By Peter Moore at Newbury Saturday 17th May 2025
A couple of weeks after being on the wrong side of a close finish in the 2,000 Guineas, joint trainers John and Thady Gosden along with owners Juddmonte were back in the winners enclosure after Lead Artist edged out Dancing Gemini in a high quality Group 1 Boylesports Lockinge Stakes.
The Gosden’s new approach of adopting the best person available paid off with champion jockey Oisin Murphy getting the leg up.
Despite trailing in last on his previous appearance at Sandown behind Dancing Gemini, the yard had much more confidence in the four-year-old today.
Starting odds of 17-2, having been as big as 16-1 on Saturday morning, Lead Artist was always well placed to strike on the heels of the leaders and, despite being headed by Dancing Gemini in the final furlong, he fought back to win by a neck to give the Gosdens a fifth success in Newbury’s premier Flat race.
The famous silks of Juddmonte were shinning in the winners enclosure once again, 13 years after the famous Frankel won this race back in 2012.
“He’s got a great deal of talent,” said John Gosden, having watched Lead Artist reverse a 13-length deficit with the runner-up from the bet365 Mile. “They watered at Sandown before the end of the jumps season, and then it rained on top of that, so he got stuck in the mud last time but the race brought him on a lot.
“He’d been working fine before that but a lot of it was on the all-weather because it had been so dry. He came with a nice run but blew up at the furlong pole and dropped right out. Kieran looked after him after that which was great.
“He likes summer, fast ground and he showed that today. He’s a powerful horse with a lot of speed. I thought he’d be in the first three but didn’t necessarily think he’d win it. It was such an elite race that if you finished in the first four, you’re a high-class horse.”
With connections of the runner-up and third-placed Rosallion keen on a rematch at Royal Ascot, the Queen Anne Stakes looks set to kick the royal meeting off in style next month.
Winning on Lead Artist was the second leg of a double for the champion jockey after taking the opener on Eydon.Despite finishing fourth in the 2,000 Guineas in 2022, the six-year-old has struggled with injuries. The backroom staff at Kingsclere have done a wonderful job with the horse, with him now looking back to his best.
Symbol Of Honour made it 4 wins out of 5 over 6f after the Charlie Appleby grey took the Class 1Highclere Castle Gin Carnarvon Stakes over 6f by one and three quarter lengths with William Buick aboard for Godolphin.
Trainer Roger Varian bagged a double on the card after Saddadd got up on the line under Silvestre De Sousa on an opening mark of 96.
The same combination paired up with My Cloud after a slow start to hold on to win by a head from Boyfriend in the mile Class 2 handicap.
Varian, said after the race the next target for the four-year-old will be next months Royal Hunt Cup.
Qilin Queen looks likely to be going to Epsom in a couple of weeks’ time to run in the Oaks after holding on for a narrow short head victory under Hollie Doyle in the Class 1 fillies trial stakes.
Rarely does Ryan Moore go through a meeting without riding a winner, however after being booked for seven rides, Moore had to wait for hiss final two rides of the day to be successful after steering Aramram to victory in the 6f handicap before landing the last on the card for trainer Roger Teal with Solar Army going one better than his previous run at Newmarket.
It also made up for the disappointment of fellow Teal trained Dancing Gemini losing out in the Lockinge.