Alkaadhem rewards owner's faith
Hamdan Al Maktoum’s confidence in the stamina resources of Alkaadhem was justified as he stepped up in both class and trip to score at Goodwood.
The Sheikh has been a leading owner and breeder in Britain for many years and knows a thing or two about the families of his stock.
So it was with confidence that Alkaadhem was tried over a mile and quarter in the Peters Fairline Festival Stakes by trainer Marcus Tregoning.
And punters prepared to forgive Tregoning’s charge a couple of unlucky reverses earlier this season received their payback.
Twice well-fancied for big-field handicaps only to find things going against him, he was stepped up to Listed company for the first time.
But the four-year-old landed odds of 100-30 in impressive fashion, albeit only by a neck, as Richard Hills travelled smoothly throughout the final three furlongs and left his effort until as late as possible.
For a brief moment, it seemed that Compton Bolter might find more than the winner when push came to shove, but Alkaadhem nosed ahead in the final strides, with Big Bad Bob staying on to grab third on his seasonal reappearance.
Tregoning was evidently delighted to land the contest with a horse he has long held in some regard, but deflected praise to the colt’s owner.
“Sheikh Hamdan was adamant that he would get a mile and a quarter and he might even get a bit further than this, and I am pleased that he was proved right,” Tregoning said.
“I don’t think I have ever seen a horse travel as well as he did there, particularly as they were turning in.
“He is a smashing horse with a great constitution.”
Alkaadhem holds some big-race entries, including at Royal Ascot, which look slightly less lofty now after this victory.
“You’ve got to put them in and I am pleased we did now as it’s starting to look more promising,” Tregoning smiled. “We’ll have a look at what’s on offer and take our time.
“Sandown (the betfair.com Brigadier Gerard Stakes on June 1) might come too soon but we’ll see.
“He is going the right way and we won’t rush into making many decisions. I don’t want to say that he is definitely not going to go to Ascot, but I wouldn’t want to overface him.”
Compton Bolter’s narrow defeat stretched a luckless run for trainer Gerard Butler, who has amazingly yet to get off the mark for the turf season.
“Whatever this horse does signifies the health of the horses, and if he had run badly I think I would have slit my wrists,” he said.
“But the old boy has run his heart out and he never lets us down.
“Richard Hughes felt that had Alkaadhem challenged closer rather than down the outside, our guy might have found a bit more because he loves nothing more than getting into a scrap.”
Things are going better for Kerrin McEvoy, who again successfully stepped in for the injured Frankie Dettori as Gonfilia scored a comfortable victory in the Excel Schroders London Boat Show EBF Conqueror Stakes.
Second to Illustrious Miss at Lingfield 12 days earlier, Gonfilia gave that form – and the Irish 1000 Guineas prospects of that filly – a solid look as she quickened ahead a furlong out to beat Classical Dancer by a cosy three-quarters of a length.
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said afterwards that he hoped the successful ex-German filly could go on to better things in the future.
“She is a very nice filly who showed me every morning in Dubai that she was good enough to win a Group race,” he said.
“She came back well from Lingfield and we decided to run her again. She doesn’t mind any kind of ground and she has a good turn of foot.
“Now we will try to find a nice Group Three race for her.”
Favourite Parasol had lost his chance when slipping on the home turn in the Festival Stakes, a similar incident having led to the fall of Theatre in the opener.
Theatre slipped in the early stages and unseated Paul Doe, but neither horse or jockey were injured in the incident.
The stewards held an inquiry into both falls but were satisfied that no other horse had been involved.
