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Winning Gambit

Roger Charlton made something of a habit of winning the Trade Nation London Gold Cup Handicap with Group race performers and son Harry may well be following suit after King's Gambit (7/2 favourite) turned the competitive handicap into a procession.

William Buick had the exciting three-year-old close to the pace set by Individualism and Chantilly, who had done well to get a prominent pitch from a high draw. The pair got a nice split between horses as Individualism weakened but it was the turn of foot that King's Gambit showed once he hit his stride that marked him down as a potentially top-class performer.

Poniros came from further back to finish second - four lengths adrift - with Chantilly keeping on well for third. Persica was fourth and Into Battle fifth.

"I think Harry expected a fair bit of improvement in him," Buick said.

"So that was very pleasing. This is normally a very good race. It's too early to say (whether he's a group horse), you don't want to put unnecessary pressure on the horse but he's certainly progressive.

"Very smooth. I got a lovely run through. Evenly run race and he's the kind of horse that puts himself in a good spot, relaxes and he quickens up well. He's still a horse who is learning so will keep progressing. I think 10 furlongs is his trip for now and I don't think he needs to deviate from that at the moment."

The owner's racing manager Philip Robinson added: "I did think he was definitely the sort of horse that would progress from two to three; he was never really a two-year-old.

"I was really pleased with him when I saw him in the paddock beforehand, he's really matured well which we saw - very promising. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see him at (Royal) Ascot, it's just a matter of finding which race to put him in.

"He'll definitely get 12 furlongs without a shadow of a doubt and he might be better when he gets up there."

Charlton has high hopes for King's Gambit, saying: “Every horse that has won this has been a good horse and Ed Walker said to me in the week, if you are going to win this off 92 you will need to be a Group One horse, you need to be 20lb well-in.

“80 per cent of the winners are stallions now, it’s a proper race. We always thought he was a proper horse, but he was exceptionally raw last year and has taken time. The lad who rides him at home would fall off him once a month, he’s a tough ride, but he’s growing up every day and didn’t put a foot wrong there.

“I don’t know if he will be a Group One horse, we will see, but if he progresses again we will dare to dream. It will hopefully be the Hampton Court next.”

He added: “This was the plan for Hand Of God until he won the Esher Cup, so we switched horses and King’s Gambit has come here and Hand Of God will wait for the 10-furlong handicap at Ascot. They are two nice horses.”

Middle Earth bound for Melbourne

Middle Earth (10/3) came from last to first to win the Sky Sports Racing Aston Park Stakes for Oisin Murphy and the Gosdens.

Desert Hero, who got wound up beforehand, was expected to take all the beating in the Group 3 and was settled on the rail behind leader Cemhaan by Tom Marquand.

He had to be pulled wide of King Of Conquest to challenge as the Godolphin runner got first run but the favourite failed to pick up once in the clear. Meanwhile, King Of Conquest skipped away from the field only to be cut down in the shadow of the post.

Cemhaan held on for third.

Owners Qatar Bloodstock sold a share of Middle Earth to Australian handler Ciaron Maher and racing manager David Redvers confirmed on Sky Sports Racing that the Melbourne Cup was the long-term aim.

"I loved the way he stuck his neck out, quite reminiscent of the old man (Roaring Lion) really. The long-term plan is the Melbourne Cup, very excited to be on that journey with them (the new owners)," he said.

"He's done fantastically well from three to four, he's really filled out, and he's certainly going to be up to carrying weight. What you need for races like that is the attitude and he sticks his old chin out, he really wants it."

The Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot is the immediate target and Redvers continued: "I know there's a large Australian contingent turning up to Royal Ascot and obviously Sheikh Fahad will be there too so that's a big day."

Murphy added: "He stood in the stalls and just didn't get away well so my hand was forced to take my time. We were using it just as a prep race but I was pleasantly surprised by his pick up and turn of foot; from last he probably shouldn't have been good enough to win.

"That's (the Hardwicke Stakes) the perfect race after today. Today he showed a turn of foot that he wouldn't have possessed last season, so hopefully he's improving and one we can look forward to."

Middle Earth was cut to 16/1 for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November.

Elite performance as Burke and Lee double up

Elite Status (13/2) outclassed his rivals, justifying late support, in the Highclere Castle Gin Carnarvon Stakes.

Karl Burke's runner showed a smart level of form in the first half of his juvenile season but the second part of the campaign didn't live up to expectations for all that his last two runs came at the top level in the Prix Morny and Middle Park.

Dropped back to Listed level and six furlongs for his seasonal reappearance, Elite Status travelled kindly on the lead for Clifford Lee before going through the gears and taking several lengths out of his opposition.

