She was a big price but Ziggy’s Dream did us and her owners proud at Glorious Goodwood, finishing off her race strongly to be third beaten barely half-a-length in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes. Ziggy was winning in April of her two-year-old season yet this was the best performance of her career so far, and with more of a test she may even have gone on to win rather than “just” placing. She stays the seven furlongs well now and has a number of potential autumn targets, including a potential return to Italy, scene of her Listed success in May.
Cairo also put up an excellent display when going close in the newly-added Conditions race on the Friday. The in-between trip of nine furlongs really suited him, though we are keen to explore 10 with him in the future. A Classic runner-up over the mile as a three-year-old, this was a welcome way to showcase the ability he still has.
Cairo’s owner Refai Alghraiban also had another solid performance to enjoy at Goodwood with Kuwaitya running a very respectable fourth in the fillies’ conditions race. She managed to step up on that in the meantime, however, as she gained a second Listed placing of her short career when a close third in the Listed St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury. She travelled very well there and clearly relishes quick ground, so her future prospects this season depend on how the weather behaves.
August has seen a couple of very pleasing performances from the ultra-consistent Lunario. He was firstly a winner up at Hamilton at the start of the month, battling typically well to come out on top in a tight finish, before taking his form to a new level when third at the same track in a class 3 handicap from a slightly higher mark. He is the type to go well in this type of grade off a low-is weight, and having shown he handles slower ground as well he can have a productive autumn.
Far Above The Law has been another extremely promising performer this month, backing up his Newbury nursery effort by running a cracker in the 100k York nursery. He is learning all the time and is now able to harness the natural ability he has always shown in a much more sensible fashion.
