Kirklees leads in Listed one-two for Godolphin

Report: Sandown, Friday

Helical Bar Gala Stakes (Listed) 1m2f, 3yo+

KIRKLEES led home a Godolphin one-two in the Listed Helical Bar Gala Stakes at Sandown on Friday.

The chosen mount of stable jockey Frankie Dettori and absent since disappointing in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March, Kirklees broke well from the stalls before being settled behind habitual front-runner Tranquil Tiger.

Confront, who took a walk in the market and went off at 3-1 having opening up 9-4 favourite, raced in the middle of the seven runners under jockey Jamie Spencer.

 

Rounding the home bend and racing into the straight, Confront moved up well, but so did Kirklees, and it was Dettori, completing a double in the process, who forged into the lead on his mount with just over two furlongs to run.

He soon asserted and went well clear to win by four lengths as the well-backed 85-40 favourite in front of 11-2 stablemate Covert Ambition, who stayed on well having been niggled along turning into the straight.

Third went to the plucky Tranquil Tiger, an 11-4 shot, and Tom Queally, while Confront stuck on at one pace to just secure fourth from Halicarnassus.

Bin Suroor said: "He ran well and Frankie rode him the way we had planned.

"The break he had since running in Dubai has helped. He had improved in his work, and that gave me confidence coming here.

"He has many entries but would need to improve to run in the King George. I am sure he will come on for this and we will keep our options open."