Enbihaar doubles up on Lillie Langtry victories
Redoute’s Choice’s multiple Group-winning Enbihaar (Ire) is no stranger to the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. winner’s enclosure at Goodwood and on Saturday won her second edition nearly as impressively as the first.
A confirmed stayer, Enbihaar was only to face two others in Saturday’s 2800 metre race and the Shadwell runner was happy to let Snow (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) take the lead, racing about 2l behind her a few paths off the rail. Proving to been keen, Cabaletta (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was the back-marker of the field a few lengths behind them.
It didn’t take long for Enbihaar to put some pressure on Snow, racing 0.5l behind her and looking a looming presence as they entered the final 800 metres. Three-year-old Snow wasn’t willing to go down without a fight and gave it her all as Ryan Moore urged her on but couldn’t last and started fading as they hit the 400-metre mark.
Cabaletta looked like she may have a chance of making the race interesting but once Jim Crowley asked Enbihaar to go, she lengthened her stride and built up a margin of 3.5l over Cabaletta with Snow well beaten in third.
"It is unlike Sheikh Hamdan to keep an older mare in training, so I am glad to see him rewarded for that decision with another Group win,” said Angus Gold, Hamdan Al Maktoum’s racing manager. “We needed to get a run into her at Newmarket and it was good to see her come back over the extra trip and show her old enthusiasm. The plan initially was to win a Group 1 with her this year. I will talk to John [Gosden], see what the options are and what Sheikh Hamdan would like to do. It's just nice to see her come out and show that amazing stride she has got on her - once she gets into that, she is a potent weapon. Jim said that she will stay two miles any day, so it opens up the options a bit.”
It was the sixth victory in 11 career starts for Enbihaar, who had been purchased for €500,000 (AU$824,485) at Arqana’s Deauville August Yearling Sale in 2016. The 5-year-old mare is a half-sister to Group 2-placed Silent Attack (GB) (Dream Ahead {USA}) and Listed-placed King Bolete (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and out of a half-sister to the Group 1-winning Amonita (GB) (Anabaa {USA}) and full sister to multiple Group winner Cox Orange (Fr), also the dam of Listed winner and G1 1000 Guineas third Vista Bella (GB) (Diktat {GB}).
Enbihaar is one of 17 Redoute’s Choice runners out of Sharpen Up (GB) granddaughters with the cross producing 12 winners, including fellow stakes-winner Lilac Fairy (Fr).
Summerghand toughs out Stewards Cup’ win
Trying to get his career-best season back on track after a sixth last out, Summerghand (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) took no prisoners when gutting out a victory in the Unibet Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.
Staying at the 1200 metre distance he’s been so good at in 2020, the gelding raced near the back of the centre group in the 27 horse race. Making slow headway in the final 400 metres, Summerghand finally navigated the traffic in his way to take the lead in his group and chase after Kimifive (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire]), who was the race leader on the far side.
It was a desperate race in the final 100 metres with Summerghand just getting his head in front of Kimifive with Brian The Snail (Ire) (Zedebee {GB}) in third. While the first two were 1l ahead of the third, Brian The Snail had just as close a finish as the leaders with three horses within 1l of him at the line and the first nine home all 3l or less behind the winner.
"I had a nice draw; there was lots of pace around me and, being drawn in the middle in amongst them, going into the race I was hoping to get a nice run through, and it all panned out right,” said jockey Danny Tudhope. “I felt I had to go when I did, and the gaps came at the right time. He is usually probably one of the last horses off the bridle, and that is just him because he has that much talent, but he has got one burst of speed. I was a bit worried when I hit the front - I looked up and I was just inside the final furlong, which was probably soon enough for him to be in front, but we got there.”
A 6-year-old Lope De Vega (Ire) gelding, Summerghand is one of six winners from six to race out of Kate The Great (GB) (Xaar {GB}), with the mare producing two stakes winners.
Under Summerghand’s fourth dam is Japanese legend Deep Impact (Jpn) and Japanese Champion Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) among others.
