Andrew Balding is enjoying a good spell and likeable filly Sandrine continued the stable’s rich vein of form taking the Group Two World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
Third in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, the drop in class helped the 12/1 winner, with David Probert enjoying a clear run on the outside, having tracked long-time leaders Pogo and Happy Power, who set a decent pace.
Down in trip, Sandrine stayed on stoutly over the seven furlongs and having hit the front inside the last half-furlong, had enough to repel the fast finish of Kinross on the far rail, who was bidding to win back-to-back renewals under Frankie Dettori. He just failed by a neck and there was a short-head back to Pogo in third.
Balding said: “She slightly blew the bend in the Coronation (Stakes, at Royal Ascot), but I thought she handled it really well today.
“Sandrine looked like she would win the Falmouth at one stage and probably just didn’t quite get home. We just felt if she was effective at seven furlongs, she could be a filly for the Prix de la Foret as she goes on any ground. We just wanted to try her round a right-handed bend before that and it’s worked out well.
“I don’t know about the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll see what the owner wants to do, but the target looks to be the Foret and she doesn’t a penalty in the City of York Stakes so that could be a stepping stone to that.”
Sandrine (green and white, near side) wins the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood
Probert said: “She quickened very well and I’m just delighted for her. I always thought she was a Group One filly and if she could get that Group One, it would be an amazing feeling for me and her.”
Ralph Beckett said of Kinross: “He is brave, he has run another proper race, Frankie felt that he was a couple of lengths further back than he would have liked and that has cost him, but he has run his race. That is all you can ask for.”
Charlie Hills was left to rue ground conditions for Pogo.
“Unfortunately, they have put too much water on for him today. He just could not get his feet out. Annoying. He has run a great race again,” he said.
“He was just starting to come again, it probably gets a bit quicker up the straight, on that bend it is too loose and did not suit him.”