Goodwood: Jm Jungle surprises King George Qatar Stakes rivals | Racing News


Jm Jungle caused a minor upset in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.

A field of 12 sprinters went to post for the five-furlong dash, with John and Sean Quinn’s high-class handicapper Jm Jungle a 14-1 shot for what was his first appearance at Group-race level.

Smartly away in the hands of Jason Hart, the five-year-old was towards the main group that raced on the far side of the track from the start and showed a willing attitude when the challengers attempted to reel him late on to prevail by a neck.

She’s Quality filled the runner-up spot for her fourth race in succession, with Commonwealth Cup victor Time For Sandals half a length further behind in third.

John Quinn was winning the race for a second time, having saddled Highfield Princess to strike gold two years ago, and his son Sean said: “We looked at the sprint division, decided it wasn’t as strong as usual and that we would throw our hat into the ring.

“We knew he operated on a downhill track like Epsom (won the Dash on Derby day) and that the ground might inconvenience others more than us.

“He probably loves fast ground but he’s versatile and is a horse that gives his all, while he’s a lot stronger this year.

“In the paddock he was walking round like an old pro. These opportunities don’t come around all that often, and when you have a day like this it’s massive.”

An appearance closer to home is next on Jm Jungle’s agenda, with a tilt at Group One glory in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on August 22 – a race also won by Highfield Princess in 2022 – looming large.

“Jason said early in the season that the race he would love to ride him in would be the Nunthorpe, simply because of how fast they go and how much he likes York,” Quinn added.

Jason Hart returns victorious aboard Jm Jungle
Image:
Jason Hart returns victorious aboard Jm Jungle

“That looks the natural next step because he is a Group Two winner now, so you want to be going up from there, and we put him in the Abbaye earlier in the week and that’s a similar race. You get a good draw up the rail and you see how much speed he has – he’d be in that van early doors.

“It was easier watching Highfield Princess because she never looked like getting beat. I was hoping, willing for the line to come in the last furlong today but it did and he toughed it out. The second came to him and I think he went again.”

Rhoscolyn gallops to Golden glory

Rhoscolyn continued his Goodwood love affair when claiming the valuable Coral Golden Mile.

Travelling kindly for Daniel Tudhope throughout, the seven-year-old was in the ideal place to pounce in the closing stages.

Stoked up by his rider as the race began to unfold, he surged onto the scene inside the final furlong before galloping a length clear of runner-up Ebt’s Guard at the line.

Rhoscolyn thrived at Glorious Goodwood
Image:
Rhoscolyn thrived at Glorious Goodwood

It was the seven-year-old’s second appearance of the week on the Sussex Downs having finished down the field when seen on Wednesday, but by scoring at odds of 11-2, Rhoscolyn went one better than his second in this race in 2021 to register not only his sixth course success, but also give David O’Meara a third win in the contest since 2020.

The trainer said: “The rain came in the nick of time otherwise the boys might not have run him, but he didn’t take anything out of himself when he ran here earlier in the week.

“I think we’ve been fortunate to benefit from the bad luck of others in this race and once again the gaps came for him.

“There’s a nice handicap over seven furlongs or a mile back here for him worth a hundred grand and that’s where he’ll go.”

Seagulls Eleven flies home for Thoroughbred triumph

Hugo Palmer’s Seagulls Eleven bagged the big-race victory he has long promised in the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.

A son of the trainer’s 2000 Guineas hero Galileo Gold, Seagulls Eleven is owned by several current and former Brighton & Hove Albion footballers, including James Milner and Danny Welbeck.

Seagulls Eleven scored on King George day
Image:
Seagulls Eleven scored on King George day

After breaking his duck at Haydock last summer, the three-year-old went on to run with credit in the Superlative Stakes, the National Stakes and the Dewhurst before the end of his juvenile campaign and his best race since his return came when second to Opera Ballo in a Newmarket Listed race three weeks ago.

With Opera Ballo a significant non-runner in this Group Three contest, Seagulls Eleven was one of just four runners to go to post and after taking an early lead under Oisin Murphy, the 11-4 shot found plenty for pressure late on to score by three-quarters of a length from Diego Ventura.

Palmer said: “He can be a handful to saddle but not in a nasty way, he has a kind look in his face and is genuinely versatile.

“Last year he had to run in the Group Ones and ran with great credit, but it’s taken a while for him to get his confidence back.

“Today when they came to him, he had the guts to go and get the job done.

“He’s been invited to the Golden Eagle in Australia and there are 10 million reasons why he should go for that, but first we might give him another at home. It might be that we have to supplement into the Celebration Mile and he’s not in the City of York.”

Diego Ventura is owned by Wathnan Racing, whose racing adviser Richard Brown said: “He has arguably run a career-best race. He was just getting going and Oisin has slightly rolled off the rail on the winner and it has cost him a little bit of momentum, but I don’t think it has made a difference to the result.

“We will talk to Hamad [Al Jehani, trainer] and the team but he is strongest at the line and we will probably try up in trip.”

Richard Hannon’s King Of Cities was the third-placed horse when beaten a length and a quarter under Ryan Moore, with the trainer saying: “He looked like he didn’t help Ryan much to me. It was disappointing not being beaten far.

“There are big races in him but he looks a bit flat-footed sometimes. Ryan thought it might have helped if he had gone on a bit, but they were probably going a good enough gallop if he wanted to. For me, he just does enough.”

Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Cosmic Year finished last of the four runners with Colin Keane reporting: “I would say the ground was a little bit against us.

“He relaxed and travelled round nicely but, when we needed him, he wasn’t able to, and I didn’t think we got to the line very strong.

“I would be inclined to come back to seven furlongs. I wouldn’t even rule out a stiff six on nicer ground, where they go hard and you can ride a race on him. Hopefully, he will hit the line better. Today he felt straightforward, it felt like he tried, it just felt like the trip was stretching him.”



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