Relief Rally, the 3/1 favourite, came from the rear to give chase but never looked like getting to the winner although she did finish clear of the remainder. Adaay In Devon was third.

Lee told ITV Racing: "He's had a long time off and he's come back in tremendous form and done it nicely. He just lost his way a bit, he had a few niggles and probably the ground at the backend but I thought it was just on the quick side (today) and he's handled it nicely."

When interviewed by Sky Sports Racing, he said: "We were expecting him to run well. Freshened up and strengthened up all over the winter. He's got a good cruising speed. He's a big horse, he's got a big stride and the plan was to let him use it, get into a nice rhythm and he's quickened up nicely; he idled a little in front.

"He was a little bit green but I was on my own for a long time."

Elite Status is entered for the Commonwealth Cup and having been as big as 50/1 was cut to as low as 5/1 and a high of 10/1 as bookmakers failed to agree on his chance of Royal Ascot glory.

“I’ve always thought he was a high-class horse and I think if we can keep him on the right track, the world is his oyster,” said Burke from his Middleham base.

“He is a very good horse with a massive engine, we just lost our way with him. He’s one of these horses that just catches the point of his sesamoid at the back of the joint there. They are horrible and when they start catching them they catch them every time and they go sore really quickly. It’s like having a stone in your shoe or a bad nail in your foot and you keep catching it.

“A few performances last year were disappointing, but it was probably Deauville in the bad ground last summer where it started and we never really got him back properly at the backend of the year.

“He was electric in the National Stakes and after that performance it was hard to step up to six furlongs, so we went for the Norfolk (at Royal Ascot). Sheikh Obaid was always very keen to step him up and probably rightly so, but when we did eventually step him up he was never quite right for us.

“He’s proved there today he stays six very well. He’s a horse with a big future, I think, and the Commonwealth Cup will definitely be his next run barring accidents. It wasn’t a question of us wanting to make the running today, but what we didn’t want to do was pull him around and take a chance of him banging himself.

“Clifford was under instruction to get into a nice rhythm, let him use his big, long stride he’s got and sit comfortably. Clifford pulled it off to perfection and he doesn’t have to make the running – if he jumps and sits second or third that’s fine. He showed in the National Stakes the turn of foot he has got.”

Burke and Lee doubled up with another sprinter returning to form as Lethal Levi (15/2) responded to the fitting of blinkers with a game performance in the HKJC World Pool Handicap.

Lethal Levi progressed from a rating of 79 to 99 during 2022 but generally struggled last season and in two starts this term, prompting connections to reach for a new form of headgear; a move which paid an immediate dividend.

"The blinkers have definitely made a difference," said Lee. "He's getting a bit older now and getting a bit wiser.

"Today it's one of the best he's jumped for a long time, winged the gates, got my own fractions in front, they left me alone; today all the winners have come from the front so it's played into his hands. It's good to get his head in front again and hopefully that will give him a bit more confidence."

Liston by a knockout and Diamond shines

Sonny Liston (10/1) gained a long overdue second career success, producing a sustained run down the stands' side rail to beat Metal Merchant by two and a half lengths in the OCS Handicap.

The five-year-old, trained by Ralph Beckett, hadn't won since his juvenile debut for Charlie Hills but was lining up from a mark of 105 having spent much of his time in between performing with credit in pattern races and top handicaps.

While his rivals traded blows in the middle section of the race, Rossa Ryan waited patiently in rear before delivering his charge with a telling run.

Diamond Rain (3/1) showed clear signs of inexperience after hitting the front in the Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial Stakes but had enough up her sleeve to win despite drifting across the course.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by Buick (completing a double), the Irish Oaks entry was having just the second start of her career but hit the front travelling powerfully only to hang across the track.

The Listed prize has been won by some talented fillies and four of the five runners had won their sole start and this renewal could well be up to scratch. Diamond Rain won by two and a quarter lengths from favourite Ejaabiyah with Siyola back in third.

Buick said: “It was a lovely performance and it was a slightly messy race. I was prepared to let her bowl along in front, but she did get a lead which was nice and she stepped up on her debut. This is more her trip I think and she’s coming forward all the time. She doesn’t feel like she’s anywhere near the finished article yet.

“She’s very straightforward and Charlie has been very pleased since Ascot. She’s got a few options open for her now.”

Roger Varian was also pleased with the well-entered runner-up Ejaabiyah, saying: “She ran a lovely race, she’s a lovely filly and still a bit green and took her time to come to hand this spring. The winner looked nice and the fifth was rated 88 so I think it was a strong little field of fillies. Our filly has shown up well, we’re really pleased with her and will improve from today.”

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