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發表於 2004-7-9 23:13:34
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Cape's gallant run pleases Oughton
Cape's gallant run pleases Oughton
NICK PULFORD in London
Group One glory eluded Cape Of Good Hope again at Newmarket yesterday but the gallant Hong Kong raider added to his collection of honourable placings in the summer's top British sprint races.
The David Oughton-trained gelding finished in fourth place in the Darley July Cup over 1,200 metres, beaten around two-and-a-half lengths by the 14-1 winner, Frizzante.
Last month Cape of Good Hope was third in the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, just five days after finishing in second place in the Group Two King's Stand Stakes, and there is no doubt that he has flown the flag for Hong Kong racing with distinction during his three-week tour of duty.
Oughton was pleased with the Newmarket run, saying: "It was a huge effort and I couldn't be disappointed with him from the draw he had. He has run three cracking races while he's been in England and he's run up to his form again here. He wasn't beaten that far and he's finished ahead of some top-quality horses."
As in the two Royal Ascot races, events conspired slightly against Cape Of Good Hope after heavy overnight rain changed the going to good-to-soft from his preferred good-to-firm. Early results at Newmarket suggested that the ground was favouring low numbers and Cape Of Good Hope - drawn 20 of the 20 runners - was given little chance by punters, drifting out to 20-1 by the off from overnight odds of 12-1.
Cape Of Good Hope was slightly unbalanced running down into the famous Newmarket dip with about 600 metres to race, but he stayed on well once he met the rising ground towards the finish, even if the ground seemed to deaden his finishing kick.
There were strong grounds for believing he would have been in with a winning chance on fast ground because Frizzante had finished just behind him on that type of going in the King's Stand, although yesterday's result suggested the draw had not been a disadvantage because Frizzante came from stall 18 and all of the first six had double-figure draws.
"It was genuinely good to soft ground and I think he would have picked up much better on faster ground," Oughton added. "They went a very fast pace and he had to come all the way across the course to join the main group of runners, so I don't think the draw helped him. He just lost his way going down the hill and that also cost him ground, but he finished off really well again."
Cape Of Good Hope is likely to return home to Hong Kong next week, having earned a rest after 12 races over the past nine months, but Oughton will have one more crack at a British win when he sends out Bowman's Crossing at Ascot tomorrow for the Group Three Michael Page International Silver Trophy over a mile. |
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發表於 2004-7-12 23:58:57
