By Sean Cronin
Retaining all his old pizzazz, 'TDN Rising Star' Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) backed up victories in last month's Listed Spring Trophy and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot with an impressive win in Tuesday's G2 Qatar Lennox S. over seven furlongs at Goodwood. Adopting his usual patient role off the tempo in ninth through halfway, the 2-1 favourite made eyecatching headway out wide in the straight and was not for catching once quickening smartly for control approaching the final eighth to easily outpoint Duke of Hazzard (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by two lengths. Escobar (Ire) (Famous Name {GB}) ran on to finish a half-length further back in third.
“He ran very well when he was third over 6 1/2 furlongs in the Maurice de Gheest last year, he's a horse who's still improving and he's very professional and easy to deal with,” said in-form rider William Buick of last year's G1 Prix Jean Prat and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest placegetter. “It's beautiful ground out there and they're making a print, which suits him, and I thought that was a really good performance today. Six furlongs at Meydan in the Spring didn't work out for him, but that was not the horse's fault, and seven is his optimum trip. Charlie [Appleby] will keep all options open for him.”
Appleby, who had teamed up with Buick to garner Sunday's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich, added, “He got a nice, clean run round and there was plenty of pace on. William [Buick] was keen to make sure he kept it simple with him and that's what he did. I was always confident he was going to pick up, it was a good performance and I'm delighted.” Looking ahead to another tilt at the Deauville festival, the trainer continued, “On the back of that, it'll be nice to see how fresh we can get him, as quick as possible, as I feel the Maurice de Gheest is a nice race for him. He ran well in it last year and he's a stronger horse this year. He's a great traveller in his races and he has got that gear change. It'd be nice to give him another crack at a Group 1, but it does come soon enough. He's a seven-furlong specialist, it's proven on paper statistically throughout his career, and there's obviously the [G1 Prix de la] Foret [at ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend] to consider too.”
Space Blues, one of four winners produced by G2 Challenge S. victress Miss Lucifer (Fr) (Noverre), is a half-brother to MGSW G2 Al Maktoum Challenge and G3 UAE Oaks winner Shuruq (Elusive Quality), herself the dam of stakes-winning GII Fair Grounds Oaks and GIII Wonder Again S. placegetter Antoinette (Hard Spun). The homebred chestnut is also kin to the unraced 2-year-old filly Beautiful Future (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and a 2020 Dark Angel (Ire) filly. Miss Lucifer is out of a winning half to G2 King Edward VII S.-winning sire Amfortas (Ire) (Caerleon) and fellow sires Chevalier (Ire) (Danehill) and Chief Lone Eagle (Giant's Causeway). She is also kin to G3 Prix de Royaumont victress Legend Maker (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself the dam of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo), and to the dam of G1 Matron S. victress Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}).
Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR LENNOX S.-G2, £100,000, Goodwood, 7-28, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:27.48, gd.
1–SPACE BLUES (IRE), 129, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Lucifer (Fr) (GSW-Eng, $193,403), by Noverre
2nd Dam: Devil's Imp (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: High Spirited (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £56,710. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Fr, 12-6-3-1, $357,820. *1/2 to Shuruq (Elusive Quality), Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 7-9 1/2f, MGSW-UAE, GSW-Tur, GSP-Eng, $658,709. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Duke of Hazzard (Fr), 129, c, 4, Lope de Vega (Ire)–With Your Spirit (Fr), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€130,000 Ylg '17 ARAUG). O-Fitri Hay; B-Runnymede Farm Inc. & CW. Clay (FR); T-Paul Cole. £21,500.
3–Escobar (Ire), 129, g, 6, Famous Name (GB)–Saying Grace (Ire), by Brief Truce. (€105,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; €280,000 Ylg '15 GOFORB; 100,000gns HRA '17 TATAHI). O-Withernsea Thoroughbred Limited; B-Peter Evans (IRE); T-David O'Meara. £10,760.
Margins: 2, HF, HF. Odds: 2.00, 5.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Safe Voyage (Ire), Sir Dancealot (Ire), D'Bai (Ire), Marie's Diamond (Ire), Graignes (Fr), Glorious Journey (GB), Pierre Lapin (Ire), History Writer (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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