Tag Archive for: Point Lonsdale

Lonsdale makes Huxley Point

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Favourite backers were made to sweat before eventually collecting their winnings as Point Lonsdale toughed out victory in the IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes at Chester.

Successful in four of his five juvenile starts two years ago, the Australia colt only made it to the racecourse once as a three-year-old, finishing down the field in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

However, having proved his talent remains intact with a comeback victory in the Group Three Alleged Stakes at the Curragh last month, he was a 5-6 shot to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a fourth Huxley Stakes win and he ultimately got the job done, albeit in workmanlike fashion.

It was not easy viewing for his supporters, with Ryan Moore rowing along in the saddle a long way from home in behind the pacesetting Poker Face.

But to his credit, Point Lonsdale kept responding to his rider’s urgings and after striking the front in the straight, he had enough in hand to see off the late charge of Mujtaba by a neck.

Moore said: “He was a good two-year-old who won a Listed race, a Group Three and a Group Two but he wasn’t around for most of last year.

Point Lonsdale after winning the Huxley Stakes at Chester
Point Lonsdale after winning the Huxley Stakes at Chester (Neil Morrice/PA)

“It wasn’t very pretty, was it? He’s a real galloper and he probably hasn’t been round a tight track like this before.

“He’s only really been to the Curragh, Leopardstown and Ascot and he was just a bit unsure what to do with himself.

“Today’s race was well up to standard and the track didn’t suit him, but he has a great attitude to be fair to him and plenty of ability. It was a very good performance.”

Point to be made from O’Brien ace in Huxley Stakes

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Point Lonsdale bids to add further riches to his stellar CV when he lines up in the IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes at Chester.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old has won five of his seven racecourse appearances, but has only been seen twice since his his high-class Juvenile days when he took four of his five starts and finished second to Native Trail in the Group One National Stakes.

A disappointing run in the 2000 Guineas was his sole outing at three, but he showed the fire still burns bright with a game success in the Alleged Stakes last month following a 351-day absence.

The form of that victory over Visualisation got a boost when the runner-up landed the Mooresbridge Stakes recently and more success for Point Lonsdale here could pave the way for Group One assignments later this season.

O’Brien said: “He won in soft ground at the Curragh. That was his first time over a mile and a quarter and he got the trip well.

“We’ve been happy with him since and we think he’s ready for his next run now.”

Andrew Balding’s Foxes Tales was third in the Winter Derby behind Lord North in February and was last seen handing the useful Rogue Millennium a three-length beating to scoop the Listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton.

Mujtaba returning after a comprehensive victory at Newbury
Mujtaba returning after a comprehensive victory at Newbury (Neil Morrice/PA)

He now has his sights raised to Group Two level, while also taking a step up in class is William Haggas’ Mujtaba who has been forced into pattern company following a seven-length romp in a Newbury handicap in the autumn.

“He put up a very impressive performance in soft ground at Newbury and went up to 115, so this is a good starting point for him to get him going,” said Haggas.

“He likes the ground so hopefully he will run well. He’s won at Chester before but he’s also run poorly at Chester before, so we will see how we go.”

Simon and Ed Crisford’s Poker Face suffered the first defeat of his career when second in the Earl of Sefton Stakes on reappearance, but the form of that race was given a timely boost when the winner Ottoman Fleet scored at Belmont last weekend and connections are confident there is still more to come from Fastnet Rock gelding.

Poker Face ridden by jockey James Doyle on their way to winning at Pontefract
Poker Face ridden by jockey James Doyle on their way to winning at Pontefract (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He’s lightly raced and he ran a very good race in the Earl of Sefton for his first run back of the year,” said Ed Crisford.

“This race is another step up in class, but he has come out of Newmarket well and has been training well.

“He has a good draw and the ground should suit. He’s in good form and although it is a big step up for him, I’m sure he has a lot more improvement in him.

“He’s only had four runs in his life and is still a baby really and still learning. I think with racing experience he should be improving all the time and is an exciting horse for the future.

“This is another step up and there are some very good horses in there, but he has had his first run of the year now and I’m hopeful he will run a very good race.”

Six go to post for the Group Two contest with Roger Varian’s Royal Champion and Noel Meade’s Layfayette completing the field.

Point well made by returning Lonsdale in Alleged Stakes

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Point Lonsdale showed the engine remains firmly intact to make a winning return in the SP Or Better Guaranteed With Tote Alleged Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s Australia colt struck four times as a two-year-old, winning not only the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot but also the Tyros Stakes and Futurity Stakes on home soil.

He lost his unbeaten record in the final start of his juvenile campaign, finishing second to Native Trail in the National Stakes, and then suffered his second defeat when unable to land a blow in last year’s Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

That was his only start at three and he has since spent 351 days on the sidelines.

But he allayed any fitness doubts stepping up in trip in this 10-furlong Group Three and having shadowed Joseph O’Brien’s Visualisation on the front end, showed a tremendous attitude to reel in that chief market rival when hitting top gear in the closing stages.

“I’m very happy with that on his first run back on that ground. He’s going to stay further,” said O’Brien.

Curragh Races – Sunday April 16th
Point Lonsdale ridden by Wayne Lordan wins The SP Or Better Guaranteed With Tote Alleged Stakes at the Curragh (Donall Farmer/PA)

“We thought as a two-year-old he would get further than seven furlongs, but he never went any further because we had other horses. Then we ran him in the Guineas and he got injured.

“There was nowhere to hide today. Joseph’s horse went a good gallop and none of the other horses were able to close.”

Set to be campaigned over similar distances to fellow high-class four-year-old Luxembourg, Epsom’s Coronation Cup could become the major summer target for Point Lonsdale as O’Brien shuffles his pack accordingly.

Point Lonsdale and connections after the SP Or Better Guaranteed With Tote Alleged Stakes
Point Lonsdale and connections after the SP Or Better Guaranteed With Tote Alleged Stakes (PA)

He continued: “We have Luxembourg in the same sort of bracket.

“At the moment we are looking at the Ganay for him and if not the Mooresbridge.

“This horse could go for something like the Coronation (Cup) and take in another race before that.”

Betfair shortened Point Lonsdale to 14-1 from 20s for that contest, while he is 10-1 from 16-1 for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.