By Sean Cronin
Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead) graduated over six panels in his July 5 debut at Yarmouth, doubling up under a penalty tackling the same trip at York last time July 14, and stamped his authority on Tuesday's G2 Qatar Vintage S. at Goodwood to retain his perfect record in style. Trainer Mark Johnston's three prior winners of the contest include subsequent Classic-winning sires Mister Baileys (GB) (Robellino) and Shamardal (Giant's Causeway). The 10-3 favourite was shuffled back through the pack to race at the tail of the field after the initial exchanges of this black-type bow. Making relentless headway once into the home straight, he weaved a passage to find an open lane on the outside passing the two pole and kept on powerfully under a final-furlong drive to account for G2 July S. fourth Dunkerron (GB) (Kuroshio {Aus}) by an ultimately comfortable 1 3/4 lengths. The previously unbeaten Confiding (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) ran on strongly to finish 1 1/4 lengths adrift in third. “I was trying to keep everybody's feet on the ground today, but that was quite incredible and I can hardly believe it myself,” admitted Johnston, who also saddled subsequent G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up and MGSW sire Lucky Story (Kris S.) to win this in 2003, after the bay's energised final quarter. “The [Kingsley Park 10] partnership had a winner at Ascot on Saturday with a horse that cost £6,000 [Victory Command in the Listed Pat Eddery S.] and this one cost two-and-a-half times as much at £15,000. I never really thought when I set him off at Yarmouth that he'd be coming to a Group 2 race and when he missed the break I thought it was all over. I was thinking I'd have to go home and teach this horse to come out of the stalls. At that stage, if he'd come fourth I'd have thought I've got a really nice horse my hands. I never thought until a furlong out that we had any chance of winning.”
Dark Vision is one of three winners, from as many foals to race, and the leading performer produced Listed Ladybird S. second Black Dahlia (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and he is thus kin to Listed Prix La Sorellina, Listed Prix Madame Jean Couturie and Listed Prix Occitanie placegetter Al Hayyah (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Lope de Vega (Ire). His third dam South Shore (GB) (Caerleon) is a winning half-sister to dual G1 Lockinge S. hero Soviet Line (Ire) (Soviet Star) and to the dam of MGISP GII Sky Classic S. victor Can'thelpbelieving (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}).
Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR VINTAGE S.-G2, £200,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 2yo, 7fT, 1:28.23, gd.
1–DARK VISION (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Dream Ahead
1st Dam: Black Dahlia (GB) (SP-Eng), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: South Rock (GB), by Rock City (Ire)
3rd Dam: South Shore, by Caerleon
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€15,000 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; 15,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Kingsley Park 10; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (IRE); T-Mark Johnston; J-Silvestre de Sousa. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $168,300. *1/2 to Al Hayyah (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), MSP-Fr, $119,514. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dunkerron (GB), 127, g, 2, Kuroshio (Aus)–Triple Cee (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Ron Sullivan & Kingston Stud; B-Barbury Castle Stud (GB); T-Alan King. £43,000.
3–Confiding (GB), 127, c, 2, Iffraaj (GB)–Entre Nous (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (28,000gns Wlg '16 TATFOA; €47,000 Ylg '17 TIRSEP). O-Manton Estate Racing; B-Brook Stud Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Martyn Meade. £21,520.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 3.30, 9.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Getchagetchagetcha (GB), Van Beethoven, Cosmic Law (Ire), Federal Law, Blonde Warrior (Ire), Mordred (Ire), Junius Brutus (Fr), Drogon (Ire), Burj (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
