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Pogo sticks it to Haydock rivals under masterful ride by in-form Kieran Shoemark

Pogo (right) wins in a blanket finish from Laneqash (second right), Kinross and Sunray Major (left)
Pogo (right) wins in a blanket finish from Laneqash (second right), Kinross and Sunray Major (left)Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Saturday: Haydock, Betfred John of Gaunt Stakes

If you want to stay on a winning bounce, what better way to do it than on a horse called Pogo? Kieran Shoemark teamed up with an old friend to continue a memorable week with a masterful front-running success.

The jockey was delighted to ride his ninth winner in five racing days as he made all in the Group 3 Betfred John of Gaunt Stakes on a stable favourite at Charlie Hills's yard.

It was his only ride of the day but Shoemark said: "I couldn't not come and ride him. Even if he was in a Group 1 and he was 50-1 I'd have to come and ride him, he's been good to me. I'm delighted with that."

It was the jockey's fourth win on a globetrotter whose last three runs had been in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Dubai but who showed that those travels had not dented his enthusiasm.


Watch again: Pogo digs in to land John of Gaunt Stakes


The 17-2 shot found plenty when strongly pressed in the final furlong and held on bravely to secure a first Group-race success in a blanket finish, with just a nose, neck and head separating the first four.

"He's very quick from the gate," Shoemark said. "He was able to dictate on the front end and I thought we got it very easy round the bend. They came to me a furlong out and I thought they were going to go past me but he stuck his neck out. I thought he might just need it but he was very game.

"He does try very hard. He's such a likeable horse, he's been third in a Group 1 and been placed in Group 2s and he's a dual Listed winner. It's a relief to get a Group success."

Shoemark, who started the week with a four-timer at Windsor on Monday, goes to Longchamp on Sunday to partner Dreamloper in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan.

"Things are going well," he said. "If you'd have asked me two weeks ago I might have said differently but I've had a good week. Long may it continue.

"I'm off to France to ride Dreamloper. It'll be a tough ask but there aren't many runners, she's a nice filly and she'll like the ground."

Hills was full of praise for the jockey. "Kieran gave him a peach of a ride. He used his initiative, got him to the front and controlled it from there," he said.

Pogo had finished second in the Group 2 Joel Stakes over a mile at Newmarket on his last run in Britain and Hills said: "He has some very good form. He ran some good races abroad over trips that probably weren't ideal for him – seven furlongs suits him best.

"He really deserved to win a race like this and we might look to take him to France later in the year for races like the Prix Daniel Wildenstein and the Prix de la Foret."

Results, replays and analysis


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David CarrReporter

Published on 28 May 2022inReports

Last updated 17:11, 28 May 2022

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