Goodwood Racecourse

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Strategic Prince (Eddie Ahern) is very impressive and always holding the favourite Duke of Marmalade (Mick Kinane)
© racing-images.co.uk

Prince Toasts Marmalade In Vintage Renewal
03/08/06

Strategic Prince defied a 3lb penalty and held off highly-touted Duke Of Marmalade in this juvenile highlight of Glorious Goodwood.

Following up a victory in the July Stakes at Newmarket, and on his fourth race of the season, Strategic Prince proved another big winner for trainer Paul Cole.

Cole said: “He’s a very mature horse, there’s nothing backward about him and there’s never been anything to say he’s needed more time. I’ve always taken the view that if they’re coming along nicely don’t stop them.

“We’d have to look on the bright side - things were against him today and he overcame them, and the second horse is obviously very good. We were drawn wide and had to get involved a bit early, but there are ifs and buts about every race. He’s got there, that’s the main thing.

“He’s shown signs of greenness in races and they’re only babies - when they run towards the crowd and there’s cheering and so on they can lose their concentration a bit. There’s only a couple of races to think about now, but one would like to win the Dewhurst Stakes because he’s got a lot of speed. He’s odds-on to get a mile and beyond next year.”

Strategic Prince, a son of Dansili, races in the familiar yellow, white and black colours of HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah (who was wearing a tartan cloth cap in the winner’s enclosure today), and was bought for 150,000 guineas at Tattersalls. He was the second horse purchased by bloodstock agent Angie Sykes - the first was Vodafone Derby winner Sir Percy.

Following the race, bookmakers shortened Strategic Prince for next year’s Stan James 2000 Guineas - the sponsors make Cole’s colt a 20-1 shot from 33-1, but keep Duke Of Marmalade unchanged at 20-1. Paddy Power offers just 16-1 about today’s winner, Totesport and William Hill make him a 20-1 shot, while Blue Square price him at 25-1.

The Amanda Perrett-trained Jo'Burg, who was hampered by a high draw when fifth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, will step up to seven furlongs for the first time as he bids for compensation in the prestigious £70,000 Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday, August 2.

The two-year-old Johannesburg colt, drawn 20 of 21 runners when finishing a little over two lengths behind Hellvelyn in the Group Two Coventry Stakes, has subsequently shown his well-being at Windsor on July 10, when landing a competitive six-furlong maiden by a length and a quarter from Cheap Street.

Mark Perrett, assistant trainer to his wife, revealed today: "Jo'Burg heads for the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes in good nick so we're hopeful of a good run.

"He ran a great race at Ascot, it's just a shame he was drawn on the wrong side with no company. He had nothing to race with and he was only beaten two lengths or so.

"Mick Kinane has ridden him in all his races and he'll be in the saddle again. Mick got off him at Windsor and said go seven furlongs with him."

Jo'Burg has shown immense promise in each of his three starts, starting at Newbury on May 20, when he was runner-up to Coventry second Major Cadeaux, with Chesham Stakes winner Champlain held in third and Windsor Castle Stakes runner-up Conquest in fifth.

Perrett reported: "As far as the ground's concerned, he'll go on anything. It was on the soft side at Newbury when he ran and on the fast side at Ascot, so the ground isn't a worry.

"Goodwood's a local meeting and there's a lot of interest so we try to run what we can and hope we can have some success."

Eoghan O'Neill saddled Always Hopeful to success in the Sterling Insurance Richmond Stakes last year and is hoping for more Goodwood success with his juveniles this year, including the once-raced Danehill Dancer colt Medicine Path, who was impressive when defeating Cumin by a length and a quarter in a seven-furlong York maiden on July 14..

The Averham Park handler revealed today: "Medicine Path goes to the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes and is in fine form. I was pleased with his York win but I fully expected it. He's a very good horse and he knew is job so it was no surprise to us.

"He'll gallop this week and I'll see how he is. Ideally, he'd like to get his toe in but they do very well with the ground at Goodwood, so I never have any worries taking horses there because Seamus Buckley does a fabulous job."

O'Neill plans to saddle Mood Music, runner-up to Bahama Mama in a five-furlong Sandown Listed contest on July 7, in the Group Two Sterling Insurance Richmond Stakes on Friday, August 4.

The trainer reported: "Mood Music is fine after running a good second at Sandown. We're stepping him up to six furlongs but he's a nice solid sort of horse so Goodwood should suit him.

"Medicine Path and Vital Equine are my two best colts and they'll both be running in Group Ones at the end of the season. Vital Equine is having a bit of a break because he's an unfurnished horse but he'll be out by the beginning of September. These are good horses and hopefully they'll go a long way."

Other possible contenders for the Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes include the Paul Cole-trained Strategic Prince, winner of the Group Two TNT July Stakes at Newmarket on his last start, and the Jeremy Noseda-trained Coventry Stakes fourth Kalgoorlie.

Since achieving Group race status in 1985, a host of brilliant horses have won the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes, and several have gone on to Classic success the following season, including last year's hero, the Marcus Tregoning-trained Sir Percy, who emulated Dr Devious (1991) with victory in the following season's Vodafone Derby at Epsom.

Don't Forget Me (1986) and Mister Baileys (1993) won the race before landing the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket the following spring, and the brilliant 2004 victor Shamardal subsequently won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the Prix du Jockey Club before scoring a breathtaking triumph in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Central Park augmented his 1997 victory by securing the Italian Derby, while Aljabr (1998) returned to Goodwood the following summer to capture the Group One Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes.

Goodwood is renowned for producing superb racing ground, and, despite the searing temperatures and lack of rain during the prolonged heatwave, clerk of the course Seamus Buckley and his groundstaff have been working hard to ensure an excellent surface for the Glorious Goodwood Festival.

Buckley reported today: "We had six millimetres of rain last night and could not be more pleased with the condition of the course. We have followed an extensive watering programme during the recent dry spell, aimed at producing consistent ground overall with the use of the Upton Irrigator.

"We've had the Upton Irrigator at Goodwood for 10 years now, and it ensures consistent watering all the way across the course. It ensures that the water goes down rather than up into the air, which pop-ups and tow-lines are inclined to do, so the water goes exactly where you want it to.

"Our aim has been to keep moisture in the ground during this very dry and warm period when we have had temperatures soaring to over 30 degrees celcius on many occasions, and we have managed to do that.

"We are where we want to be in this regard and we are hopeful of being able to produce some very decent ground for the Festival."

He continued: "This has probably been the most difficult summer since 1976 with regards to trying to maintain a racecourse but at the moment the going is close to good in the straight, and good to firm out on the loops.

"There is the possibility of showers later this week, which will help our cause. There is a lovely covering of grass and it should be fair and safe for everyone."