Footstepsinthesand's Threat Adds the Champagne To His Tally

Saddled with a three-pound penalty in Saturday's G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster as a result of his win in York's G2 Gimcrack S. Aug. 23, TDN Rising Star Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) was super-smooth as he defied the extra burden. Held up last of the quintet early by Pat Dobbs, the 6-5 favourite cruised to the lead approaching the furlong pole and was in control when jinking right near the line. That narrowed the winning margin to just a neck over Godolphin's promising Royal Crusade (GB) (Shamardal), with the positively-ridden Juan Elcano (GB) (Frankel {GB}) 3/4 of a length away in third. “A lot of two-year-olds stop here because of where the finish line is–angled off to where they came out,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “The way he travelled there is what we see at home and Pat said you probably wouldn't want to hit the front too soon. All the big races are opportunities for him now and David and Patricia Thompson have a very good horse.”

Threat, who has a tendency to sweat in the preliminaries, has nevertheless proven to be a tough and consistent campaigner who came back from second placings in the June 18 G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot and Aug. 1 G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood to deliver in the Gimcrack and here. Dobbs was impressed and suggested there was plenty left in the tank. “He has tons of gears. He was keen for most of the race, as they weren't going fast enough for him and he's very talented,” he explained. “He can get quite excited, but Fergus Sweeney does a great job on him at home and he's getting there. He was good today. I got there too soon on him, but he's got that extra gear. He has a high cruising speed and can quicken off it. Next year, he'll get a mile no problem.”

Charlie Appleby said of Royal Crusade, who lacked the conditioning of Threat in this type of company, “The winner, as you could tell from the way he travelled, just has the experience. For just the second run of his career, I'm delighted. For a few strides when he hit the front I thought he was going to win. He lost nothing in defeat, it was a nice run and William [Buick] said he showed a nice bit of class and he should have no trouble with a mile next year. He's in all the nice races at the end of the year and we'll make a call in the next week or two.”

Threat's stamina for a Guineas should be assured on pedigree, with his dam Flare of Firelight (Birdstone) being out of the 10-furlong specialist Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector) whose career was highlighted by victory in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Her Listed Prix Zarkava-winning daughter That Which is Not (Elusive Quality) was also runner-up in the G2 Prix Corrida over middle distances, while Shiva is a full-sister to the G2 Prix Foy winner Limnos (Jpn) and a half to the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Light Shift (Kingmambo). She in turn the dam of the G1 Juddmonte International S. and G1 Eclipse S. hero Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while this Niarchos family also features Main Sequence (Aldebaran). Flare of Firelight also has a yearling filly by Slade Power(Ire) who is due to sell at the upcoming Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale and a filly foal by Galileo Gold (GB).

Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
POMMERY CHAMPAGNE S.-G2, £75,000, Doncaster, 9-14, 2yo, c/g, 7f 6yT, 1:25.42, g/f.
1–THREAT (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Footstepsinthesand (GB)">Footstepsinthesand (GB)
1st Dam: Flare of Firelight, by Birdstone
2nd Dam: Shiva (Jpn), by Hector Protector
3rd Dam: Lingerie (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
(100,000gns Wlg '17 TATFOA). O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-La Lumiere Partnership (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Pat Dobbs. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $312,466. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Royal Crusade (GB), 126, c, 2, Shamardal–Zibelina (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £16,125.
3–Juan Elcano (GB), 126, c, 2, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–Whatami (GB), by Daylami (Ire). (360,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Mr & Mrs David Brown (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. £8,070.
Margins: NK, 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.20, 2.25, 4.00.
Also Ran: Fort Myers, Royal Dornoch (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.