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Salisbury Racecourse News |
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24/08/06
Eddie Jock, the impressive winner of the Shergar Cup Juvenile at Ascot on his latest start, steps up to a mile and Listed company for the first time in the £25,000 Weatherbys Bank Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury this Friday, August 25.
The Michael Bell trained gelding, who will be partnered by champion
jockey Jamie Spencer, has progressed with each of his six outings this
term, winning nurseries at Brighton and Newmarket, and finishing runner-up
under top-weight in a seven-furlong nursery at Glorious Goodwood, before
spread-eagling his rivals when recording a four-length success over Doctor
Brown in the Ascot contest on August 12.
That win came over seven furlongs on good to firm going, but Bell has no concerns about the Almutawakel juvenile handling the extra furlong or the step up in class, although he is hoping for as little rain as possible.
The Newmarket handler reported today: "He's declared and ready
to go. It looks a suitable race for him - he's rated 105 so he's out
of nurseries now. He get's in without a penalty so it's a logical next
stepping-stone, and, the way he won last time, the mile should suit him.
"He handled softish ground at Ayr earlier in the year but he wouldn't want it bottomless as he's a good-actioned horse."
Eddie Jock could bid to emulate 2004 Weatherbys Bank Stonehenge Stakes
victor, Perfectperformance, who went on to Group Two success in the Royal
Lodge Stakes at Ascot later that season.
Bell revealed: "Depending on what happens at Salisbury, he'll go for either the Group Three Prix des Chenes at Longchamp, or he could be supplemented for the Royal Lodge. Being a gelding, there aren't that many options for him."
The Weathebys Bank Stonehenge Stakes has attracted a six-strong entry,
which also includes the Mark Johnston-trained Champery, unbeaten in two
starts, as well as the Andrew Balding-trained Streets Ahead, winner of
the Stella Artois Maiden Auction Stakes over seven furlongs at the course
on August 17, who will be partnered by Frankie Dettori.
La Roca, a Windsor maiden winner over six furlongs for trainer Ralph
Beckett, makes her first start since finishing ninth of 18 behind Sander
Camillo in the Group Three Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June,
while Johannesburg Jack and Easy Lover complete the line-up.
The Weatherbys Bank Stonehenge Stakes is the feature race of the Wiltshire
course's entertaining seven-race card, which has attracted a bumper 84
entries, and kicks off the Bank Holiday weekend at 4.50pm with the seven-furlong
Axminster Carpets Apprentice Handicap and concludes with the 7.50pm Salisbury
Printing Ltd Handicap over a mile and a half.
Child-care facilities are provided and a creche, clowns and a bouncy
castle offer a fun diversion for youngsters, while a big screen will
enhance th experience for spectators.
Salisbury Clerk of the Course, Jeremy Martin, reported this morning: "The
going is currently good and good to firm on the loop, but rain is forecast.
"The Weatherbys Bank Stonehenge Stakes looks a decent race."
Salisbury's final evening fixture of the 2006 season is followed by
a superb afternoon of racing on Thursday, August 31, which features the £30,000
Listed EBF Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes.
The six-furlong contest, now in its fourth year as a Listed race, was
won last season by the Ed Dunlop-trained Nidhaal and has produced a host
of classy fillies.
The outstanding winner of recent times was the 1999 heroine, Crimplene.
Trained by Clive Brittain, she won the following season's German and
Irish 1,000 Guineas, and added the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and
Goodwood's Nassau Stakes.
The Peter Makin-trained Imperial Beauty took the prize in 1998 and was
another filly who went on to Group One glory, with a victory on her final
start in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in 2001.
Suez took the race for trainer Michael Jarvis in 2004 prior to running
second in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes, while the runner-up that
day, Castelletto, went on to land the Group Three Cornwallis Stakes,
and fourth-placed Satin Kiss secured victory in the 2005 UAE 1000 Guineas
and UAE Oaks at Nad Al Sheba, Dubai.
Nyramba took the first Listed renewal of the race in 2003 before winning
the Watership Down Stud Sales race at Ascot, while 2002 winner, Tashawak,
landed the following season's Group Two Falmouth Stakes.
The Thursday, August 31, fixture also features the £25,000 EBF
Lochsong Fillies' Handicap over seven furlongs, which is named after
the brilliant champion sprinter, and was won in 2005 by Tahrir, who defeated
subsequent Listed race winner, Clinet, by a neck.
The quality seven-race card also includes the 14-furlong Think Thoroughbred
Think Ireland Persian Punch' Conditions Stakes, which carries prize-money
of £18,000 and often attracts high-class stayers, and was won by
Persian Punch himself in 2002. The crowd favourite won by a short-head
in a thrilling three-way tussle with multiple Group One winner Warrsan
and Harlestone Grey.
The following season saw subsequent Group Two Goodwood Cup winner Distinction
take the race, while this season's Group Two Henry II Stakes victor,
Tungsten Strike, was successful in the Salisbury contest in 2005, and
racegoers can look forward to another chance to see some of their favourite
stayers in action.
Admission prices on Friday, August 25, and Thursday, August 31, are Members' Enclosure £18, Tattersalls Enclosure £11 And Course Enclosure £6. Accompanied children under 16 are admitted free and all car parking is free.
