3 minute read
John and Thady Gosden’s well-backed Lead Artist showed a willing attitude to run out a narrow victor of a vintage-looking Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
With last year's St James's Palace Stakes winner Rosallion, 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech and Roger Teal's progressive recent bet365 Mile scorer Dancing Gemini all going to post, this year's Lockinge Stakes looked like a top-class renewal.
Whilst most people's eyes were on the aforementioned trio, John and Thady Gosden's confidence behind their contender, Lead Artist, was evident as the son of Dubawi's odds were slashed to 17/2 from as big as 18/1 early on Saturday morning.
Following a slowly run race, all three of the big guns were in with a chance as the eight-strong field, which featured the same number of Group 1 wins between them, head off down towards the two-furlong marker.
Notable Speech and Rosallion, who filled the first two places in last year's 2000 Guineas, made their move towards the near side, while the Ryan Moore-ridden Dancing Gemini and Lead Artist made their challenges down the centre of the track.
It quickly became apparent that the duo down the middle were destined to fight out the finish, with Dancing Gemini looking as though he was going to land the spoils and earn a famous first success at the top-level. However, Roger Teal's colt soon faced a stern challenge from Lead Artist, who with proven form over nine furlongs, stayed on stoutly under an aggressive Oisin Murphy ride to spoil the party by a neck.
Rosallion emerged with plenty of credit back in third on his first start since claiming St James's Palace glory at Royal Ascot last June, while Notable Speech came home in fourth.
Joint-trainer John Gosden, who was landing the contest for a second successive season having claimed the prize with Audience twelve months ago, said: "He's got a great deal of talent, but got stuck in the mud at Sandown last time. He got a peach of a ride from Oisin. I thought we'd been in the first three, but not necessarily win it."
Lead Artist had previously been ridden by Kieran Shoemark on his last eight rides, but with the Gosden's opting to use a 'best available rider' policy going forward, Oisin Murphy took over in the saddle.
Murphy, who would have likely ridden the seventh-place Tamfana and was enjoying a first success in the Lockinge, said of the performance: "He has an amazing temperament, but was really flat out 500 metres from home. The lads were really confident, and the market told.
"I could've been a little more aggressive as he stays further, and had he not won I'd have gone away thinking that."
The winner was cut to 6/1 (from 33s) for the Queen Anne Stakes by Paddy Power, with Gosden Snr quick to state that would be his next intended target.
He added: "The Queen Anne is the next obvious step, but we hope the weather doesn't get wet. He's got so much natural speed, and the stiff mile of Ascot will suit him best."
