Samuel comes back in Doncaster Cup
Samuel, who had spent two years off the track, rewarded the patience of trainer John Gosden when he won the Group Two Doncaster Cup.
Electrolyser ensured a good gallop with Tastahil and Askar Tau close up while Silvestre de Sousa had Motrice in last place, but William Buick always made sure that Samuel was never too far off the pace
By the home turn, with five furlongs to run, Tastahil was challenging Electrolyser, whose run petered out in the home straight, but it was Samuel whose stamina lasted out the two-and-a-quarter miles the best to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from Tastahil.
Motrice, who was running in snatches and did not look an easy ride, came though several horses in the final stages to take third.
Buick, who became Gosden’s stable jockey this season, has ridden three Group One winners abroad this season – including two on successive days last month in the Arlington Million in Chicago and the Prix Morny in Deauville – but this was his highest-profile victory in this country and found a willing partner in Samuel who was out of racing with a tendon injury. “He’s been through a lot and he’s really enjoying his racing now,” Buick said. “I love riding these staying horses. They try so hard – and he’s a real character.”
He is also a thorough stayer. In Samuel’s first two runs this season, over two miles, he had finished behind Opinion Poll but this time he came out on top. “I thought before the race that the only way I’d beat Opinion Poll was by stretching, because I know this fella stays. And he did that today.”
Gosden was already thinking about tomorrow and considering the horse's next race. “He ran great in the Lonsdale when the pace was not even, it was all a bit stop-start, and if everything is OK we might look at the Prix du Cadran as long as the ground is not bottomless," Gosden said. "We’d thought of going for the Prix Gladiateur but I’m glad we came here instead.”
Precision Break, who had been off the racecourse until July with a hind-leg problem, got his head in front at the fourth time of asking this year when he battled past Jedi to win Ladbrokes Mallard Handicap. Jamie Spencer had bided his time early in the home straight but Precision Break found what was needed to win by a length, with Chilly Filly one-and-a-quarter lengths further back in third. “He had a few issues at the start of the year,” Spencer said. “His first two runs were just deplorable – we couldn’t find anything wrong with him. The boss said he scoped bad after his second run, last time was a good run, good track form, he’s a big horse and I’m sure he’ll improve for his runs.
“He travelled very smoothly but there was a very strong headwind and I tried to keep him covered for as long as I could.”
Trying to keep a good horse covered up from the handicapper is a trainers dream but Paul Cole believes that there is enough improvement left to consider a crack at the Cesarewitch at Newmarket next month. “This horse was always going to win a big race," he said.
“He has had a serious of silly little setbacks, such as spurs, but showed he was on the way back when he ran well at Chester last time. I fancied him coming into today’s race but he sweated up a bit when I was saddling him up which is not like him.
“I think he can go on and win another big race. He could possibly go for the Cesarewitch [for which he will incur a 4lb penalty to add to the 8st 8lb he has already been allotted] as he stays well. He was a good three-year-old but then came off the rails last year. It is good news for us that he's back.”
http://www.senore.com/White-Moonstone-shines-in-May-Hill-Stakes-a26512
http://www.senore.com/Zebedee-springs-up-in-Flying-Childers-a26507
Tags: