One of the most impressive of the early 2-year-olds when winning over five furlongs here Apr. 15, Gifted Master was fourth under a penalty behind Log Out Island (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in a conditions event at Ascot a fortnight later before finishing second to the subsequent G2 Coventry S. hero Buratino (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) trying six furlongs back at this venue May 15. Back to winning ways over that trip at Newcastle June 25, the bay was injured when he came home from that minor contest and was forced to sit out the rest of the summer. Losing none of his dynamism returning after a gelding operation to tackle the £500,000 Tattersalls Millions 2yo Trophy over seven furlongs here a week ago, he registered an impressive 4 1/2-length success from Ballydoyle's Waterloo Bridge (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and returned to inflict defeat on that G2 Norfolk S. winner's stable companion Beacon Rock to open his black-type account. Quickly clear under William Buick, Gifted Master had all on the stretch inside the last quarter mile with the market leader the only one who could give meaningful chase. Wandering right and then left on the run to the line, he gave the strong-staying Beacon Rock a chance but was always doing enough to hold him as the line neared. “He's been one of those horses who has always thrived, but had quite a nasty injury after Newcastle and it is a testament to his natural fitness that he's come back to win two races in seven days after that,” trainer Hugo Palmer explained. “I can't remember him ever having a cough or not gleaming in his coat and he's a real athlete who is very tough. At home, if you try and work him in behind he doesn't pull but throws his head from side to side and tires himself out. I can't think where else to run him this year, so he'll probably run in a Guineas trial and the G3 Jersey S. [at Royal Ascot] will be his main target in the early part of next season.”
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
VISION AUTUMN S.-G3, £80,000, NEW, 10-10, 2yo, 8fT, 1:39.24, gd.
1–#@GIFTED MASTER (IRE), 127, g, 2, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Shobobb (GB), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Belle Argentine (Fr), by Fijar Tango (Fr)
3rd Dam: Jarlina (GB), by Pharly (Fr)
(75,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Dr Ali Ridha; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer; J-William Buick. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $503,218. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Beacon Rock (Ire), 127, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Remember When (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor; B-Remember When Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £17,200.
3–Ibn Malik (Ire), 127, c, 2, Raven's Pass–Moon's Whisper, by Storm Cat. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £8,608.[bullet ad=”st-george-hip-724-12-sis-keenov15″]
Margins: HF, 1HF, 3 3/4. Odds: 4.00, 1.85, 4.50.
Also Ran: Special Season (GB), Dragon Mall, Clear Cut (GB), Tiercel (GB), Cosmeapolitan (GB). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs 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.
