PUROSANGUE was threatening Dark Trooper’s long-held position at the top of the market for today’s Coral Stewards’ Cup last night.
You can argue the case: a three-year-old, still learning his trade as a sprinter, second in the Coral Charge on Eclipse day at Sandown in early July, and second in the Molecombe Stakes last year, just a neck behind Big Evs, on his only run to date at Goodwood.
And, in a race in which you would instinctively think that experience might be more important than progressiveness – not that progressiveness is ever not important – three-year-olds actually have a really good record.
After a spell in the Stewards’ Cup wilderness, members of the classic generation have between them bagged three of the last nine renewals of the race.
Andrew Balding’s horse is a player all right, and he had four lengths in hand over Apollo One on their running in that Coral Charge at Sandown. That said, you can argue that there may not be as much between them today.
Apollo One was keen and free at Sandown, with no cover and just behind a fast pace and reportedly into a headwind. It is understandable he faded late on.
Moreover, Apollo One ran a big race in last year’s Stewards’ Cup to finish second behind Aberama Gold.
He ran better than the bare form of that run suggests too, because he raced on the near side in a race in which the two far-side groups had the edge. He had to be ridden to go to the front on the near side earlier than ideal, before moving to his right to engage the middle group.
Nicely clear
In the end, he couldn’t get to Aberama Gold, but he came nicely clear of his rivals on the near side and he finished a clear second overall.
He has been in good form this season too, he ran just twice before he went to Sandown for the Charge on Eclipse day, and he ran well on both occasions. He is only 2lb higher now than he was last year, and it is probable that this has been his primary target since the start of the year. When he ran in the Stewards’ Cup last year, he was racing at Goodwood for the first time. The ground was soft on this day last year, but the Equiano gelding is equally at home on better ground. He hasn’t won since he landed a handicap at Kempton on November 2022 off a mark of 94, but he goes into the race in good form, and his high draw is probably a positive.
Dare To Hope is interesting too at a big price, he finished off his race well on the near side last time at York, in a race in which the far-side, low-drawn horses appeared to hold the upper hand.
The three horses who finished in front of him all raced towards the far side, one of them from a near-side draw. He could out-run big odds.
Lillie Langtry Stakes
Night Sparkle could also out-run her odds in the Lillie Langtry Stakes 35 minutes earlier.
A winner once over hurdles and three times on the flat for Michael O’Callaghan last year, she has continued her progression this season for Andrew Balding.
She kept on well on her seasonal return to finish a close-up second behind Term Of Endearment in the Group 3 Bronte Cup at York. Henry de Bromhead’s filly is a danger again, and her chance will be enhanced if there is further rain. Night Sparkle was well beaten in the Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock next time, but she bounced back to form last time with a performance that was close to a career-best in finishing second behind Trueshan in the Listed Coral Marathon at Sandown.
Trueshan is obviously a top-class stayer, he finished fourth in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup on Wednesday, and Night Sparkle got to within two lengths of him, coming away from her other rivals, with the 116-rated Quickthorn (who, admittedly, probably didn’t run his race) well back in fourth.
The drop back down to a mile and six furlongs should be fine for her and, in a race in which there are many with chances, she could out-run her odds.