Torus Set To Be Crowned King of Goodwood
Goodwood plays host to the Group 2 Vintage Stakes on Wednesday, which is a race for two-year-olds over a distance of seven furlongs. There is a small but select field of seven youngsters set to go to post at 2.45pm MGT, and the favourite for this will surely be the Richard Hannon-trained King Torus.
King seeking a crown
He looked very good when landing an above average maiden at Leicester on his debut, quickening over a furlong from home and going on to score by five lengths from Tokum. Fancied by many to follow up next time out in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, he possibly was not helped by having a wide draw and struggled to get in on the action at the head of affairs. He still gave a decent performance though in finishing fourth to Zaidan.
For his final outing, he contested the Superlative Stakes, a Group 2 contest at Newmarket, where he quashed any lingering doubts concerning his ability. Smartly away from the gate, he remained prominent throughout until taking over the lead at the furlong marker. From there he showed great tenacity, holding off the persistent challenge of Ecliptic to win by a margin of just a neck.
Having had just the three starts to date, there is plenty of scope for improvement yet, and the word from the Hannon camp is that he has done just that. The only slight worry about him is that he will have to overcome a three-pound penalty that he received for his latest victory and previous runnings of this race suggest that will not be an easy task.
Major Art seeks to take over
If there is a c***k in his armour, then the one to take advantage could be his stablemate Major Art. A speedily bred colt by Compton Place, he made his debut in one of the best maiden events this season at Newmarket, where he finished a very promising fifth behind Native Khan.
With the benefit of that run behind him, he made no mistake at Lingfield last time out. Making a very fast start, he proved impossible to catch and quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals and going on to record a five-length success. Having won with such ease, he comes into this race very unexposed and like his stablemate, latest gallop reports suggest he has improved since that run.
Mark Johnston’s runners at this meeting are always worth a look and he sends Stentorian down to Sussex from his yard in Middleham. He got off the mark on his second start when staying on well in the closing stages to beat Greek Islands by half a length. That form may not amount to a great deal, but it was his final outing that an indication that he had ability.
Contesting the Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown, he made the top class Zoffany work very hard, only giving best in the closing stages and if he can step up a little on that effort, he would certainly warrant respect here.
Chilworth Lad
Chilworth Lad from the Mick Channon yard looks to be the most exposed in the line-up, but has contested some decent races this season. He was far from disgraced in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot where he came home in fifth place behind Marine Commando.
The stable clearly thought that run was good enough to enter him for the Group 2 Railway Stakes at The Curragh next time and it would be fair to say he was slightly unlucky there. Denied a clear run at a vital stage having sat just behind the leaders, his effort may be better than it appears, in finishing fourth to Formosina. However, he is going to have to find a bit extra from somewhere to challenge a couple of the lesser exposed types, and there has to be doubts as to whether he is capable of doing so.
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