• Glorious Goodwood

Sadders Rock powers to Goodwood Cup glory

ESPN staff
August 2, 2012
Sadders Rock and Johnny Murtagh were too strong © PA Photos
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Sadders Rock reversed Royal Ascot form with Colour Vision to land the Goodwood Cup.

Having not been suited by the cloying ground and false pace in the Ascot Gold Cup, everything fell into place for John Oxx's charge who showed great courage to score at odds of 2/1 favourite.

With Chiberta King and Electrolyser eyeballing each other from the off, the gallop was fast and true and it suited Johnny Murtagh who was able to settle Sadders Rock.

Murtagh eased his mount into contention at the top of the straight, at the point Electrolyser kicked for home. The injection of pace from Electrolyser had the majority of the field in trouble and for a moment it looked like he might pinch the race.

But Murtagh was just getting Sadders Rock organised for a challenge and he came with a strong, sustained challenge down the outside. Colour Vision was initially tapped for toe, but started to stay on in the final two furlongs, as did Askar Tau.

Sadders Rock had pinched a couple of lengths and it proved decisive as he stayed on well to land the Group Two prize by a length, with Colour Vision, who was conceding weight on account of his Ascot win, a further three quarters of a length adrift.

Jeremy Noseda's Grandeur returned to winning ways when defying top weight to land the Betfred The Bonus King Stakes.

Having run fine races in defeat at Epsom and Royal Ascot, Grandeur responded well to being kicked for home early for William Buick and stayed on well to score at odds of 8/1.

Mark Johnston loves winners at the Glorious meeting and his Heavy Metal showed real tenacity to land the Richmond Stakes. Joe Fanning's mount fended off a host of challengers, the last coming from Richard Hughes aboard Master Of War to take the Group Two prize.

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