Godolphin's Home of the Brave pushed into second by amazing Atzeni

Sport360 staff 22:57 01/08/2017
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  • Atzeni took the perfect line on long-shot Breton Rock in the Lennox.

    Godolphin hope Home of the Brave was caught in the shadow of the post as he filled the runner-up spot for a second consecutive year in the seven-furlong G2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood Tuesday.

    The five-year-old, trained by Hugo Palmer and ridden by James Doyle, was quickly into his stride and soon led the 13 runners on the inside rail.

    He found more when pressed by Spirit Of Valor in the straight and rallied strongly to regain the advantage after Limato briefly hit the front inside the final furlong.

    Home Of The Brave continued to stay on resolutely but was collared near the line by Breton Rock, who came wide from last to first for a half-length success in 1m 26.62s on ground described as good, good to soft in places in the straight.

    “It was a great race from Home Of The Brave” said Palmer. “James was incredulous coming in, Home Of The Brave had fought back against Limato and beaten him off, and then still lost the race.”

    “Credit to the winner, he has had to come past them all. We know Breton Rock is at his best when he can get his toe in the ground and that tells you the truth about the ground today. It is nice good ground but they are getting their toe in.

    “There is no excuse for my horse. He won his race. The plan was always three runs in England and then we would look overseas. He has done nothing there today to suggest that it should change.

    “I think he would be very competitive in a Breeders Cup Mile or something similar. He likes time between his races. The obvious thing is to give him a nice break and take him to California. “I couldn’t fault Home Of The Brave” agreed Doyle.

    “He won his race with Limato, but Breton Rock has come down the middle of the track and done us all” The winning run capped a remarkable day for Italian rider Andrea Atzeni, grabbing the headlines with an incredible four-timer aboard Expert Eye, Breton Rock, Stradivarius and Shenanigans.

    Stradivarius was the undoubted highlight, as John Gosden’s young upstart denied the Michael Belltrained Big Orange an unprecedented hat-trick of victories in the Goodwood Cup.

    In a battle of the generations, as well as two Royal Ascot winners, the Queen’s Vase scorer beat the Gold Cup hero in a memorable running of the two-mile feature, which was newly-promoted to Group One status this year.

    Stradivarius got the better of the front-running Big Orange by a length and three-quarters to become the first three-year-old winner since Lucky Moon in 1990.

    “It’s a great day” said Atzeni. “I thought I had a chance coming here, but knew Big Orange was the one to beat.”

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