Draw woe forgotten as Zidan strikes

James Fanshawe's aberration in failing to attend the draw for the Bluesquare.com Stewards' Cup made not a shred of difference as Zidane cut through the field to take the famous Goodwood handicap.

The Newmarket trainer had believed the official ceremony was on Friday rather than Thursday, leaving his ante-post favourite left with the last stall out of the hat - number 11.

But as the races this week have shown, there is no distinct bias across the track and after the field split into three groups, they quickly converged into one towards the centre.

Although Zidane had initially drifted in the betting, he was smashed back into 6-1 market leader on the day, but had plenty to do approaching the two-furlong pole.

Jamie Spencer, riding like a man possessed at the moment, still seemed assured things were going to go his way and suddenly his partner caught alight.

Borderlescott must be pitied, as he was only strides from completing back-to-back successes in the race but was short-headed in a tight photo finish.

Amazingly, Zidane's half-sisters Firenze and Frizzante, bred by his owners Jan and Peter Hopper, had both made the frame in the race before.

"I think missing the draw was a blessing in disguise," quipped Fanshawe.

"I've had a lot of facetious phone calls about it. But Zidane actually worked quite badly on Wednesday and I was worried about the ground so I rang the owners and told them I didn't want to run, but they insisted.

"It's a triumph of planning! If you had asked me two out whether he would win, I would have been a bit negative but he travels so well and really quickened up."

A step up to Listed or Group class now beckons and Spencer added: "I must have been 15 or 20 lengths off them at halfway - he's some tool. He's picked them up one by one.

"The ground he made up, he was always going to flatten out but then his guts kicked in and I nailed them on the lollipop."

Second favourite Knot In Wood was a creditable third.

Borderlescott's trainer Robin Bastiman reflected: "I was spot on the line and thought he'd won it.

"I hate being second but he's run his heart out and is only small. The Ayr Gold Cup's possible now and there's also a Listed race at Newmarket at the end of the month."

Royston Ffrench on Bordlerlescott was later given a one-day whip ban (August 15), while Richard Quinn on fourth-placed That's Hot was given four days (August 15-18) for a similar offence.

Title-chasing Spencer worked the oracle again in the Bluesquare.com Stakes, although Sanbuch's victory - the second of the week for Luca Cumani - looked a remote possibility in the early stages as the 7-1 shot appeared to not be thriving under a first-time visor.

But Spencer's magic rubbed off and he began to leave his rivals in his slipstream, moving from last to eventual first in smooth fashion.

"It's hard to know if the visor helped or hindered him - it didn't work in the first part of the race, but at the three-furlong pole I knew I'd be involved," said Spencer.

Coeur de Lionne had made a bold bid for home but was beaten half a length.

The Stewards' Cup eclipsed what could have been the race of the week in the Listed Bluesquarepoker.com Thoroughbred Stakes where Dubai's Touch (16-1) stole a near five-way finish.

Mark Johnston's runner had made most of the running and appeared none the worse for finishing ninth in the Betfair Cup on Tuesday.

Ffrench, deputising for the injured Joe Fanning, stood his ground against a queue of rivals and Dubai's Touch just held on by a short head.

Johnston said: "We knew he'd need a first run but you never know if they benefit with two races being so close together.

"He's had problems this season but this is a very good horse."

Runner-up Traffic Guard could be sent for a race in Turkey next month, while William Jarvis appeared crestfallen by the defeat of third-placed Tobosa.

Debutant Latin Lad created a 33-1 upset in the Blue Square Telebet EBF Maiden Stakes, although the Aidan O'Brien-trained Belgrave Square got within a neck of reeling him in.

Richard Hannon junior, representing his father, said of the winner: "He wasn't fully wound up, but he'll get better and better."

There was another barnstorming finish in the Bluesquarepoker.com Nursery, with Dandy Nicholls' Fol Hollow (20-1) just heading off Atabaas Pride.

Star apprentice Luke Morris was unseated from Ocean Transit but was seen getting gingerly to his feet.

Ace Of Hearts (7-1) made most to take the Bluesquarecasino.com Apprentice Stakes for Jack Mitchell and trainer Chris Wall.