Victory Dance shows off winning moves in Denford contest

Simon Milham
August 13, 2022 1:57 pm

William Buick hoping colt can be Classic contender.

William Buick feels Victory Dance could develop into a Classic prospect after taking the Listed Denford Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

The Godolphin-owned son of Dubawi gained compensation for a head defeat in the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on his second start as he made no mistake in the seven-furlong contest.

Dropped out by Buick in the early stages, he tracked the slightly free-going Ferrari Queen, one of three fillies in the five-strong field, drawing readily alongside approaching the furlong marker.

Victory Dance then showed his rivals a clean pair of heels, justifying 8-15 favouritism with a conclusive length-and-a-quarter victory, looking better the further he went.

Victory Dance could be a Classic hope for William Buick (Steve Paston/PA)

Ferrari Queen stayed on gamely for second, with The Queen’s Candle Of Hope sticking on well on the stands’ rail for third.

The Dewhurst Stakes and UAE 2000 Guineas may well be on the agenda for the Charlie Appleby-trained winner, although Buick felt he will have plenty of scope to develop as a three-year-omald.

“He is quite an unfurnished type and is going to be a lovely three-year-old and he is going to get a mile,” he said.

“That was a lovely confidence-booster today. He went down narrowly in the Superlative and that was only his second start, so to come here today and do it how he did was very pleasing. He is still learning.”

Postwick was a winner for Richard Kingscote (Steve Paston/PA)

The best medicine is often a winner and after suffering a horror spill at Wolverhampton on Friday, Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote showed no ill effects, timing his run brilliantly on Postwick in the 10-furlong Download The BetVictor App Handicap.

Though 7lb claimer Mohammed Tabti poached a long lead aboard General Lee, he was eventually reeled in as the Harry Eustace-trained Postwick (17-2) came with a withering run to take the spoils by two and a half lengths.

Eustance said: “For whatever reason it didn’t go right last week at Brighton, so we went back to a trip over which he had run well. They went very hard, which helped, as he is quite tough on himself.

“He deserved this. He has run some good races without being a winner, so it is nice to see him get his head back in front. We’ll look for another mile-and-two-furlong handicap after this.”