Tag Archive for: Vintage Stakes

Aomori City shows his class with Vintage display

A step up to seven furlongs proved right up Aomori’s City’s street as the promising colt powered home to land the HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

A comfortable winner on his Nottingham debut in mid-June, the Oasis Dream colt was last seen finishing third behind Aidan O’Brien’s Whistlejacket over six furlongs in the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket.

In the absence of Whistlejacket’s stablemate The Parthenon, Aomori City was a 2-1 favourite to get back on the winning trail on the Sussex Downs and ultimately did so in some style under William Buick.

After sitting on the tail of the pacesetting Cool Hoof Luke for much of the way, Charlie Appleby’s youngster quickened up smartly when the gap came to grab the lead inside the final furlong and he passed the post with a length and three-quarters in hand over the staying-on Wolf Of Badenoch.

“He’s quite a hardy horse and he had to be there because we had to fight for our position around the turn and this fella was brave,” said Buick.

“Once we got into the slipstream of Oisin (Murphy, on Cool Hoof Luke), it was just a matter of getting out and this fella picked up instantly and won going away.

“He will stay a mile, whenever he needs to. For now seven furlongs is a good trip for him.

“He’s come through the ranks this horse and Charlie was adamant that seven furlongs would suit him.”

Appleby was claiming the Group Two prize for a second time, having previously struck gold with star juvenile Pinatubo in 2019.

Aomori City pulls clear of his rivals in the Vintage Stakes
Aomori City pulls clear of his rivals in the Vintage Stakes (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“He’s a horse that we felt coming into the race on the evidence of the July Stakes, stepping up to seven would suit,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“He’s cut it at a decent level there, that was a marked improvement and he’s a horse that’s neat. He had to be brave there, he got tight enough on the turns and there’s no harm in educating him towards the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Turf).

“When you watch him at home, he’s not a work horse. In the past couple of weeks we’ve had horses who are working over him, like Al Qudra and a couple of maidens, but they are working out at a decent level themselves, so he’s not doing much wrong.

“In the pecking order he’s doing what he’s doing. I’m not saying he’s just going to be a two-year-old but he’s neat, he’s professional and he knows what he is now so we’ll just keep pressing on.

“He’s a very straightforward horse. He’s always been a christian of a horse and very professional.”

Aomori City was given an introductory quote of 33-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas by Paddy Power.

Hugo Palmer trains Vintage Stakes runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch
Hugo Palmer trains Vintage Stakes runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch (Mike Egerton/PA)

Hugo Palmer was thrilled with the performance of runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch, who won on his only previous outing at Doncaster.

“I am absolutely delighted. He still looks like a work in progress. He was the first one off the bridle and ultimately the winner just got first run on him,” said the trainer.

“He is a horse with a really exciting future and he will stay a mile this year. His dam stayed a mile and three-quarter and he might get a mile and a quarter next year.

“He has some nice entries. We put him in the Group One National Stakes in Ireland and we will put him in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere as well now.”

Andrew Balding said of the third placed Cool Hoof Luke: “It was a good effort. Seven furlongs is probably stretching him at this moment in time so we will probably drop him back to six furlongs for the remainder of the season. Something like the Mill Reef Stakes is possible for him.”



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Aomori City steps up for Vintage test

Charlie Appleby expects a step up in trip to bring about a further improvement from Aomori City in the HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

A debut winner at Nottingham in mid-June, the Oasis Dream colt was last seen finishing third behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Whistlejacket in the July Stakes at Newmarket.

With O’Brien’s The Parthenon a significant non-runner, Aomori City is likely to go off favourite on his first start over seven furlongs on the Sussex Downs as he looks to following in the hoofprints of star juvenile Pinatubo, who won this race for Appleby in 2019.

Charlie Appleby trainer Aomori City
Charlie Appleby trainer Aomori City (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Aomori City produced a decent performance in the July Stakes, when it looked as though stepping up to seven would suit,” Appleby said on the Godolphin website.

“He brings a decent level of ability into the race and I think the track will be a positive as well. We are hoping he can find more improvement over this distance.”

The Middleham Park Racing team also believe a rise in distance will enable their contender An Outlaw’s Grace to take his game to another level.

An impressive winner on his Salisbury introduction, the Richard Hannon-trained colt went on to finish fourth behind fellow British raider Arabie in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly two weeks ago.

“We’ve seen him out having a little breeze at Richard’s and he seems in great shape. He’s never been in better form,” said Middleham Park’s director of racing, Tim Palin.

“Six furlongs at Chantilly might just have found him out second time out and Richard and Sean (Levy) think the step up to seven should eke out some further improvement.

“It’s a wide-open race and we’re one of the protagonists. You’d like to think we’ll run a big race and hopefully we’ll be in the mix.

“There’s lots of horses in there of a similar ilk. Hopefully the ground will continue to dry out and that should help us a wee bit.”



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Haatem delivers Vintage victory for Hannon

Haatem held off the late lunge of Iberian to win the Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

Second to 2000 Guineas favourite City Of Troy in the Superlative Stakes last time out, albeit beaten six and a half lengths, Haatem was finally enjoying his moment in the sun after several respectable efforts this season.

Sean Levey rode him with confidence and was never too far from the pace, but the same could not be said of Charlie Hills’ Iberian, who was slowly away.

Haatem and Sean Levey return victorious
Haatem and Sean Levey return victorious (PA)

That left William Buick with no choice but to drop in at the rear and when push came to shove, that allowed Haatem (9-4 favourite) to get first run.

Haatem quickened up stylishly away from Witness Stand and Golden Mind, and while Aidan O’Brien’s Mountain Bear briefly looked a threat, it was Iberian who threw down the last challenge.

He could never quite get on terms, however, and went down by a length.

It was a first win in the race for Hannon, a Group Two his father won five times.

He said: “I’m very pleased, he’s a lovely horse and he ran so well in the Coventry and the Superlative. He was very unlucky in the Woodcote, he didn’t get any luck on the inside. That was our day and I thought it was all going wrong, but on days like today you realise you get your luck back.

“I thought this was his day, it was almost his Derby but he will get better as the year goes on. He’s a horse that’s big enough for next year, it’s not about being a two-year-old.

“He ran here first time and he’s improved all year. He’s a Group Two winner now so obviously we have to aim high, but he’s getting better.

“Something like the Dewhurst (will be the aim), he’s got to improve to take on the big guns but he’s doing that with every run.

“This horse has won a very good race, (Ascot winner) Rosallion might be the best we’ve had for years. This fella is a quiet achiever, he gets better every day.

“This lad is your mate, he tries every time and he’s just getting better.”

Charlie Hills had to settle for second with Iberian
Charlie Hills had to settle for second with Iberian (Mike Egerton/PA)

Hills will also look towards the Dewhurst with Iberian.

He said: “William was very impressed with him. He was drawn nine and has run a great race. It’s nice to know you have a horse you can target the top races with, and we will look at the Champagne Stakes and if that goes to plan the Dewhurst.

“I think the softer surface just blunted the speed out of him and he floundered in the going.

“But he’s a good horse for the future and could be a Guineas horse.”



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