Going too tough as Ribchester falters at Goodwood
AT LEAST Richard Fahey’s stable star Ribchester made it to the start for the Qatar Sussex Stakes – the heavy conditions at a rainsodden Goodwood meant chief rival Churchill was a late absentee.
And then it went wrong for the top miler who had little to win in this depleted contest and everything to lose because of the changed complexion and saturated ground. Stablemate Toscannini, the intended pacemaker, missed the breaking for the second time this season, leaving William Buick to set the pace on the seemingly invincible odds-on favourite.
Yet, after leading into the straight, the triple Group One winner momentarily lost his position at a crucial moment – Buick’s cause appeared to be a lost one as his charge struggled to quicken – before rallying gamely in the late stages.
By then it was too late. Oisin Murphy’s mount Lightning Spear looked, fleetingly, the likely winner before the withering late run of 20-1 outsider Here Comes When, a noted mudlark from Andrew Balding’s yard, snatched this £1m race for champion jockey Jim Crowley who will have become accustomed to such miserable weather when serving his apprenticeship with Sue and Harvey Smith on Baildon Moor.
Crowley’s second win at the highest level in the past month following the Eclipse success of Ulysses, arduous ground has a habit of producing surprise results – especially on the Flat – and the outcome, however disappointing, should be seen in this context when it comes to assessing Ribchester who beat Lightning Spear in the gallop for second and was closing in on the winner with every dying stride.
The outcome vindicated Aidan O’Brien’s decision to pull dual Guineas winner Churchill out of the ensuing race of rapidly changing fortunes at the 11th hour – the champion three-year-old miler could now step up to 10 furlongs and apepar in York’s Juddmonte International later this month.
However, Malton-based Fahey was philosophical in defeat. He said of Ribchester: “William just felt he was dropping away there two down and then he came back again. It’s extreme conditions out there, I was very worried – it’s not for a Flat horse to be racing on, it’s National Hunt horses.
“But he’s run a mighty race and he showed good heart to nearly get back up. Maybe he was a bit lonely in front and half-pulled up a bit, but that’s racing, we live to fight another day.
“If you could back winners today you’d be a genius, that’s why bookmakers love conditions like this. They get results and they’ve got one today. I’m disappointed, you come here expecting to win and you don’t, so you are disappointed. It was a strange race, I’d like to see it again.”
This view was echoed by a downcast Buick who said: “Ribchester has done it from the front before, but he wasn’t comfortable.
“I was surprised that they got to me, but at the time I wasn’t going well enough. He is a gutsy horse, the conditions are terrible out there. It is very heavy ground.”
The result means Ribchester could not add to his tally of three Group One wins, the same number of races won at the highest level by the late Richmond trainer Alan Swinbank with the globetrotting Collier Hill.
It’s still some feat for the Yorkshire horse. Next on the roll of honour is Karl Burke’s Quite Reflection, the reigning Yorkshire horse of the year, who recorded two Group One wins last year while star stayer Double Trigger’s many Cup successes for Mark Johnston only included one toprated race.
Nevertheless Burke and Johnston both enjoyed notable successes at Goodwood yesterday courtesy of Havana Grey and Londinium respectively.
First Havana Grey who is France-bound for a clash with a familiar foe after recording his fourth victory from just six starts with a determined front-running performance in the Group Two Molecomb Stakes over five furlongs.
The Group Three contest lost some of its lustre following the withdrawal of American challenger Happy Like A Fool, but a smart start enabled the youngster to prevail under former Scottish National-winning jockey PJ McDonald.
McDonald, riding his first winner at Goodwood, said: “I’ve always felt he was a very good horse. He disappointed us at Royal Ascot for some reason. I think it’s because I took him back and he just likes to bowl along and get on with it.
“I think he can keep progressing through the year and the way he’s won on that ground today, he’ll have absolutely no problem stepping up to six furlongs.”
Havana Grey looks likely to join stablemate Unfortunately, winner of the Prix Robert Papin, in the Prix Morny at Deauville.
Burke said: “He’s a very good horse. We were very concerned about the ground. I walked it at 8am and it was beautiful ground and I couldn’t believe how quick it was, but there is a nice strip on that rail and I was adamant we should get on that.
“He was a little bit tardy away but once he got out and in a rhythm he is so game and honest. The owners are very keen to try the Prix Morny and that’s where we’ll go next, along with Unfortunately.
“Unfortunately we have to run the pair together, so to speak, but both horses deserve to go for a Group One.”
Earlier the Johnston-trained Londinium won the mile and three furlong handicap under a typically power-packed Joe Fanning ride.
Fanning said: “He’s done it very well. I was going so well turning in and he took me to the front. With the light weight I thought we’d kick on. In that ground you don’t want to be sitting there. Mark wasn’t worried about the ground and he seemed to like it.”
The horse could reappear tomorrow, with Johnston saying: “It was a big decision to bring him to Goodwood as he doesn’t like being away from his home box. He is in again on Friday so he might be getting used to Goodwood.”
Johnston, a serial accumulator of winners at Goodwood down the years, completed a double when Threading dominated her rivals in the Markel Insurance Maiden Fillies’ Stakes. The previously unraced 12-1 shot powered clear under the aforementioned Buick.
Although Truth Or Dare’s win in the finalé for Middleham trainer James Bethell and jockey Daniel Tudhope completed a Yorkshire four-timer, the day will neverthless be remembered for Ribchester’s reverse in the damp on the Downs.