The Gurkha wins a Sussex thriller at Goodwood
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
Photo:
Goodwood Racecourse
The Aidan O'Brien-trained The Gurkha ran out a gutsy winner of the Group One Qatar Sussex Stakes, the feature race on day two of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Following two creditable runs in defeat in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, O'Brien's charge seemed to appreciate the return to a faster surface.
Having broken well under Ryan Moore, registering his first success in the £1-million race, the well-backed 11/8 favourite always travelled kindly on the rail in behind market rival Galileo Gold. Turning for home, the son of Galileo looked to be travelling best of the 10 runners but got slightly caught for room approaching the two-furlong pole.
However, once Moore found daylight on the French Guineas winner, The Gurkha responded well to his jockey's urgings to quicken up nicely and battle on gamely all the way to the line, fending off the late challenge of Galileo Gold by a neck with Godolphin's Ribchester a further short-head back in third.
O'Brien, registering his fifth success in the Group One feature and his 15th victory at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, said: "Ryan was prepared to make the running today if no-one was going to make it but I presume he was happy where he was."
The Ballydoyle handler was quick to point out that the three-year-old's run last time on soft ground in the 10-furlong Coral-Eclipse was a far from ideal preparation. He commented: "We always thought he was a very fast horse, he has an awful lot of speed. He was always a fast Galileo. But we took a chance at Sandown over a stiff mile and a quarter in soft ground and we were just worried that it took a lot out of him but from day one he has always been very quick.
"He is a good traveller who handles fast ground very well and quickens very well. I suppose he is also very courageous which is why he has run the races he did like when we took him out of his comfort zone at Sandown [Coral-Eclipse] and even at Royal Ascot where the ground was soft.
"Obviously, we know he goes in soft ground but he is at his best on fast ground. I think he'll probably go back and get a mile and a quarter but his ideal trip is a mile I imagine. In an ideal world, we want to keep him on fast ground. He is a very low fast-moving horse.
"It has been tough on him. The lads have been happy with him. But I was worried about him as he has had such a big career crammed into a very short time. He has danced every danced all the way along and he has been turned out plenty. I'm delighted. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride.
"We have been hard on the horse. We haven't wrapped him up or protected him. The soft ground at Sandown got into him a little bit."
As to the future, O'Brien outlined a list of potential targets for the exciting colt. He said: "The lads will decide, if he needs to go back up in trip, he won't mind going back up particularly if it is fast ground as you wouldn't mind going back up at a fairly level track. He has lots of options.
"He could go to France for the mile race, Leopardstown for the Champion Stakes or head to York [Juddmonte]. Obviously, York would be the easiest mile and a quarter and Leopardstown would be the stiffest mile and a quarter. I suppose we will have to see how he comes out of today."
O'Brien added: "The horses are running really well and they are coming on from run-to-run."
GURKHA AVENGES ASCOT DEFEAT
The Gurkha avenged his defeat by Galileo Gold in the St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot by producing a performance full of class in the Group One Qatar Sussex Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival this afternoon.
The 11/8 favourite was always on the heels of the pacesetting Galileo Gold, under Frankie Dettori, but produced an instant turn of foot to get in front of his rival when jockey Ryan Moore asked him for his effort and the pair battled to the line, with The Gurkha prevailing by a neck, with Ribchester a further short-head behind the runner-up Galileo Gold.
Moore was happy with the performance after the race and thought the better ground had helped him turn the tables on the runner-up.
"Frankie got the run of the race and he was able to dictate terms," said Moore.
"They are both very good colts. My horse was a lot happier back on good ground today and I think he'll be even better on faster. He travelled very well and showed a lot of pace through the race. I was confident that my horse would be able to get himself out of any position today and go and win. He's had a tough campaign but he's done very little wrong. It all points to him being a very exciting horse for the rest of the year."
"He hasn't stood still this season. He had quick ground at Deauville (when The Gurkha won the French 2,000 Guineas) and I'd have liked it a bit quicker today. The quick ground helps him as he's a quick horse - he's got a lot of pace. He travels very well. Ascot didn't work out for him but it was dead ground there and he was only just touched off at Sandown.
"I didn't want to be where I was at Ascot but unfortunately he just stepped slowly. The way the cards fell, there were pacemakers that also missed the kick so Frankie was able to get to the front on Galileo Gold and I had a lot of horses in front of me. Galileo Gold is a very good horse and I wouldn't take anything away from him. They are both good horses.
"The Gurkha has won a French Guineas and now a Sussex Stakes so I'd say his best trip is a mile."
The Gurkha's victory gave Moore his first success in the Qatar Sussex Stakes.
GOLD TAKES SILVER AND RIBCHESTER IS ON THE RISE
A fabulous three-way finish ensured the £1-million Group One Qatar Sussex Stakes lived up to its pre-race billing as one of the races of the season.
Three-year-olds dominated, with The Gurkha, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, beating the front-running, Frankie Dettori-ridden, Galileo Gold by a neck - reversing their places in last month's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot - while there was just a short-head back to the third Ribchester who was clear of another Godolphin horse Toormore.
