| Course: GOODWOOD | Race date:06/06/08 | Race time:7:20 | Runners:10 |
| Race distance:1m4f | Going:Good | Winners time:2m 37.82s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peppertree Lane | Joe Fanning | M Johnston | 6 | 9-0 | 5 | 0 | 110 | 8/1 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.68 | 1.01 | 1 | |
| Eastern Anthem | Ted Durcan | Saeed Bin Suroor | 5 | 9-0 | 4 | 0 | 101 | 14/1 | 6.8 | 4.15 | 3.15 | 1.01 | 2 | hd |
| Speed Gifted | Jamie Spencer | L M Cumani | 1 | 9-0 | 4 | 0 | 102 | 5/1 | 2.66 | 2.23 | 1.76 | 1.01 | 3 | shd |
| Al Shemali | L Dettori | Saeed Bin Suroor | 4 | 9-0 | 4 | 0 | 109 | 4/1 | 2.6 | 2.08 | 1.87 | 1.1 | 4 | 1 |
| Raincoat | Jimmy Fortune | J H M Gosden | 3 | 9-0 | 4 | 0 | 109 | 5/1 | 2.86 | 2.25 | 1.75 | 1.8 | 5 | 5 |
| Dragon Dancer | Richard Hughes | G Wragg | 7 | 9-0 | 5 | 0 | 108 | 12/1 | 6.2 | 5.16 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 6 | 4½ |
| Young Mick | Darryll Holland | G G Margarson | 10 | 9-0 | 6 | 0 | 105 | 40/1 | 16.5 | 13.23 | 7.6 | 5 | 7 | nk |
| Maid To Believe | Eddie Ahern | J L Dunlop | 8 | 8-9 | 4 | 0 | 90 | 50/1 | 80 | 29.27 | 17 | 17.5 | 8 | 2½ |
| Shahin | Martin Dwyer | M P Tregoning | 9 | 9-0 | 5 | 0 | 112 | 15/2 | 5.5 | 3.74 | 2.92 | 2.94 | 9 | 1½ |
| Sagara | Kerrin McEvoy | Saeed Bin Suroor | 2 | 9-0 | 4 | 0 | 122 | 11/4F | 2.06 | 1.78 | 1.42 | 1.81 | 10 | nk |
Peppertree Lane led, ridden and headed briefly just inside final furlong, all out
Eastern Anthem tracked winner, challenged over 2f out, led briefly just inside final furlong, kept on to line
Speed Gifted held up well in rear, good headway from 3f out, hung badly right from over 1f out but ran on and just failed for 2nd
Al Shemali always prominent, ridden and challenged 2f out, no extra inside final furlong
Raincoat held up in rear, some headway 2f out, never dangerous
Dragon Dancer mid-division, ridden over 2f out, soon beaten
Young Mick tracked leaders, challenged 3f out, weakened over 1f out
Maid To Believe took keen hold in mid-division, weakened over 2f out
Shahin held up in touch, ridden over 3f out, soon beaten
Sagara took keen hold, always towards rear
You'd have thought PEPPERTREE LANE'S chances would have been lessened by the drying ground - he has been racing over further than this lately - so he deserves extra credit for this gutsy success. He was headed, briefly, just inside the final furlong after making the running but battled back to record his ninth success in 23 starts. The owner's representative pointed the way to the Curragh Cup on June 28, which he won last year and in which he'll be tough to beat again, especially with a bit of juice in the ground.
Eastern Anthem, Godolphin's evident third string, had not cut much ice in two runs at three, but the mere fact he is still with the Dubai-based operation gives cause for future hope. Wearing a tongue tie for the first time, he produced an excellent performance given his absence, running on all the way up the straight and heading the winner just inside the final furlong. He won't be the third string next time.
Speed Gifted was up in class but down in trip for this return to action. He was bidding to score for the third time in only four starts, and could well have done so given a bit more experience. He looked an awkward conveyance as he came with a fine run at the 2f pole, hanging to the right and then looking a bit reluctant to go through a gap, though he was squeezed up somewhat. He's bound to improve with experience and for this first run back.
Al Shemali's third behind Red Rocks and Many Volumes had suggested a return to this trip would be a good idea, and he was the choice of Frankie Dettori from Godolphin's three - though not punters'. He was always on the premises but just faded in the final half-furlong, suggesting, in fact, that the distance may have been plenty far enough.
Dragon Dancer, second in the Derby two years ago, had finished last of ten in the Jockey Club Stakes on his return just over a month ago, and this was a better effort. Young Mick could do with being dropped to a mark which enables him to contest major handicaps, as he's struggling in pattern company at the moment.
This looked a huge ask for the only filly in the race, Maid To Believe, even with her 5lb allowance, and so it proved. Shahin hasn't won since October 2005 and was making his first start since September. He has gone well fresh before - second in this last year on seasonal return - but this wasn't one of his finest performances.
Bearing in mind Sagara's last run had seen him finish third, beaten less than two lengths, in the Arc, it may have been a surprise to some that he was not Godolphin's first string onjockey bookings - it was certainly a surprise to enough punters, as he was the shortest-priced of Godolphin's trio. With that in mind, this last-of-ten performance would have been a major disappointment to connections, though he's worth a chance to redeem himself.
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