Stable News
03.08.06 - It's a Masterpiece - brilliant Court lands Sussex
COURT MASTERPIECE gave a superb display to race to glory in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 2.
The six-year-old son of Polish Precedent came from off the pace to cut down his rivals with a blistering turn of foot.
Having been held up off the pace by jockey Jimmy Fortune, a lovely gap opened up for him on the inner rail.
Court Masterpiece on the farm canter in June
Court Masterpiece responded to the opening in grand style, bursting through on the inside to hit the front at the furlong marker.
He continued to pour on the power, leaving the rest in his slipstream to score by two lengths for a fourth success at the Sussex track he so loves.
Twelve months ago Court Masterpiece won the Group 2 Betfair Cup (known as the Lennox Stakes) for what was then a career highpoint.
In the autumn of that year he topped his Goodwood victory with a first Group 1 triumph, taking the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
But his latest win was surely a career-best performance as among those that he beat were multiple Group-1 winner Soviet Song, as well as two 2006 Guineas’ scorers in the shape of Araafa and Aussie Rules.
It was a magical moment for the trainer Ed Dunlop, who was simply delighted for Court Masterpiece.
Dunlop said: “He is very close to our hearts. I’m really pleased for him. If he never wins again, you can’t take this away from him.
“He won like a very good horse today. The key is that he can quicken so well. The gap came very nicely on the inner rail and he picked up well.
“The myth about him not staying a mile has been removed for ever. I’m thrilled for the horse.”
|
