3 minute read

No stopping imposing five-year-old at Newmarket.

Ghaiyyath  made every yard of the running to claim Group One gold in the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup at Newmarket.

The five-year-old was sent off the 11-10 favourite and William Buick was quick to employ front-running tactics on Charlie Appleby's charge.

Buick allowed his mount to stride on and he soon built up a healthy advantage, with only Frankie Dettori on star stayer Stradivarius deciding heading out in pursuit.

However, he could not get back on terms and still had about four lengths to make up with a couple of furlongs to run, as Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck started to make later progress.

But Ghaiyyath was not for stopping and while Anthony Van Dyck made up ground in the final furlong, the Godolphin runner was two and a half lengths too good, with Stradivarius running a fine race in third.

Appleby said: "All credit to the team and many thanks to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for allowing us to keep Ghaiyyath in training. To have five-year-olds around is a treat for any stable, but to have one the calibre of him is pretty special.

"He's some galloper and I knew after the first quarter-mile when William had him in that rhythm that it would take a good horse to get to him and there were many in the field.

"He was on it from flag-fall, but I could see he was in a rhythm we'd seen before. His mid-race move just kills them and it's great for him to get his first British Group One win.

"He's obviously effective at this trip, but we know he's not short of speed and we may now take him to the Eclipse at Sandown which is a race we like.

"One thing we've learnt about Ghaiyyath is that he is a top-of-the-ground horse, when in the early stages of his career we thought he needed a bit of give."

While Appleby is eyeing the Eclipse on July 5, a quick return at Royal Ascot has not been completely ruled out for Ghaiyyath, who set a new course record.

He added: "He does find his race takes a little bit out of him, even if he wins by those emphatic distances, he's not easy on himself through the race.

"It will be interesting to see what weight he has lost and over the next few days how well he has taken it.

"Personally, as we stand, (I think) the Princes of Wales's might be coming a bit quick, but let's see what sort of an individual we're dealing with over the next week."

John Gosden was thrilled with the performance of Stradivarius as he dropped back in trip to 12 furlongs in his prep run for a hat-trick in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Gosden said: "It was absolutely perfect and what we expected. He travelled well through the race and came to make his run and quite simply hit the rising ground and got caught for fitness as he has hasn't run for a very long time.

"We knew we had to get a race into him and they have gone and broken the track record which shows the class of the race.

"Ghaiyyath was imperious and Anthony Van Dyck seems to be coming back to his best. It was a lovely run and just perfect to tee us up for the Gold Cup. I hope he will be the one to beat at Ascot.

"He will have needed that today as he is a bigger horse again. He is six years old and he is fully developed in every sense.

"He is bigger and rounder and you could notice that in the paddock, the weight he was carrying, so he was coming into the ring a little heavy you might say.

"You can't rehearse something like that at home and get involved with a race like that.

"Frankie gave him one little flick and wasn't too hard on him in the slightest and I couldn't be more pleased. He has had a good blow without being an excessive blow."

Dettori said: "It was good, he just hasn't got the legs for those top mile-and-a-half horses, but it was a good idea of John to get him out.

"The Gold Cup is the target and that was a beautiful prep. We broke the track record and it was a good run, he felt good and he moved well."