By Sam Turner -
There was a thrilling conclusion to the G2 bet365 Mile at Sandown as Charyn swept past Poker Face and three-time Dubai Turf winner Lord North late on to take the 1600m feature for rider Silvestre De Sousa and trainer Roger Varian.
Eternal front-runner Pogo cut out a healthy gallop from the outset under Kieran Shoemark, which allowed a resurgent De Sousa to settle the Doncaster Mile winner in rear.
The well-fancied Nostrum appeared to hang right throughout which compromised his chance and, although Poker Face moved sweetly to the head of affairs in the straight, there was always a vulnerability to his effort with Lord North and Charyn closing in with a furlong to run.
While Dubai legend Lord North didn’t have the legs to overhaul Poker Face, De Sousa played his hand late to lengthen past his two rivals and score by a length-and-a-quarter.
“He’s never very fast from the gates, but that meant I could follow Ryan (Moore) and William (Buick) which suited me,” said the winning rider.
“He loves soft ground, and the conditions are slow out there which played to his strengths.
“I am very pleased for the horse and Roger and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to ride him.”
On future plans, Varian said: “He’s entered in the Lockinge and that looks the obvious place to go, it’s three weeks from now. Winning this race and winning at Doncaster, he deserves to take his chance there. It will be tougher again than today but Silvestre said we could step up in trip one day as well.
“He deserves to be entered in the top mile races and he might end up going beyond a mile at some point. But it will be a mile for now and he deserves to be in the Lockinge and deserves to be in the Queen Anne.”
ALL ‘OK’ FOR IN-FORM DUO
A beautifully measured ride from Ryan Moore saw Harry Charlton’s trainee Okeechobee repel Desert Hero to land the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes for owners Juddmonte; in doing so providing his trainer with a first Group winner in his own right.
Charlton, who has taken over the license at Beckhampton House from his father Roger, admitted to moments of anxiety watching the Time Test gelding finish from well off the pace to overhaul Israr and Desert Hero inside the final 100m.
The five-year-old didn’t do a great deal when he hit the front late on and Desert Hero reduced the deficit to a head at the line, but Okeechobee held on despite edging right in the shadows of the post.
“We thought he would go very close before the race, although it wasn’t an enjoyable watch!” quipped Charlton.
“Ryan said they really kicked off the front and he was very impressed with him from the three-furlong marker to the two to the one.
“He ran a lovely race at Kempton the other day considering he had been off for 550 days and he came here 10 kilos fitter. I think there is scope for more going forward.
“We might have to look at the Prix d’Isphan or the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May.”
The progressive Hand Of God, sporting the renowned colours of Dubai businessman Mohammed Jaber, had earlier made all of the running in the hands of Moore to tenaciously lift the Esher Cup Handicap (1600m) and instigate a double for trainer Charlton and the in-form rider.
“He was always going to be better this year and Ryan (Moore) said he has the tactical speed for a mile, but he thought he would comfortably get further,” reported Charlton of the Churchill colt who carried the silks made famous by Sheikhzayedroad among others.
“In our heads, we thought he might stay 12 furlongs this year, but he could be the type for the London Gold Cup at Newbury (10f), although I do have another one for that with King’s Gamble for the same owner.”
Referring to the fact he has now taken charge of Beckhampton House from his father Roger, Charlton added: “We have lots of nice three-year-olds this year, albeit they aren’t quite as good as when Dad started training as he had three Derby winners!”
GOSDEN OPERATION STRIKE AGAIN
On an afternoon of Classic clues, John and Thady Gosden could well have unveiled an Epsom Oaks candidate or two in the form of Siyola and Beeley who led home a 1-2 for the stable in the Fillies’ Novice Stakes.
The Gosden operation unleashed Emily Upjohn in the corresponding race two seasons ago and Siyola did well to overcome inexperience to score tidily and hand Buick a double on the card by cosily defeating her stablemate. The front-running Secret Satire was third.
