Kite rockets to Leger favouritism

Kite Wood breezed to the forefront of the St Leger market with an authoritative display to make all in the Group Three CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

Purchased as a Derby prospect by Godolphin at the end of last year, the son of Galileo is considered a much more relaxed individual nowadays and there was no sign of him sweating in the preliminaries – a trait that affected him in his Epsom bid.

Frankie Dettori was happy to let the 11-10 favourite bowl along and despite edging right in the final quarter-mile the combination came home by a comfortable three and a half lengths from Halicarnassus, with the winner’s stablemate Age Of Reason another length and a half back.

William Hill make Kite Wood 5-1 from 9-1 for Doncaster next month, while Paddy Power and Victor Chandler are 6s from 8s. But most impressed are Leger sponsors Ladbrokes, who cut him to 7-2 favourite for the Town Moor Classic.

Dettori said: “From the first day I rode him I said he’d make up into a lovely Leger prospect, and he’s undoubtedly a better horse when there’s some cut in the ground.

“They watered overnight, which just took the sting out of it, and the reason he went right was only because he was looking for help. I just let him get on with it.”

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor, commenting on the winner’s improved demeanour, said: “We said if the ground was too firm we would take him out, but they watered overnight. He is much more relaxed and was dry in the build-up today.

“He has improved both physically and mentally and his target is the St Leger.”

Richard Hughes will miss the August Bank Holiday weekend after picking-up separate four and five-day bans for what the stewards considered careless riding on Fiulin and then on Moonline Dancer.

In an incident on the bend leaving the back straight in the Geoffrey Freer, it was decided Hughes had allowed his mount to hang in and create a concertina effect in which he hampered three of his rivals. The ban is on August 29 to September 1 inclusive.

For his second offence on Moonline Dancer, winner of the second division of the fillies’ maiden, he will be out between September 2 and 6. It was decided he allowed the Richard Hannon-trained winner to drift left into two of her rivals inside the final furlong.

Hughes must now keep out of trouble during the remainder of this month, otherwise he will pick up an extra three weeks of suspension under the ’totting-up’ procedure.

He said: “Obviously I’m disappointed by what’s happened. If I get another one it will effectively be the end of my season.”

Mick Channon was delighted with Halicarnassus and may point him towards the Bosphorus Cup, a Group One race in Turkey next month.

Balthazaar’s Gift (10-1) showed himself to be another feather in the cap of trainer Clive Cox when arriving late on the scene to take the CGA Hungerford Stakes from Regal Parade and Plum Pudding. Godolphin’s strongly-fancied Evasive weakened to finish sixth.

The Group Two triumph was the most notable out of seven career wins for the much-travelled winner, who was successful for Rod Simpson in Dubai and will return there in time for next year’s Carnival at Meydan.

After Philip Robinson returned on the 10-1 winner, Cox enthused: “That’s fantastic, and all thanks to Rod for suggesting he came to us.

“This horse is just such a joy to know. He is almost human in his thoughts, and each run for me has been better than the last. He’s in the Prix de la Foret - he is a very good horse and that’s where he’ll go. I’d like to thank Philip, who has given him the perfect ride.”

Brian Meehan sent out a well-backed winner in the shape of Swift Gift, who Jamie Spencer delivered wide and late to take the CGA Ladies Day Handicap from Golden Desert.

The 5-2 winner had lost a shoe in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

There was a tight finish to the Mirage Signs Handicap in which Ralph Beckett’s Larkham and Seb Sanders edged out Geneva Geyser and Woodlark Island.

Serena Brotherton repeated her 2008 success in the UK Hygiene Ladies Derby Handicap when landing the same race, this time for Gerard Butler on Just Like Silk (7-2).