By Sean Cronin
Shadwell Estate Company's 4-year-old colt Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) endured his only defeat in six prior starts when a badly-hampered 12th of 13 in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. last June and went postward as a strong odds-on favourite for Friday's G3 bet365 Gordon Richards S. at Sandown coming back off a win in October's G3 Darley S. at Newmarket. It was not all plain sailing in the three-runner affair and he was made to earn his corn by King Power Racing's G3 Rose of Lancaster S. winner Foxes Tales (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Mostahdaf occupied the two slot as Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's G2 Superlative S. victor Juan Elcano (GB) (Frankel {GB}) set the tone from flagfall. Inching ever closer in the straight, the 1-2 lock came under pressure to challenge between both opponents approaching the quarter-mile marker and ran on strongly once subduing the persistent late threat of Foxes Tales by 2 1/2 lengths to double his pattern-race tally in ultimately comfortable fashion.
“He ran well throughout last season,” said Thady Gosden. “The St James's Palace didn't quite go according to plan, but we stepped him up to a mile-and-quarter here for the first time and he stayed it quite well. He won over nine furlongs last year, it is a stiff mile-and-quarter and the ground is riding a little bit dead at the moment, but he stayed well and it was a competitive enough race. There were three horses, but they are three solid horses and he did well. It can always be a bit trappy with three runners, but they went a fairly solid clip the whole way and he put up a good fight when he had to. We are hopeful he will come on for that run and the [G1] Prince of Wales's [at Royal Ascot] or a [G3] Brigadier Gerard [back here] will come under consideration.”
Mostahdaf, the fifth of seven foals, is one of four scorers out of Listed Garnet S. victrix Handassa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), herself a half-sister to GSW GI Frank E Kilroe Mile third Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and G3 Earl of Sefton S. third Euginio (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The March-foaled homebred is full to a yearling colt and a half-brother to G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Mostabshir (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}). His second dam Starstone (GB) (Diktat {GB}) is an unraced half-sister to G1SW sires Pastoral Pursuits (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and Goodricke (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}).
Friday, Sandown, Britain
BET365 GORDON RICHARDS S.-G3, £80,000, Sandown, 4-22, 4yo/up, 9f 209yT, 2:12.59, gd.
1–MOSTAHDAF (IRE), 129, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Handassa (GB) (SW-Ire), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Starstone (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Star (GB), by Most Welcome (GB)
O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-0, $209,526. *1/2 to Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $409,959. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Foxes Tales (Ire), 126, c, 4, Zoffany (Ire)–Starfish (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (400,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Manister House Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £17,200.
3–Juan Elcano (GB), 126, g, 5, Frankel (GB)–Whatami (GB), by Daylami (Ire). (360,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Mr & Mrs David Brown (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. £8,608.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, NO. Odds: 0.50, 3.00, 6.00. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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