Tag Archive for: Bow Echo

Haydock victor Bow Echo has Classic engagement on his radar

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Next year’s 2000 Guineas is the ultimate target for Bow Echo after George Boughey’s exciting juvenile lived up to his tall reputation with victory in the Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes at Haydock.

Having been rerouted from last weekend’s Solario Stakes at Sandown, John and Thady Gosden’s Publish was the early favourite for this one-mile Listed contest, but sustained support for Bow Echo – a dominant winner on his Newbury debut three weeks ago – saw him go off the 5-6 market leader.

Odds-on backers will have been smiling when the Night Of Thunder colt cruised to the lead in the hands of Billy Loughnane heading inside the final two furlongs and while Publish looked set to pick him up late in the day, Bow Echo found more once challenged and was a length in front at the line.

Boughey did not make the trip to Merseyside, but was delighted with what he saw.

“He’s a lovely horse who has shown plenty of ability at home, but he’s possibly still quite raw,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He probably didn’t learn too much on his debut at Newbury and he’s only had once piece of work since.

“Billy was of the opinion that he really wanted something to give him a lead for longer at Newbury and it was similar today. It looked like Publish was coming to win the race, but our horse was waiting for him and outbattled him in the end.

“I’m delighted to make him a Stakes winner for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) as he’s a homebred from a good family.”

While Publish holds big-race entries in the Royal Lodge and Dewhurst at Newmarket, Bow Echo does not, with Boughey keen to take a patient approach with a horse he views as a legitimate Classic contender.

He added: “I think we’ll just see how he comes out of the race. The reason we didn’t enter him in those races (Royal Lodge and Dewhurst) is because we see him as very much a horse for next year.

“Maybe we could step him up in class again this year, but I’d be quite happy to wait and run him in a Guineas trial next spring.

“He has plenty of pace, he’s a Guineas horse and that’s what we’ll be training him for.”

Bow Echo arrowing towards Haydock next

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George Boughey is struggling to contain his excitement for Bow Echo, with Haydock’s Betfair-sponsored Ascendant Stakes on Saturday week pencilled in for the impressive Newbury winner.

The son of Night Of Thunder created a deep impression with a dazzling display in the hands of Billy Loughnane on debut, with the Newmarket handler now seeing the one-mile Listed event as the perfect next step in the career of the budding star.

“The likelihood is he will probably go to the Ascendant Stakes at Haydock, he started over a mile and I think that is probably where he will be staying,” said Boughey.

“He was very impressive on debut and a very natural animal who hadn’t done a huge amount of work beforehand and was mainly there to have a nice experience, but he looked pretty good.

“He’s hard not to get excited about as he’s a very natural horse with a great pedigree and to see him go and do that on debut was great to see.”

The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid-owned Bow Echo holds an entry for Doncaster’s Betfred Champagne Stakes on September 13, but stablemate Protection Act – who is also one from one after a taking victory at Haydock – appears more likely to head to Town Moor on St Leger day.

“There’s no harm leaving Bow Echo in the Champagne with weather changing and then see how we go, but Protection Act looks like going to Doncaster and he was equally exciting on debut, albeit in a slightly different manner,” added Boughey.

“The race has worked out pretty well and he was a decisive winner at the line having missed the kick.

“He is a horse who was very weak at the time of his debut and is still developing. It’s all a learning curve for him at the minute, as like Bow Echo he is going to be a better three-year-old and is still very raw.

“But if he relaxes like he did on debut then I think Doncaster will suit him well.

“It can often be a small field which is always a bit of a shame and I just hope we get a properly-run race. If we can get Protection Act there in the same form he went into his debut, then he should be competitive.”

Boughey is entitled to have high hopes for the smart team of youngsters assembled at his Craven House base which includes the classy Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken.

However, one who will remain in calmer waters for the immediate future is taking Windsor winner Hilitany who will be kept to novice company for his next start despite holding entries for both the Mill Reef and Middle Park Stakes next month.

“He’s a nice colt who is well-entered up,” continued Boughey.

“He’s probably going to stick to the novice route for now and we’ll see, he’s still weak.

“I was happy with him going into his novice win, but he’s a horse who is going to keep improving into the winter and into next year and we’ll take him step by step. He’ll definitely go to another novice before he steps up in grade.”