Tag Archive for: Lake Forest

Lake Forest likely to head back to Australia

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Lake Forest is likely to gain another Australian stamp on his passport this autumn after his gallant second in the City of York Stakes.

The William Haggas-trained chestnut enjoyed a lucrative trip to Rosehill in November last year when winning the richly-endowed Golden Eagle ahead of Lazzat, who would later go on to win the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Lake Forest’s own Royal Ascot appearance saw him finish fifth in the Queen Anne, after which he was sixth in the Criterion at York and second in the Lennox at Goodwood.

He stepped back up to Group One level on his return to the Knavesmire at the weekend and ran a fine race under Tom Marquand, coming home half a length behind Never So Brave.

Sean Graham, racing manager to co-owner Tony Bloom, said: “The thing about Lake Forest is that he loves being in a battle, he doesn’t want to see too much daylight and in the race at York earlier in the season (eventual winner) Quinault had everything strung out like the washing.

“The same thing happened in the Lennox but he still ran a blinder as he was the only horse to come from off the pace, that form has stacked up because Jonquil (fifth) went on to win the Celebration Mile.

“We know he wants seven and a half furlongs in a strongly-run race with plenty in it on quick ground, so there are a couple of races for him in Australia in October and November and that will be the long-term plan.

“There’s one in Sydney and then there’s one on the final day of the Melbourne Carnival, both are quite valuable.

“He’s proven he can travel, he’s proven he’s tough as teak and when the ground starts to soften there won’t be much for him here anyway.”

Haggas also trains Sky Majesty for the same owners, with Ian McAleavy co-owning both horses alongside Bloom, and she is another horse in rare form having won the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Naas on Sunday.

She was a winner at the same track at Listed level prior to that, and with her liking for some cut in the ground it is likely that Champions Day at Ascot will be a key target now.

The filly won the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte on heavy ground at Chantilly last term, and having truly hit her stride this year she could bid for a Group One title to add to that Group Two win.

“Tom Marquand said the ground was beautiful at Naas, with a good bit of cut in it,” said Graham.

“I think her main target for the end of the season will be the Champions Sprint on Champions Day at Ascot, hopefully the ground will come up soft then.

“We’ll wait to see how she is before making any decisions, but that would be what we’re thinking.”

Lake Forest likely to be aimed at targets away from Goodwood

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Lake Forest may miss next week’s Qatar Goodwood Festival, with alternative summer targets in the reckoning.

The No Nay Never colt, who is trained by William Haggas, was the winner of the Gimcrack as a two-year-old and runner-up in both the Commonwealth Cup and the Hackwood Stakes in his three-year-old season.

In November last year he claimed a lucrative success in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill, Australia, although this season he is yet to get his head in front across three starts.

He was last seen finishing sixth in the Criterion Stakes at York having started as the favourite, and while he holds entries at Goodwood it is more likely he will work towards an eventual return to the Knavesmire instead.

“He’s grand. He has two entries at Goodwood, in the Lennox on the Tuesday and the Sussex on the Wednesday, but we don’t know if we’re going to take up those entries,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to Tony Bloom, co-owner alongside Ian McAleavy.

“We’re thinking maybe of the Hungerford for him, which is a Group Two, and then the City of York Stakes, which is also seven furlongs and is now a Group One.

“He’s the opposite to (stablemate) Sky Majesty in that he definitely wants quick ground.

“There will be an element of finding his ground so those plans are ground dependent as well.”

Lake Forest could be back in action at York on Saturday

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Lake Forest could be in line for a quick return to action in the Al Basti Equiworld Criterion Stakes at York on Saturday.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old was most recently seen finishing fifth in the Queen Anne on the opening day of Royal Ascot, where he was beaten less than three lengths in a field of 10.

He is a prior Knavesmire winner, taking the Gimcrack as a two-year-old, and may now head back to the scene of that victory for the Group Three Criterion, formerly run at Newmarket’s July course.

“The way the race was run at Ascot just didn’t suit him, they went slowly and then about four furlongs out they just blasted for home,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to co-owner Tony Bloom.

“He was caught in no man’s land, but he wasn’t even beaten three lengths and I thought it was a decent run. It was a proper Group One with some very good horses involved. He’s entered for York on Saturday and William is thinking of running him.

“He’s a tough, hardy horse and he likes the quick ground – we’d like to get another run into him before the weather changes.”

Lake Forest’s last victory came in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill in November, where he defeated Jerome Reynier’s Lazzat by half a length in a field full of top-level horses, earning the best part of £3million for first place.

Lazzat was also at Royal Ascot, advertising the form of their prior meeting with success in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

“In the race he won in Australia there were eight or nine Group One winners. He’s got the form in the book there, he just needs to reproduce that run,” Graham said.

“The key to the horse is he needs a strong, evenly-run pace, the prize-money is very good at York for a Group Three so hopefully they’ll all run and there’ll be a true gallop in the race.”