Hugo Palmer, who trains Galileo Gold for Sheikh Joaan's Al Shaqab Racing, said: "I'm disappointed to lose, but immensely proud of the horse. We were slightly hoping something else would make the running, but in the absence of a pacemaker we were hostage to our own fortune.
"Frankie got it absolutely right, and went the perfect gallop in front, giving the horse every chance to hang on, but he didn't quite. It's very hard to lead a field of that quality from pillar to post, and not many horses in history have done it - I'm not sure we'll try to do it again.
"I could see how well The Gurkha was going in behind, and I wasn't sure how much Frankie had left. The answer was he had a lot left, because we were only beaten a neck.
"We've now beaten Awtaad [eighth today] twice and by clear daylight, leading me to ask how did we get beaten by him in the Irish Guineas? I just can't help thinking my horses weren't at their best at that time. The three-year-olds have come out on top today, but the older horses didn't include Gleneagles - they were So Beloved, Lightning Spear and Toormore, admirable horses, but not the best of their generation. Every year the media cannot decide who will win the Guineas or Derby so say it is a bad group of three-year-olds, but you should wait until Goodwood before deciding. The likes of Hawkbill, Minding, The Gurkha and Galileo Gold all look well up to standard."
Richard Fahey, who saddled Ribchester for Godolphin, was happy with the colt, who had to switch off the rail a furlong and a half out, come wide and then took time to reach full stride - he finished best of all. Fahey said: "James [Doyle] was delighted with him - he's a horse with loads of pace and James just wished they had gone a bit quicker in order to give him a bit of room with which to work. It didn't happen, but he ran a blinder.
"He's still a big baby and is learning his trade - it's just as well James did switch him because there was no room down the inside, but James said he changed his legs and came home really well. He was four strides from winning - perhaps they should have made the race another 20 yards longer! That's racing.
"He's progressing and going the right way, and we've been very pleased with him at home. We felt he had improved a lot as three-year-olds do, and on this ground he is only going to get better and better. It was a worry in the back of my mind as to how he would handle this ground - we've not avoided it, but just haven't had a chance to race on it. We've now got a horse that can go anywhere.
"There are plenty of races for him, but I will have to speak to John [Ferguson, chief executive and racing manager of Godolphin]. This morning I put him in the Prix Jacques Le Marois next month, and I wouldn't swap my horse for any other. I'm delighted, but frustrated to be beaten so narrowly. He's all up in the air and still needs to learn to race - he could be a champion next year."
3.10pm Qatar Sussex Stakes
£1,000,000 guaranteed For 3yo+ Weights 3yo colts & geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb; 4yo+ colts & geldings 9st 8lb; fillies 9st 5lb Entries 50 pay £ 3750 Confirmed 14 pay £ 2500.00 Penalty value 1st £560,200.00 2nd £213,300.00 3rd £106,800.00 4th £53,300.00 5th £26,700.00 6th £13,400.00
1 (3) THE GURKHA (Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor) Aidan O'Brien, Ireland t3-9-00 Ryan Moore 11/8 Fav
2 (6) Galileo Gold (Al Shaqab Racing) Hugo Palmer 3-9-00 Frankie Dettori 9/4
3 (2) Ribchester (Godolphin) Richard Fahey 3-9-00 James Doyle 8/1
4 (4) Toormore Richard Hannon 5-9-08 James McDonald
5 (1) Gabrial Richard Fahey 7-9-08 Jimmy Fortune
6 (8) Lightning Spear David Simcock 5-9-08 Oisin Murphy
7 (9) So Beloved David O'Meara 6-9-08 Daniel Tudhope
8 (10) Awtaad Kevin Prendergast, Ireland 3-9-00 Chris Hayes
9 (5) Kodi Bear Clive Cox 4-9-08 Dane O'Neill
10 (7) Richard Pankhurst John Gosden 4-9-08 Andrea Atzeni
10 ran
Time: 1m 37.35s
Distances: nk, sh, 3, nk, ¾, nk, hd, ½, 4½
Tote Win £2.10 Tote Place £1.02,£1.70,£3.00 Exacta £5.10
Breeder: Chintz Syndicate
Breeding:b c Galileo (IRE) - Chintz (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Aidan O'Brien - Qatar Sussex Stakes wins
2000 Giant's Causeway, 2002 Rock Of Gibraltar, 2008 Henrythenavigator, 2009 Rip Van Winkle, 2016 The Gurkha
Ryan Moore - Qatar Sussex Stakes wins
2016 The Gurkha
Aidan O'Brien - 17 Goodwood wins (15 at Qatar Goodwood Festival)
Ryan Moore - 116 Goodwood wins (30 at Qatar Goodwood Festival)
Source: Goodwood Racecourse
Read More
On this Saturday before Christmas, two Kentucky Derby preps are on the list - the Gun Runner at...
Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Mr. A. P. will miss the Kentucky Derby trail after a setback. Trainer Vladimir...
Trainer H. Ray Ashford Jr.’s 988th career winner made quite the impression. Favored D’code rocketed to a front-running...
Dreaminblue posted Friday's highest Horse Racing Nation speed figure, earning a 139 while winning the six-furlong Silks Overnight...
Santa Anita's draw for opening day next Friday will be held Sunday, a two-day delay. In a notice...