By Tom Frary
Sandown's G3 Matchbook Brigadier Gerard S. is one of those races fixed into Sir Michael Stoute's mindset as he considers the routes of his better older horses year on year and Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) refused to let down the Freemason Lodge standard as he collected a 10th renewal on Thursday. While he may not be an Opera House (GB) (Sadler's Wells), a Pilsudski (Ire) (Polish Precedent) or a Workforce (GB) (King's Best), Saeed Suhail's campaigner is reliable and consistent at a higher level than this and when Laraaib (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) became the only threat in early straight there was only going to be one result. Tracking that rival throughout, the 4-6 favourite began to impose himself from two out and at the line had 2 1/4 lengths to spare.
“He's a very straightforward horse and he's got a good record, he's just been unfortunate to be second in a few big ones,” jockey Ryan Moore said. “He's a gentleman and I'd expect improvement–hopefully he'll have his day.”
First coming to the fore when collecting an 11-furlong handicap at Glorious Goodwood in July 2016, Poet's Word was tackling pattern races for the first time last May when going down by a neck to Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Chester's
G3 Huxley S. and built on that effort to win the 12-furlong G3 Glorious S. back at Goodwood's premier festival staged on testing ground in August. Pitched into the deep end and fully justifying that call when second to Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown the following month, he was left behind by Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot but beat all else there before running sixth and best of the Europeans in the G1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 10. Second again in the Mar. 31 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan when Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) had one of his dominant days, the bay will now head to Royal Ascot for another encounter with some of Europe's galacticos and he will be trying his hardest again.
“With a horse like him there are lots of options, as he is very versatile and goes on most ground,” Stoute's assistant James Horton said. “The aim of today was to get his head in front and have a good time, which I think he has. He has got a high cruising speed and a turn of foot and he stays very well. You can run him over a mile and a quarter and make use of him, or run him over a mile and a half and use that turn of foot.”
Pedigree Notes…
Whirly Bird (GB) (Nashwan), who stayed beyond this trip and ironically was ridden almost exclusively by Ryan Moore in the days long before he became king of Europe, was responsible for Whirly Dancer (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) as her first foal and she went on to produce Beckford (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) who captured last year's G2 Railway S. and was placed in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Phoenix S. A year before Poet's Word entered the world, the dam had thrown Malabar (GB) (Raven's Pass) who also proved a Goodwood specialist when winning the G3 Thoroughbred S. and G3 Prestige S. there. By the high-class miler Poet's Voice, it is no surprise that Poet's Word is able to perform to a high standard at less than a mile and a half as the family features the MGSW sire Inchinor (GB) (Ahonoora {GB}) who was at his best over seven furlongs. he third dam Inchmurrin (Ire) (Lomond) was a class act at a mile, but this is one of those excellent pedigrees steeped in talent which can flip between fast and staying horses at every turn. Inchmurrin's many notable descendants include the middle-distance stars Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Venus De Milo (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the speedy and precocious Hatta Fort (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Blue Bayou (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), as well as a G1 St Leger winner in Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Fr}). Whirly Bird's 2-year-old filly by Kingman (GB) named Incharge (GB) was bought for 200,000gns by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock and Brightwalton Stud at Tattersalls October. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Thursday, Sandown, Britain
MATCHBOOK BRIGADIER GERARD S.-G3, £70,000, Sandown, 5-24, 4yo/up, 9f 209yT, 2:13.99, gd.
1–POET'S WORD (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Poet's Voice (GB)
1st Dam: Whirly Bird (GB) (SP-Eng), by Nashwan
2nd Dam: Inchyre (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Inchmurrin (Ire), by Lomond
(300,000gns Ylg '14 TAOCT). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Woodcote Stud
Ltd (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Ryan Moore. £39,697.
Lifetime Record: 14-5-5-1, $2,135,167. *1/2 to Malabar (GB)
(Raven's Pass), MGSW-Eng, $213,277. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Laraaib (Ire), 126, c, 4, Pivotal (GB)–Sahool (GB), by
Unfuwain. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum;
B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Owen Burrows.
£15,050.
3–Desert Encounter (Ire), 129, g, 6, Halling–La Chicana (Ire), by
Invincible Spirit (Ire). (32,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Abdulla Al
Mansoori; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-David Simcock. £7,532.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2 1/4, 3. Odds: 0.65, 8.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Fabricate (GB), Air Pilot (GB). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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