Grande Dame delivers Distaff success for Gosden team

Simon Milham
July 2, 2022 2:57 pm

Listed strike at Sandown for Ascot also-ran.

Though Inspiral landed the Coronation Stakes for the training partnership of John and Thady Gosden, little went right for their other filly in the race, Grande Dame.

Having taken a keen hold before finishing a tame 11th of the 12 runners in that Group One contest, Gosden senior was keen to restore her confidence – and she did so in style at Sandown, taking the Listed Coral Distaff in the hands of Ryan Moore.

The daughter of Lope de Vega settled much better on this occasion and tracked long-time leaders Oscula and Fast Attack.

Once the latter folded approaching a furlong and a half out, Moore hit the gas and Grande Dame’s stride duly lengthened, as the 4-1 chance strode clear for an impressive three-and-a-quarter-length victory. Oscula (8-1) stuck on for second, with odds-on favourite Heredia, who had made it four unbeaten in the Sandringham, a disappointing third.

Grande Dame was on winning form for the Gosden team (Nigel French/PA)

“Grande Dame’s race didn’t quite go right in the Coronation,” said John Gosden. “We knew she was better than that and this was the last three-year-old-only Listed race, so we were keen to bring her here.

“I think she showed some class today. I think we will freshen her up and look at somewhere like Deauville, something like that.”

Sinjaari also gained compensation for a luckless run in the Royal Hunt Cup when scooting to success in the Coral Challenge.

Kieran Shoemark felt he could have won aboard the son of Camelot in the mile cavalry charge at the Royal meeting, having been held up and finishing the best of the stands’ side group when fifth to Dark Shift.

Sinjaari struck gold for Kieran Shoemark (Nigel French/PA)

Yet things fell into place over this same trip, as the 7-2 shot cruised to the front with half a furlong to go for a three-quarter-length success from 11-4 favourite Checkandchallenge, who was last turning in before making up a ton of ground.

Harry Charlton, who trains in partnership with his father, Roger, said: “It was good performance. We kind of always treated him like he needed to be delivered late and when he got there, he often pulled up.

“We were sort of riding him like that in the Hunt Cup, which was an error because he was left on his own on the near side.

“We kind of thought he should have won at Ascot, but it was slightly our fault, because I said to Kieran to wait and wait and wait, and so he did, by which time the other side had gone. He said he felt that had he actually gone when they had gone, he would have won, because he flew without any horses around him.”

Plans are fluid for the six-year-old, who could now take a step up in class.

“I guess we go Listed now,” said Charlton. “He was running off a mark of 105 today and I am assuming he will pop up over the top.

“They might leave him on 110 but I think he is probably Listed class. We will keep him over a mile.

“He is a much rounder model. He is a sounder horse than he was and has put on some proper condition. I know he is a Camelot, but he’s from the Lochsong family, which is a proper speed family, and the Camelot slightly distorts that.”