Tag Archive for: Fox Legacy

Goodwood victor Fox Legacy set Strensall task

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Fox Legacy, one of the most impressive winners at Goodwood last week, has the Sky Bet Strensall Stakes at York on August 23 as his next target.

The former Sir Michael Stoute inmate has improved dramatically this season, rising from a rating of 90 to a lofty 116, and proved his liking for York when winning the John Smith’s Cup. He then won what looked a tight nine-furlong conditions race at Goodwood by five and a half lengths.

“As long as all is OK he will probably go to the Strensall,” said Alastair Donald, racing manager for owners King Power Racing.

“There are international options after that, places like Bahrain, and he has been put in the Champion Stakes as well.

“In the Hunt Cup he didn’t have a great draw and in hindsight Oisin (Murphy) said he didn’t go fast enough that day to bring his stamina into it, so I don’t think we’ll be going back to a mile again.

“I think 10 furlongs is his trip. He ran over a mile and a half for Sir Michael, he probably didn’t stay it but it wouldn’t be crazy to think that at some point in the future he’d try it again.

“The joy of him is that he goes on all ground which makes life a lot easier to plan.

“He was really impressive at Goodwood and had that race been 10 furlongs, who knows how far he might have won.”

Fox too smart in Bentinck contest

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Fox Legacy looks to be a horse on his way up after a runaway success in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes at Goodwood.

Trained by Andrew Balding this season after the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute at the end of last term, the four-year-old has won two valuable handicaps already in 2025.

He was ridden by Oisin Murphy as an 11-4 chance for this step up in calibre, and proved himself more than up to the task with an easy five-and-a-half-length triumph.

Anna-Lisa Balding, wife of Andrew, said: “He’s a lovely horse, he’s done nothing but improve.

“It was lovely to see him go on that ground today, he has got that action so we were sure he would do, but until they do it you never know.

“He’s done it really well, I don’t think I’ve enjoyed watching a race more and the jockey was very complimentary when he got off.”

Kyle Of Lochalsh cantered away with the Coral Goodwood Handicap for Hughie Morrison in another wide-margin win for Murphy.

The five-year-old was fourth in the contest last year and returned on the same mark to start a 5-1 shot.

He made light work of the staying contest against 11 rivals, navigating a flag start to enjoy an easy passage throughout the two-and-a-half-mile trip ahead of a nine-and-half-length victory.

Charlie Harris, assistant to Morrison, said: “We’ve been waiting and waiting for the cut in the ground and what also helped today is that they went a decent pace.

“Now there are lots of good options, especially in France, where we will look at races like the Prix Royal-Oak.

“He didn’t win until he was three and is quite lightly raced for a five-year-old.”

Murphy also struck gold on Seagulls Eleven in the Thoroughbred Stakes to make it a treble on the day.

The Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap then went the way of Hugo Palmer’s Ardisia, who struck at 20-1 under David Probert to defeat 9-4 favourite Shaman Champion.

Push The Limit obliged favourite backers in the closing Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap, triumphing for Ralph Beckett and Hector Crouch as a 5-2 chance.