By Peter Moore at Sandown 23rd May 2024
Brigadier Gerard Evening, London’s Night At The Races once more proved a very popular evening with a good turn out of people who witnessed some excellent racing.
In the Chasemore Farm Henry 11 Stakes a Group 3 contest over 2m was won by Sweet William who just prevailed in a battling finish to get up to beat Caius Chorister by a head.
Caius Chorister was sent off favourite for the race after finishing one place ahead of Sweet William when second in the hotly contested Sagaro Stakes at Ascot recently.
Building on last seasons placed efforts in the Doncaster and Long Distance Cups, the five year old was wearing a visor for the first time.
It was another successful winning ride for Robert Havlin after claiming his second Group 1 winner aboard Audience in Saturday’s Lockinge Stakes. The win comes a few days after it was announced he would be riding leading fancy Ambiente Friendly in the Betfred Derby next week.
“The Derby? No one’s mentioned that for a couple of days,” a playful Havlin said. “I’m in that, am I? It’s nice we’re banging in a few winners and it’s all good.”
On Sweet William, he added: “It was Philippa’s [Cooper, owner] idea to put the visor on him. We put full-cup blinkers on him last year and he never travelled a yard. He didn’t really travel today, to be honest, but the further he went, the better he went.
“He’ll definitely stay two and a half miles and he’ll go to Ascot now.
Despite being slowly away, recovered under David Egan to edge out Rock Hunter and make it three straight wins on the bounce for the promising two year old filly.
In form trainer Karl Burke continued his winning ways by saddling Royal Rhyme to victory in the Chasemore Farm Brigadier Gerard Stakes run over a mile and a furlong.
Despite being off for 215 days, the four year old got the better of Certain lad to win by a length.
Ed Walker’s three year old Almaqam certainly proved very quirky in the paddock before eventually settling down to post. Under champion jockey William Buick the colt made it two wins inside 23 days after backing up his victory at Yarmouth with a comfortable three and three quarter length victory in the 1m Heron Stakes.