By Sean Cronin
Charles Hills dominated Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. with the now-retired Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) from 2017 through 2020 and has found another son of Dark Angel to claim glory in the five-furlong charge after G3 Palace House S. victor Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}–White Daffodil {Ire}, by Footstepsinthesand {GB}) blew his rivals away and provided the trainer with a record-breaking fifth renewal on Friday. Fitri Hay's 6-year-old gelding had already tasted glory at this meeting, having annexed 2019's Stewards' Cup H. as a 3-year-old, and burst clear in the closing stages here for a career high. Racing under a firm grip in mid division through furious early fractions, the 8-1 chance made eyecatching headway into contention from halfway and went beyond recall once quickening for control entering the final furlong to hold the fast-closing G3 Coral Charge victor Raasel (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) by a neck. Clive Cox trainee Caturra (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was best of the remainder and finished 3/4-of-a-length adrift in third.
“It has always been the plan to come here, the track suits and he has won here before in the Stewards' Cup,” explained Hills. “He is getting faster with age and today he was so relaxed, which is not like him. I said to Ryan [Moore] that he was held up when he won the Stewards' Cup, so ride him how you want. He has won a couple of times making all, but he does not have to be ridden that way and Ryan gave him a peach [of a ride]. The way the race unfolded, they all came down the one side, and that opened everything up. He likes a bit of space in his races. He is a good horse, a very good horse with a lot of speed. Ryan was very positive after and we will look now for a Group 1, the Nunthorpe or wherever. He is growing up and sprinters can take their time. As a 3-year-old he had a fantastic season, but it then did not quite work for him as a 4-year-old. When Baattash won this day, Khaadem won the Stewards' Cup the next day and someone told me that he clocked a quicker sectional. We went then to a [G1] Haydock Sprint Cup and have always thought he could get to the top table. Maybe it's age, maturity or being cut. He wears a red hood, but he is not tricky, just a bit quirky.”
Moore added, “Khaadem has shown already this year how good he is in the Palace House. It is the first time I've sat on him and the plan was not to be dropping him in. They went very hard and the pace was either side of me. Because he usually leads, I ended up taking it up too soon and he was waiting in front. He won the Stewards' Cup over six furlongs and has won this over five. He can win dropped in or from the front. He is a very good horse.”
Jim Hay, husband of winning owner Fitri, continued, “We have always thought that Khaadem was a class horse. We were hopeful that he would deliver on our expectations and he did. That was perfect, and a great training performance from Charlie. I could not split Khaadem and our other runner [eighth-placed] Equilateral, as they are neck and neck on the gallops. Equilateral did everything we wanted from him. He ran a great race and will win a big one at some point. Goodwood is a fantastic track, a lucky place for us, and we've had a great week.”
Raasel's trainer Mick Appleby was upbeat despite his star attraction's reversal. “Raasel has run a blinder,” the trainer said. “James [Doyle] just said at halfway he hit a false bit of ground and that is when he had just come off the bridle. The ground may be overwatered for him and he likes a quicker surface. He has run a blinder and the winner Khaadem is a very good horse, so we're not disappointed at all. Raasel is definitely a Group 2 horse and I would imagine it will be the [G1] Nunthorpe and the [G1] Flying Five now.”
Reflecting on the performance of third-placed Caturra, trainer Clive Cox said, “It was a very pleasing run. He probably got a little bit outpaced for the first furlong down the hill, but really hit the line well. I am delighted and that was a very good performance. He is a horse that really came into himself for the second part of last year, so I'm quite excited. He isn't that ground dependent, so we can look at all the nice five-furlong races from here on.”
Khaadem, one of his sire's 49 pattern-race winners, is one of two stakes scorers for White Daffodil (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and thus a full-brother to Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy victor and multiple Group-placed G2 Norfolk S. and G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Log Out Island (Ire) (Dark Angel (Ire). White Daffodil is a winning sibling of three stakes performers headed by Listed Carnarvon S. and Listed Prix Saraca winner Lady Links (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), herself the dam of Listed Oh So Sharp S. victrix Selinka (GB) (Selkirk). Selinka, in turn, is the dam of G3 Curragh S. and G3 Mercury S. winner Hit The Bid (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and the stakes-winning distaffer Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}). From the immediate family of G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest-winning sire Bold Edge (GB) (Beveled), Khaadem is also a full-brother to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Themainprotagonist (Ire) and a weanling filly.
Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 3yo/up, 5fT, :56.46, g/f.
1–KHAADEM (IRE), 130, g, 6, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: White Daffodil (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB)
2nd Dam: Sparky's Song (GB), by Electric (GB)
3rd Dam: Daring Ditty (GB), by Daring March (GB)
(750,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Ryan Moore. £170,130. Lifetime Record: SP-UAE, 23-7-2-3, $647,408. *Full to Log Out Island (IRE), SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Ire & SP-Fr, $250,585. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Raasel (GB), 130, g, 5, Showcasing (GB)–Dubai Affair (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). (80,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT; 10,000gns 3yo '20 TATHRA). O-The Horse Watchers; B-Bearstone Stud (GB); T-Michael Appleby. £64,500.
3–Caturra (Ire), 126, c, 3, Mehmas (Ire)–Shoshoni Wind (GB), by Sleeping Indian (GB). (110,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Clive Cox. £32,280.
Margins: NK, 3/4, NO. Odds: 8.00, 3.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Lazuli (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Clarendon House (GB), Acklam Express (Ire), Equilateral (GB), Existent (GB), Mitbaahy (Ire), Vertiginous (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
✅ Still unbeaten at @Goodwood_Races – Khaadem makes it 2-2 at the track for Ryan Moore & @cbhills
🏆 2022 G2 King George Qatar Stakes
🏆 2019 Stewards' Cup pic.twitter.com/Mqh3DEcJ7Z— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 29, 2022
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