Soldier's Heart Dominates Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy
Soldier's Heart Dominates Ripon Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy Stakes, Securing Easy Victory With Harry Davies Aboard.
Leveraging his prior experience on the course, Soldier’s Heart led the entire race to victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy Stakes.
Simon and Ed Crisford increased his distance to six furlongs for the Ripon race, where he triumphed, after struggling in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.
Having easily won that conditions race, it certainly positioned him well in a competitive field of seven previous winners.
Harry Davies secured the advantageous rail position starting from stall five, and from that point forward, the outcome appeared unequivocally certain.
Given a straightforward lead, he steadily increased the pace, and with just a furlong remaining, the race seemed decided as he maintained a four-length advantage.
Benevento performed admirably, narrowing the gap to just two lengths, but ultimately could not challenge the 15-8 favourite, who is now set to move up in class.
Richard Fahey's Shadow Army, who previously secured fourth place in the Group One Phoenix Stakes, ended up trailing behind as if something was wrong.
Davies commented on the winner: 'He's shown significant improvement since his last race. He had an excellent start from the gates and was more savvy today, having taken everything in during his previous run.'
'Having been here before has clearly benefited him, as some horses struggle initially, but he has certainly improved and managed the conditions well.
'He's built compactly, and his breeding suggests significant speed. The return to a six-furlong distance has clearly been beneficial. He performed exceptionally well today.
He's entered in the Mill Reef at Newbury on September 21 and the Middle Park at Newmarket on September 28, so those opportunities are definitely on the table for him now. If he continues his current form, we'll be very pleased.
'At Goodwood in the Molecomb, he was practically overwhelmed; it was my first time riding him. Goodwood is notoriously sharp over five furlongs – when horses lose their balance coming downhill, they rarely recover. He only started to pick up speed in the final furlong.
'We understood that if we placed him in a comfortable environment, he'd have the opportunity to take the lead once again.'
