a bit of a frame still so hopefully he should progress.”

More from Sporting Life

• Free bets
• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.