Siskin can soar to Sussex Stakes success at Glorious Goodwood
● Track should suit Lyons’ unbeaten colt in what could be the race of the season
Siskin can maintain his unbeaten record in a red-hot renewal of the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Ger Lyons’ three-year-old has just one blot on his copybook, and that was when he was sent over to Newmarket last autumn for the Middle Park Stakes. He became upset in the stalls, something there has been no sign of him doing before or since, and we were deniedwhatwouldsurelyhave been a great clash with the eventual winner Earthlight.
To prevent it happening again, Lyons was given a special rug Clive Cox had made for Harry Angel, and it worked the oracle in the Irish 2,000 Guineas where he handled the step up to a mile with aplomb. The only danger he faced that day was a wall of Ballydoyle horses, but Siskin was good enough to take a gap when it appeared – and Colin Keane needed no second invitation.
Last year’s runner-up Circus Maximus and Marcus Tregoning’s Mohaather are serious rivals from the older brigade today – while with Newmarket Guineas winner Kameko back to a mile after failing to see out the Derby trip, we will arguably witness the race of the season. Siskin, though, displayed a turn of foot very rarely seen at the Curragh – and this track should suit.
Karl Burke’s Significantly may still be a maiden after three runs, but the Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes might be right up his street. Favourite on his debut, he just failed to catch Muker – who went close in the Windsor Castle and has won since.
He then hit the front too soon at Doncaster when headed on the line, but he proved when upped in class at Sandown last time out that he is all speed.
It looked as if he was going to win the Dragon Stakes, having hit the front inside the final furlong, only to be caught close home by Gussy Mac. Sandown’s stiff finish will have been all against him there, so the speedier nature of Goodwood should be right up his street.
Roger Varian’s Waliyak looks very well treated in the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap. She was second in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot on her reappearance and the winner of that race, Onassis, has been to France to win at Listed level since.
Waliyak has only been put up 3lb by the handicapper and with a run under her belt, she should take all the beating.
Ian Williams’ Blue Laureate keeps threatening to win a decent prize, and it may be here in the Unibet You’re On Goodwood Handicap.
He looked sure to win at Haydock, only to hang in front first time out and allow Moon King another chance – but at Ascot next time, he was not on a going day. Better most recently at Newbury in a decent race when fourth to stablemate Reshoun, he could run well at a good price.
Meanwhile, the jumpers are in action at Bangor and in division two of the tote Placepot Your First Bet Novices’ Hurdle, Piano Stairs may be capable of significantly more than he has so far shown.
The four-year-old has been learning on the job while being beaten an aggregate 76 lengths in his two starts under rules to date, at Southwell this month.
But there were signs he was getting the hang of things in the later stages of his second attempt, and he is in good hands.