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Fox too smart in Bentinck contest

irishracing.com news

irishracing.com news

Andrew Balding trainer of Fox LegacyAndrew Balding trainer of Fox Legacy
© Healy Racing Photos

Several standout performances lit up the card at Goodwood, with Oisin Murphy stealing the show with a treble.

Fox Legacy Cruises to Impressive Victory in Bentinck Stakes

Fox Legacy looks to be a horse on his way up after a runaway success in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes at Goodwood.

Trained by Andrew Balding this season after the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute at the end of last term, the four-year-old has won two valuable handicaps already in 2025.

He was ridden by Oisin Murphy as an 11-4 chance for this step up in calibre, and proved himself more than up to the task with an easy five-and-a-half-length triumph.

Anna-Lisa Balding, wife of Andrew, said: “He’s a lovely horse, he’s done nothing but improve.”

“It was lovely to see him go on that ground today, he has got that action so we were sure he would do, but until they do it you never know.

“He’s a lovely horse, he’s done nothing but improve.”

Anna-Lisa Balding

“He’s done it really well, I don’t think I’ve enjoyed watching a race more and the jockey was very complimentary when he got off.”

Murphy Treble Headlines Strong Day at Goodwood

Kyle Of Lochalsh cantered away with the Coral Goodwood Handicap for Hughie Morrison in another wide-margin win for Murphy.

The five-year-old was fourth in the contest last year and returned on the same mark to start a 5-1 shot.

He made light work of the staying contest against 11 rivals, navigating a flag start to enjoy an easy passage throughout the two-and-a-half-mile trip ahead of a nine-and-half-length victory.

Charlie Harris, assistant to Morrison, said:

“We’ve been waiting and waiting for the cut in the ground and what also helped today is that they went a decent pace.”

“Now there are lots of good options, especially in France, where we will look at races like the Prix Royal-Oak.

He didn’t win until he was three and is quite lightly raced for a five-year-old.”

Murphy also struck gold on Seagulls Eleven in the Thoroughbred Stakes to make it a treble on the day.

The Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap then went the way of Hugo Palmer’s Ardisia who struck at 20-1 under David Probert to defeat 9-4 favourite Shaman Champion

Push The Limit obliged favourite backers in the closing Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap, triumphing for Ralph Beckett and Hector Crouch as a 5-2 chance.