Suesa secures Group 2 victory
Suesa (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) won her first Group 2 in style at Goodwood on Friday with a 3l victory in the G2 King George Qatar S. over 1000 metres.
The 3-year-old was ridden patiently by William Buick, who let her race near the rear in the early stages. When the running got serious inside the 400-metre mark, the filly was quickly involved and took the lead with 200 metres left to run. Cable Bay’s (Ire) Dragon Symbol (GB) chased after her but was no real threat when placing second in his fourth consecutive stakes with Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead {USA}) 1.5l back in third.
“It was an amazing performance,” Buick said. “She travelled through the race strongly and once she got into it, she had that strong kick at the finish. She was very impressive, and she has a great attitude to go with it."
Suesa is one of two winners for her dam alongside Spanish Champion Valle Inclan (Ire) (Elusvie Pimpernel {USA}). The family also includes the Australasian stakes-placed duo of Elfee (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and One Cool Queen (NZ) (One Cool Cat {USA}).
Baaeed romps in Group debut
Making his career debut less than two months ago, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has passed each of his four tests with flying colours and Friday’s G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. over 1600 metres was no exception.
The colt gave the others some hope early on when racing in the rear but when jockey Jim Crowley asked him to advance his position, the race was all but over. He had the lead more than 200 metres from the line and easily pulled away to win by 6.5l with El Drama (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in second by 0.5l over Tasman Bay (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).
“Baaeed keeps doing it. People keep saying he is running good times. He's just a good horse,” said trainer William Haggas. “He's sound, healthy and fast. If you look at him, he's a full brother to Hukum who stays one mile six furlongs and looking at him, he looks like he is faster than his pedigree suggests. We will stay at a mile for now.”
A grandson of US Champion and two-time Grade 1 winner Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), he is one of two Group winners for his stakes-winning dam Aghareed (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}) alongside full brother Hukum (Ire). Aghareed has proven to be the best foal out of her dam as Lahudood’s only stakes winner and producer.
Passion And Glory wins again for Godolphin
It was a third straight victory for Godolphin homebred Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) when the gelding won the G3 l’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Glorious S. at Goodwood.
Keen to get on with the running, the Saeed bin Suroor-trainee was allowed to go straight to the lead by Oisin Murphy. He had to put in a determined run in the final 200 metres to hold off two rivals but in the end had 0.25l on Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) with Fox Tal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) another 0.25l back in third.
“I always liked him. He had tiny problems that stopped him, but this year he is sound and is doing good from race to race,” said bin Suroor. “He is classy and from now on we will look for Group 1 races for him. I am now going to take him to Germany next month for the Group 1 at Baden-Baden.”
Passion And Glory is out of a Street Cry (Ire) half-sister to Group 3 winner Kinglet (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}) with his grandam the Grade 3 winner and multiple Group 1-placed King’s Caper (USA) by Australian resident War Chant (USA). His family also includes Australian stakes winner Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}).
Wink Of An Eye wins TDN Australia H.
Wink Of An Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) closed out Friday’s Goodwood program with a victory in the TDN Australia H. for The Queen.
Racing over 2200 metres, the sixth generation homebred was allowed to settle in the back of the pack early on by Ryan Moore. That jockey didn’t ask for much until they entered the final 600 metres and he started telling him mount it was time to get serious. The gelding took the lead less than 400 metres but the race was far from over with State Of Bliss (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) chasing down the leader in the final 200 metres and just coming 0.25l short at the line with Scampi (GB) (Nayef {USA}) a head back in third.
“Wink Of An Eye is getting better, which is amazing because last year he was hopeless,” trainer William Haggas said. “This year he has matured and doesn't take much out of himself, which helps his progression. We took two things out that were between his legs and I think that's helped! He wasn't coltish, he just wasn't focused at all and it was marginal at one stage whether we needed to persevere with him.”
Wink Of An Eye is one of four winners from five to race out of The Queen’s stakes winner Momentary (GB) (Nayef {USA}). Seeing stakes performers under three of his first four dams, Wink Of An Eye has Australian Group 1-placed Invictus Prince (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Australian runner Bold Sniper (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) among those named on his page.
