Buick steers stalwart Pogo to victory and surpasses 150 mark for the season

Friday: Newmarket

William Buick surpassed the 150 mark for winners this season in fitting fashion as Pogo made all the running to land the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at the expense of favourite Sacred.

The champion jockey-elect was riding the Charlie Hills-trained stalwart for the first time in the seven furlong contest, in place of the injured Kieran Shoemark, and the duo did not see another rival along the far rail.

Pogo, who was bettering his second in the contest in 2020, may now have a crack at the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland next month.

Hills said: "Pogo is a legend and loves it at both tracks here and has such a high cruising speed. He battles hard and rarely gives up. He's in the QEII at Ascot but that will come too soon. He has good gate speed as he showed when running in the sprint on Saudi Cup day, so I would think the Breeders' Cup Mile would suit him best."

Paddy Power introduced Pogo into the Breeders' Cup Mile betting at 12-1.

Buick later moved on to 151 for the campaign when Dream Of Love overcame her inexperience to land division one of the 7f maiden fillies' stakes.

He then trebled up for his employers Godolphin as Creative Flair finished a neck clear of Via Sistina to win the Group 3 Pride Stakes.

Oh So close

Midnight Mile: a winner for Mr and Mrs Richard Henry at NewmarketCredit: Mark Cranham

Roisin Henry never expected to have the opportunity to see Midnight Mile on the racecourse, and, now she has, she can barely believe what she is seeing after the two-year-old made it two wins from as many starts in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes.

Bred by Henry and her husband Richard, the boss of Coolmore’s advertising and public relations, Midnight Mile had to survive and overcome an arduous entry into the world.

"This filly was actually born by Caesarean section and the veterinary team at Coolmore and Fethard Hospital were amazing," said Roisin Henry. "There must have been 15 people there delivering the filly, luckily she survived and so did the mare. You never expect them to come from that to this."

As the Henrys continue to enjoy their filly defying expectations for trainer Richard Fahey, Roisin added: "It’s just fantastic.

"On debut she was just going for a learning experience and then we thought we’d let her have a run here today but we didn’t expect anything again."

Asked what might be next for the filly, her husband suggested that would be left to Fahey, saying: "When the passengers start telling the pilot how to fly the plane, it's time to get off!"

Midnight Mile received a 33-1 quote from Paddy Power for next year’s Qipco 1,000 Guineas.

Portman lights up Beacon

Students from Newmarket Academy before the Cornwallis Stakes

The annual Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project came to a finale on day one of the Dubai Future Champions meeting, which opened with the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes named after the scheme.

The project is in its eighth year and trainer Jonathan Portman was in familiar territory receiving his prize from the students, as he won the Cornwallis in 2014 with Royal Razalma and 2016 with Mrs Danvers.

This time it was Rumstar. The son of Havana Grey defied a wide draw to nail Middleham Park pair Maylandsea and Prince Of Pillo under Rob Hornby.

Chris Harper, the breeder of the winner, was on hand to tell the back story behind the 8-1 chance.

"The owner Vincent Ward gave us the mare for nothing on the proviso he could have the first foal and now he's gone and won a Group 3."

Portman said: "We've had three runners in this and now won it three times. People asked why we were dropping back to five furlongs but he's not short of speed and the draw could not have panned out any better."

The Beacon project involves Year 8 pupils visiting any amount of equine sites including Tattersalls, both Equine Hospitals, British Racing School and Newmarket Pony Academy.

They posed for pictures in which only four of the 180 students were wearing Godolphin caps.

Organiser Olly McPhail explained: "We had a quiz in school this morning and those wearing the caps are the winners."

Results, replays and analysis

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