Moet and Chandon International Stakes
Heritage Handicap, Ascot 15:00
£150,000 guaranteed,
3yo plus,
7f, Class 2   
Saturday 23rd July 2022

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1 Fresh 8/1
2 Bless Him 12/1
3 Dark Shift 10/3F
4 Northern Express 20/1
21 ran NR: Raising Sand
Time: 1m 27.90s (slow by 2.20s)

James Fanshawe’s Fresh has contested multiple prestigious handicaps at the Berkshire circuit over the past couple of seasons, finishing a close second in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last year.

He was fourth in the Victoria Cup earlier this season and finished ninth when favourite to go one better than 12 months earlier in the Wokingham five weeks ago.

Ridden by Danny Tudhope, Fresh was an 8-1 shot for his latest assignment and raced in the group that made their way down the middle of the track.

Dark Shift, the 100-30 favourite to supplement his win in the Hunt Cup at the Royal meeting and claim a fifth win at Ascot, hit the front inside the final furlong.

However, he was unable to resist the late surge of Fresh, who got up score by a short head from Bless Him, who also finished strongly to pip Dark Shift to the runner-up spot.

Fanshawe said: “He loves this track. I was a bit concerned about going seven furlongs as he is best over six in a fast-run race.

“But they have done a lovely job with the ground, which is easy to say in hindsight, and he deserves that as he was second in the Wokingham here and has run two very good races here this year.

“It’s great that he’s won. He thoroughly deserves it. It is great for the team as things have been a bit sticky and hopefully this is a sign of good things to come.

“I’m not sure where he will pop up next. He just likes something with a stiff finish and he loves soft ground, so whether we can afford to enter in the Champions Sprint here in October – you never know what happens there.

“It is funny, this track, as sometimes you get horses who don’t like firm ground who can get away with firm ground here on that straight track for some reason.”

Free Racing Tips

Moet and Chandon International Stakes
(Heritage Handicap)
£150,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 7f, Class 2
21 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (12)     Fresh 5 9-0 James Fanshawe Daniel Tudhope 8/1
2 (3) shd Bless Him 8 9-4 3ex David Simcock Jamie Spencer 12/1
3 (10) nk Dark Shift 4 9-4 Charles Hills William Buick 100/30F
4 (11) ¾ Northern Express 4 8-8 Michael Dods Graham Lee 20/1
5 (5) ½ Documenting 9 9-1 Kevin Frost Jason Hart 40/1
6 (16) 1¼ Aratus 4 9-2 Clive Cox Tom Marquand 12/1
7 (19) ½ Accidental Agent 8 10-0 Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop 20/1
8 (1) nk Orbaan 7 8-3 David O'Meara Silvestre De Sousa 40/1
9 (18) hd Lion Tower 5 8-9 Grant Tuer Sam James 33/1
10 (7) hd Ropey Guest 5 8-9 George Margarson Callum Hutchinson 12/1
11 (20) ½ Air To Air 4 8-11 George Boughey Rossa Ryan 15/2
12 (2) hd Tactical 4 9-6 Andrew Balding Ryan Moore 11/1
13 (14) nse Rhoscolyn 4 9-6 David O'Meara Cieren Fallon 28/1
14 (6) 1 Jumby 4 9-8 Eve Johnson Houghton Hollie Doyle 13/2
15 (15) 1 Chiefofchiefs 9 8-12 Charlie Fellowes Colin Keane 14/1
16 (8) 2 Asjad 4 9-4 James Horton P J McDonald 40/1
17 (13) 1½ Star Of Orion 4 8-12 Ralph Beckett Rob Hornby 20/1
18 (22) 1¼ Top Secret 5 8-2 William Muir & Chris Grassick Hayley Turner 20/1
19 (17) 3¼ Eagleway 6 8-6 Ivan Furtado Joey Haynes 66/1
20 (21) 1 King Zain 4 9-4 Harry & Roger Charlton James Doyle 6/1
21 (4) 3¼ Tammani 5 8-6 David O'Meara Rowan Scott 125/1
NR 21 (9) Raising Sand 10 8-2 Jamie Osborne NON RUNNER

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