Duchess of Richmond at the Qatar Lennox Stakes presentation ceremony. Right: James Doyle rides Toormore to victory in the Qatar Lennox Stakes yesterday. (PICTURES: Juhaim/Reuters)
By Chris Hoover/Chichester, England
Godolphin’s Toormore led from the word ‘go’ and held on gamely to win the Group II £300,000 Qatar Lennox Stakes, which featured the races on the opening day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival at the Goodwood Racecourse yesterday.
With an embarrassment of riches in the mile department meant the Godolphin operation was able to successfully deploy Toormore to take the seven-furlong trip, which he successfully did.
A pair of other Godolphin runners, Night Of Thunder and Belardo, take part in today’s Group I Qatar Sussex Stakes worth £1 million. “With those running tomorrow, we were able to drop Toormore back in trip and come for the prize money here, for which we thank Qatar,” said John Ferguson, Bloodstock adviser to HH Sheikh Mohammed. “Seven is not his ideal trip - a mile is his distance - but the money was there.”
Toormore, trained by Richard Hannon, was racing for the first time in the Godolphin blue. “He was bought as a stallion of the future but right now racing is his game,” said Ferguson. “He’ll stay in training next year and he’ll be able to compete in the big international events. He’s a tough Group I performer and is the sort of horse we love to run.”
The Arakan four-year-old, the leading juvenile of his generation, is coming back to his best. In yesterday’s race he made all the running under James Doyle as joint favourite to hold the other joint market leader Dutch Connection, with another Godolphin runner Safety Check a head third. It was his first victory since beating The Grey Gatsby in the Craven Stakes in April last year, despite some excellent placings in top company.
“He did it the hard way,” said Hannon. “They came to him one by one. He needed to get a win under his belt and get his confidence back, and now we can move to the next level. He deserved this go today and I should think the Prix Jacques Le Marois will be next. He’s such a pleasing horse to have in the yard, with a great attitude.”
Doyle also paid tribute to the colt’s attitude. “A mile is his trip - he’s a bit exposed at seven - but he’s been knocking at the door in some top races and deserved this. I didn’t want to go too slow today to keep the others at it and he helped me every inch of the way.”
In other races of the day, jockey tasted success on his first ride, while steering Ridge Ranger in the Weatherbys Private Banking Handicap. The filly trained by Eric Alston, made just about every yard of the five furlongs to take the prize by a length and a half from the favourite Double Up.
Trainer Mark Johnston loves nothing more than a winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and the Middleham handler struck for the first time this week with rank outsider Blue Wave in the Summer Handicap over a mile and six furlongs.
“He has come back from a fairly serious injury and I thought he was maybe a bit short of work,” said Johnston. “I thought we might be coming here a bit soon and the yard manager thought that a mile and a half may be far enough on his comeback. But I said that it was Goodwood so we should go for it.
“I thought with a furlong and a half to go he might blow up and that Notarised might get there but luckily when they all came he responded. Perhaps this trip is just too far for Notarised.
“I haven’t made any plans for him, he’ been off for a long time and he’s not in the Ebor.”
Winning rider William Buick added: “I have to hand it to Mark - this horse has been off for such a long time and I actually won on him two years ago at Kempton. It’s a very good effort to bring him back after such a long lay-off.
Mark’s horses are flying at the moment as well, which is a huge help. This horse has saved what has been a bit of a frustrating day for me.
“He’s game and tough. He has enjoyed the ride and deserved to win. They were coming at him from a couple of furlongs out and he fought them all off one by one. It’s a huge credit to the horse and trainer.”
“I suppose that was as easy as anything here can be,” said Farley, a 3lb claimer based with Andy Crook at Middleham. “She was travelling so easy I was able to hold onto her and dictate her speed, and then she quickened as soon as I asked. She’s very fast and I’m sure there’s better to come from her.”
Alston did not make the long journey south but Ridge Ranger’s owner-breeder Con Harrington was there to lead in his Bushranger four-year-old, who has now won three of her five starts this year. “She was impressive at Chester and Wetherby,” he said, “but she broke badly at York last time. We’ll be looking for black type with her now - there’s a Listed race back here at the next meeting.”