Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes report and replay: Sumo Sam wins under inspired Marquand
By Ian Ogg
15:52 · SAT August 05, 2023
Tom Marquand and Sumo Sam took the wind out of Frankie Dettori's sails in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
It had been a good 40 minutes or so for John and Thady Gosden who had saddled Sweet William to win the preceding race at Goodwood and seen Sweet Memories land the Listed British EBF 40th Anniversary Chalice Stakes at Newmarket prior to watching Free Wind go to post for the Group 2.
The odds-on favourite was widely expected to take all the beating and she was given a confident ride by Dettori who had only one behind him at the top of the straight. Free Wind moved up effortlessly on the outside of the field but they hadn't accounted for Sumo Sam.
Jumped out in a share of the lead by Marquand, it wasn't a repeat of Quickthorn's Goodwood Cup success, but was still a fine display of front-running.
Marquand kicked halfway down the straight and Sumo Sam responded, leaving the field floundering in the mud in her wake and the 25/1 shot showed no signs of slowing, winning by a remarkable eight and a half lengths.
Free Wind's exertions in going in pursuit of the winner told in the closing stages and she was run out of the places by River Of Stars and Time Lock
“10st when the ground is this bad is like carrying double," said Dettori.
"I was giving a stone away to the winner and just couldn’t carry the weight. These conditions are very difficult.”
Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, Sumo Sam was winning for the first time since landing a Newmarket maiden on her juvenile debut.
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Rhythm helps call the tune
"I'd be lying if I said I did any research into the race," said Marquand, a late replacement for Neil Callan.
"I came back in from the last race and they said 'can you do 8st 11lb?' so I jumped aboard.
"I've seen plenty of her and was due to ride her on the day I got kicked at the Guineas weekend. I watched her go and finish second and it looked like she wanted a trip.
"Mr Cole and Olly were keen to go and make it a solid test, and, as the other day showed, if you find a rhythm in front it's a hard track to get horses back. She's done well, and while she was getting tired in the last half furlong the damage was already done.
"It would be amazing to be top jockey at this meeting. Ever since I was an apprentice with Richard Hannon Goodwood has been at the forefront and one of the biggest weeks of the year. It would be special to win. Ryan (Moore) pipped me a couple of years ago which was frustrating.
"It's been a fantastic week regardless of that, but it would be nice to have my name up on the board."
Coles' persistence pays dividends
Olly Cole said: "We've done a lot of stalls work with her since her last run - she's gone in twice a week.
"In her last two races she's been left and that hasn't been helpful. She takes a lot of pushing in and a lot of cajoling, and the stalls handlers make it look so easy. We're always standing a few lengths behind because we don't want to get booted!
"Full credit to the team at home, and thanks very much to the guys at the stalls who are the unsung heroes. They do what a lot of us wouldn't do so full credit to them. Also to the boys who have ridden her in the stalls at home, because I know I wouldn't ride her.
"I was as confident as you can be with the ground because you never know how they will go through it, but she's gone through it like a really, really good horse. Someone said to me a few weeks ago if you want to get the best out of that horse leave her until next year, so this just shows you have to persist with horses. They are not there to be decorations.
"We'll see how she comes out of this, but we have lots of options. She wasn't stopping at the end, and potentially she has the class (for a Cup race).
"Our horses have come into form and we're having a lovely Goodwood.
"It’s brilliant, it’s great that the old man is there in the winner’s enclosure and that we are all here together. You only have one father and it is lovely to do it with him.”
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