bet365 Mile |
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| Group 2, Sandown 15:00 £67,500 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1  |
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| Friday 23rd April 2021 | |
1 Palace Pier 4/11F
2 Bless Him
28/1
3 Happy Power 8/1
4 ran Distances: 8l, 4½l, 12l
Time: 1m 44.43s (slow by 3.53s)
✅ Job done!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) April 23, 2021
👏 Palace Pier bolts up on his return to action at @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/QGNqsA586D
John and Thady Gosden’s four-year-old Palace Pier made giant strides last year, starting out with a handicap victory at Newcastle on his reappearance before winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He then went on to land the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville – but was bogged down by the very soft ground on Champions Day back at Ascot, losing his unbeaten record in the process.
Despite connections attempting to dampen enthusiasm before his return in terms of his fitness, he was still the 4-11 market leader against just three rivals, which included Roger Varian’s Khuzaam, so impressive when winning on All-Weather Finals Day.
Frankie Dettori had to encourage Palace Pier to take up the running from the latter with well over a furlong to run and while he did not pick up immediately, when he did his response was emphatic.
On meeting the rising ground Palace Pier found overdrive and ran out a hugely impressive eight-length winner from Bless Him in second.
On the back of his victory MansionBet make Palace Pier their 5/6 favourite from 13-8 for the Lockinge at Newbury next month.
Gosden said: “He was 80 per cent today, but luckily they didn’t put it up to him.
“He’s having a good blow and in terms of where we would look next, this was the right starting point.
“It should put him spot on for the Lockinge at Newbury and then we would look towards Royal Ascot (Queen Anne).
“He’s a grand horse and I’m sure he will get further at some stage,. We will put him in the Eclipse, although I’m mindful that it comes pretty close to Royal Ascot.”
bet365 Mile (Group 2)
£67,500 added, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1
4 ran
Going: Good
1 (4) Palace Pier 4 9-1 John & Thady Gosden Frankie Dettori 4/11F
2 (3) 8 Bless Him 7 9-1 David Simcock Jamie Spencer 28/1
3 (1) 4½ Happy Power 5 9-4 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 8/1
4 (2) 12 Khuzaam 5 9-1 Roger Varian Jim Crowley 4/1
