Capturing the Listed Windsor Castle S. at a rain-affected Royal Ascot just six days after his winning debut at Yarmouth June 8, Ardad was too keen when fading from a prominent pitch to be last of nine on good-to-firm in the G2 July S. trying six furlongs at Newmarket July 7. Seventh trying that trip for a second time in a strong renewal of York's G2 Gimcrack S. last time Aug. 20, the bay became the third also-ran to underline the quality of that form after Saturday's G3 Sirenia S. scorer The Last Lion and Thursday's Weatherbys Hamilton £300,000 2-y-o S. winner Mubtasim (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}). Anchored in rear early by Frankie Dettori following The Last Lion, Ardad was delivered stand's side to overhaul that rival in the last 100 yards as Legendary Lunch got motoring too late in the centre of the track. “Five is his distance and although I thought the ground was a bit too dry for him, he tries very hard,” his jockey said. “With this headwind, it favours horses coming from off the pace and those sheltered by the grandstand. He's very gutsy and could prove to be a nice sprinter.” Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah, added, “We've been getting the trip wrong. We thought he wanted very soft ground, but we got away with it today. We'll look at the [G3] Cornwallis [S. at Newmarket Oct. 7]. That would probably be better for him as he should get easier ground.” Mark Johnston praised the effort of the resilient and consistent The Last Lion, who was coming back just six days after his win in the Sirenia. “It's not very long since his last race and he was warm beforehand, so I was fearing the worst but again he is thereabouts,” he said. Trainer Richard Hannon said of Legendary Lunch, “It's great to have him back, as we always thought he was a pretty good horse and he's probably more of a six-furlong horse. He's in the [G1] Middle Park [S. at Newmarket Sept. 24].” Ardad's dam, who also has a yearling filly by Society Rock (Ire) and a foal full-brother to this winner, is a half-sister to the MSW and MGSP sprinter Ruby Rocket (Ire) (Indian Rocket {GB}) from the family of the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp hero Maarek (GB) (Pivotal (GB)) and the similarly fast sire Anita's Prince (Ire).
Friday, Doncaster, Britain
PEPSI MAX FLYING CHILDERS S.-G2, £70,000, DON, 9-9, 2yo, 5fT, :59.19, gd.
1–@ARDAD (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Good Clodora (Ire), by Red Clubs (Ire)
2nd Dam: Geht Schnell, by Fairy King
3rd Dam: Anita's Princess, by Miami Springs (Ire)
(£170,000 2yo '16 GOFBRE). O-Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $124,294. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”blandford-bloodstock-purchased-by-2″](DH) 2–Legendary Lunch (Ire), 127, c, 2, Dragon Pulse (Ire)–Taalluf, by Hansel. (€31,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; £78,000 Ylg '15 DNPRM). O-The Rat Pack Partnership 2016; B-G Johnston King (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £11,291.
(DH) 2–The Last Lion (Ire), 127, c, 2, Choisir (Aus)–Mala Mala (Ire), by Brief Truce. (€82,000 Ylg '15 GOFORB). O-John Brown & Megan Dennis; B-Barronstown Stud & Mrs T Stack (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £11,291.
Margins: 3/4, DHT, 1. Odds: 5.00, 25.00 & 5.50.
Also Ran: Afandem (Ire), Rainbow Mist (Ire), Equimou (GB), Prince of Lir (Ire), Grizzel (Ire), Tis Marvellous (GB), Yalta (Ire), Hit the Bid (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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