By Tom Frary
Robbed of Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) due to the testing ground at Goodwood, Saturday's G2 Ladbrokes Celebration Mile become a duel between another two top-level performers Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) with the former claiming the bragging rights. Returning refreshed from a break having finished fifth in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at Chantilly July 19, Century Dream who was left as the 11-4 favourite following the withdrawal of Godolphin's standard-setter tracked Regal Reality in second before swooping two out and drawing clear under coaxing from James Doyle to score by 4 1/2 lengths. Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) denied Regal Reality second by 1 3/4 lengths as the winner proved a class apart. “They went a good pace and he settled really well and travelled really well into it,” Ed Crisford commented. “The ground is the key to him–he gets through it better than most.”
Abdulla Belhabb's Century Dream came back from a wind operation to successfully mark his seasonal return in the G3 Diomed S. staged over this trip having been switched from Epsom to Newbury. That was his second win in that contest, with his 2018 triumph on the famous Downs his first in pattern company and he rounded off that campaign with a close third in Ascot's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. That is where the winner is headed again according to Ed Crisford. “We will go wherever the ground is soft–the [G1 Prix du] Moulin looks very punchy this year with Pinatubo, so whether we go there or swerve that, I don't know. He has run well at Ascot before and finished fourth in the Queen Anne and third in the QEII a couple of years ago and he likes Ascot. He runs well there and you are pretty much going to get soft ground. Palace Pier, winning the St James's Palace and in the way he won in France the other day when it was soft, he has shown to be an exceptional three-year-old. We are an older horse and we think we can run well, I think we can serve it up to him, but it would be a tough one.”
William Knight said of the talented but quirky Sir Busker, who was stepping up from handicap company, “We all want to win so it is slightly disappointing coming second, but at the same time Century Dream is a good horse, especially on that sort of ground. Going forwards, it was good to see him perform well in that sort of company though. He is now rated 111 so that makes life tough in any sort of handicap, so we will have to stick to these type of races. I think we would probably drop him back into either a listed or group three race on his next start.”
Century Dream's dam Salacia (Ire) (Echo of Light {GB}) is also responsible for last year's QEII hero King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}) who was also second in the G1 2000 Guineas. The second dam Neptune's Bride (Bering {GB}) annexed the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air and is in turn a daughter of the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Wedding of the Sea (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Also connected to the game and tough, seven-times graded stakes-winning Hail Hilarious (Fast Hilarious) and the California Oaks winner and GI Santa Barbara H. runner-up Countess Fager (Dr. Fager), Salacia's 3-year-old filly Banna (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is as-yet unraced, as is her 2-year-old filly Royal Event (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), while her yearling filly is by Sea the Stars (Ire).
Saturday, Goodwood, Britain
LADBROKES CELEBRATION MILE S.-G2, £60,000, Goodwood, 8-29, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:40.38, sf.
1–CENTURY DREAM (IRE), 130, h, 6, by Cape Cross (Ire)
1st Dam: Salacia (Ire), by Echo of Light (GB)
2nd Dam: Neptune's Bride, by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Wedding of the Sea, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O-Abdulla Belhabb; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford; J-James Doyle. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 26-9-2-3, $598,935. *1/2 to King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}), G1SW-Eng, $995,418. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sir Busker (Ire), 130, g, 4, Sir Prancealot (Ire)–Street Kitty (Ire), by Tiger Hill (Ire). (€25,000 Ylg '17 TIRSEP). O-Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds XI Racing; B-Ms Ann Foley (IRE); T-William Knight. £12,900.
3–Regal Reality (GB), 130, g, 5, Intello (Ger)–Regal Realm (GB), by Medicean (GB). O/B-Cheveley Park Stud (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £6,456.
Margins: 4HF, 1 3/4, 4 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 4.00, 3.20.
Also Ran: Positive (GB), Duke of Hazzard (Fr), Urban Icon (GB). Scratched: Benbatl (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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