Hoo Ya Mal keeps leger hopes intact at Goodwood

Derby runner-up records straightforward March Stakes victory.

Hoo Ya Mal booked himself a tilt at the St Leger after deservedly opening his account for the season in the William Hill March Stakes at Goodwood.

Runner-up to Desert Crown when sent off at 150-1 for the Derby in early June, the Territories colt was subsequently snapped up for GBP 1.2million on the eve of Royal Ascot by Australian owners.

Hoo Ya Mal, who is due to join the training team of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott later in the year ahead of a potential tilt at the Melbourne Cup, made his first start for George Boughey after leaving Andrew Balding’s yard in last month’s Gordon Stakes at Goodwood – finishing third behind red-hot Leger favourite Lew London.

On the strength of that form, he was a prohibitively-priced 30-100 favourite faced with just three rivals in this one-mile-six-furlong Group Three and he registered a straightforward victory.

The Queen’s dual winner Perfect Alibi gave Hoo Ya Mal a lead for much of the way, but he travelled well in her slipstream and pulled two and a half lengths clear once given his head by William Buick.

Coral left the winner’s Doncaster odds unchanged at 8-1, with the Charlie Appleby-trained New London heading the market at 4-6.

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