Cavalryman edges out stablemate Ahzeemah to win the Goodwood Cup

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Cavalryman clings on to win Goodwood Cup

Report: Goodwood, Thursday

Artemis Goodwood Cup (Group 2) 2m, 3yo+

CAVALRYMAN held off a late thrust from stablemate Ahzeemah to give Godolphin and trainer Saeed Bin Suroor a memorable 1-2 as Estimate finished last in her bid for a royal win.

RELATED LINKS

Last year’s winner Brown Panther held on for third but a distant one with Kieren Fallon, replacing the banned Silvestre de Sousa, driving Cavalryman right to the line as Harry Bentley found plenty of late staying power from Ahzeemah.

Both first and second have the Melbourne Cup in their sights, said Bin Suroor afterwards.

In an intriguingly run encounter Bin Suroor’s third runner in the field of eight, Excellent Result, set a steady pace in front only to slow up appreciably with about a mile to run.

Brown Panther was seen to be pulling hard and the tactical ploy also seemed to inconvenience Forgotten Voice whose rider Richard Hughes took his mount from last to nearly first in a swift mid-race bid to quicken the pace.

As the field hit the home straight the leading contenders fanned out across the course and it was Estimate, 2-1 favourite but on edge beforehand, who was first to crack.

Fallon grabbed the initiative and his mount strode well clear to win at 5-1 with Ahzeemah, a 12-1 shot, cutting the gap to a neck by the line.

“He’s a real tough horse,” said Fallon of the winner. “He was campaigned successfully in Dubai all winter and the Goodwood Cup is really a difficult race to win. He has gone from strength to strength.

“The pace wasn’t great but it was okay so I was happy to sit in as this horse has a great turn of foot.”

Bin Suroor, winning his third Goodwood Cup, said of Cavalryman: “He is a very easy horse to train, I think a mile and six or two miles are the best trips for him.

“He can go for the Lonsdale Cup now and then we’ll talk to Sheikh Mohammed about going to the Melbourne Cup. Ahzeemah could also go for the Melbourne Cup. I would like to take three.”

Missunited: ended her career with a win

 PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Goodwood: Injured Missunited retired after Langtry win

Report: Goodwood, Thursday

Sterling Insurance Lillie Langtry Stakes (Group 3) 1m6f, 3yo+

MISSUNITED recorded a tenacious success on her final racecourse appearance as the Mick Winters-trained seven-year-old was retired immediately after passing the post.

RELATED LINKS

Last seen when third behind Leading Light in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, Missunited had been easy to back throughout the morning having opened as short as 13-8.

However, the 3-1 favourite belied any market weakness to fend off a host of challengers and record a brave half-length success from the fast-finishing Arabian Comet, who returned at 7-1, with 6-1 chance Waila a head away in third.

Jockey Jim Crowley was quick to dismount his charge after pulling up, and it was soon confirmed by her owners that Missunited had sustained an injury to her suspensory and will be retired to the breeding sheds in Ireland.

In what appeared a reasonable test, German raider Nymphea cut out the early fractions under Adrie de Vries, with Missunited a close-up second. The 10-strong field were well strung out passing through the halfway marker, with last year’s Oaks winner Talent and the heavily supported Arabian Comet held up towards the rear of the pack.

Missunited kicked on from the long-time leader three-furlongs out, with the Ryan Moore-ridden Waila laying down a strong challenge on the outside as Richard Hughes stalked his way into the contest aboard Talent.

However, Ralph Beckett’s charge failed to pick up as expected and Missunited continued to plough onwards at the head of affairs, fending off challengers on both flanks and sticking her neck out as the post loomed.

Following momentarily worrying post-race scenes, her winning rider said: “She just pulled up a bit sore after the line, but she’s walking a bit better now.

“She’s one of the toughest horses I’ve ever ridden and obviously she just felt the ground there. She battled on so well and was never going to be passed.”

Winters added: “She was galloping as fast as she can and she was just losing her action behind. She is one of a lifetime and this is fabulous.”

Ivawood: A wide-margin winner of the Richmond Stakes

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Ivawood still unbeaten after Richmond romp

Report: Goodwood, Thursday

Qatar Bloodstock Richmond Stakes (Group 2) 6f, 2yo

IVAWOOD maintained his unbeaten record with an emphatic success over Louie De Palma, taking his tally of victories to three and recording a first success of the Glorious meeting forRichard Hannon and Richard Hughes. 

RELATED LINKS

A comprehensive winner of the July Stakes three weeks ago, for which he carried a 3lb penalty, Ivawood had been the subject of bullish reports from connections in the build-up to the five-day fixture, with jockey Richard Hughes having labelled him his “banker of the week”.

Such bold claims were fully justified by the 2-5 favourite, who broke smartly from stall five and made just about every yard under his confident rider, quickening away from his eight rivals over a furlong out to record a thumping four-and-a-half length victory.

Bookmakers were suitably impressed, with William Hill installing Ivawood as 8-1 favourite for Qipco 2,000 Guineas next spring, and Richard Hannon mooted the first Classic of 2015 as a long-term aim for the Zebedee juvenile.

“We will look at races like the Morny and the Dewhurst, things like that,” the trainer said. “He is being treated as a Guineas horse.”

A suitably delighted Hughes added: “He is very good. He stays well and he has got everything really. I think he is ahead of the other two-year-olds at the minute.”

Louie De Palma, a 14-1 shot, ran a blinder on his first foray into Group company, while 5-1 chance Jungle Cat continued to ply his trade admirably at this level, finishing a further neck away in third.

GOODWOOD Risultati giovedì 31 luglio 2014, Day 3   GOING: GOOD TO FIRM (8.0). Weather conditions: mainly sunny.  STALLS: Straight course – Stands’ side; Round course – Inside