Old pals team up again to land Goodwood sprint
The evergreen Kinane rode numerous big-race winners for Weld in the 1990s, highlights coming with the wins of Go And Go in the Belmont Stakes and Vintage Crop in the Melbourne Cup.
Weld opted to send stable jockey Pat Smullen to ride his representatives at Galway but was happy to engage Kinane for the ride on his flying filly.
And the pairing landed the Group Three contest in battling fashion, holding the repeated challenge of Rudi’s Pet by a short-head.
Jessica’s Dream, repeatedly denied a clear run in the closing stages, was a length back in third.
‘‘I would say that Mick has ridden about 1,200 winners for me over the years, we had 15 years together and they were great times all around the world,’’ said Weld.
Agnetha may now follow a path taken by John Oxx’s Namid, who scored at the Curragh before taking the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on Arc de Triomphe day.
‘‘She is a very talented filly who has a lot of speed.
“She loves top-of-the-ground and whenever she gets her conditions she runs very well,’’ said Weld.
‘‘There are a lot of options open to us but we will look at the Flying Five at the start of next month and then if we get a dry autumn, the Prix de l’Abbaye.
‘‘Mick thinks she might be better at six furlongs but she is a filly with a lot of tactical speed.
‘‘If anything they got there a bit soon but Mick took the opportunity when it came.’’
James Given, trainer of Jessica’s Dream, felt that his filly had been unlucky not to win.
‘‘She came to win her race and was stopped twice and you can’t have that happen in any race, let alone a five-furlong one,’’ he said.
‘‘She is in the Nunthorpe, the Flying Five and a race at Taby and she will run in one of those next.’’
Given had earlier enjoyed better fortune as Wunders Dream took the betfair.com Molecomb Stakes.
Having struck 24 hours earlier with Hugs Dancer, the 8-1 shot was providing a second winner of the meeting for the Gainsborough-based trainer. Held up behind early pacesetter Night Speed, Michael Fenton’s mount was always travelling sweetly and burst through to lead with a furlong to run, quickly asserting to win the Group Three prize by two lengths.
Sir Edwin Landseer, who had finished third behind Presto Vento (sixth here) and Wunders Dream in the Weatherbys Super Sprint 12 days earlier, stayed on late to pip Folio and Speed Cop for second place.
‘‘The owner, John Ellis, bred this filly himself and we took her to the sales but I bought her back for 10,000 guineas,’’ said Given.
‘‘He did say ’If you can sell her, then sell her’ but I think he’s quite pleased he didn’t now, especially as he owns the mare and we have now got a nice bit of winning black type for the family. I’ve already seen the yearling half-brother and I hope he comes to me next season.’’
There will be an inspection at Thirsk at 7.15 this morning to determine prospects for this afternoon’s meeting there following heavy rain at the venue yesterday.
