Michael Owen horse Brown Panther trails Census at Newbury

13 August 2011 19:08
Classic ambitions: Richard Hannon will send Census to Doncaster[LNB]Michael Owen left the running to others on Saturday as he spent the opening day of the new football season watching his homebred colt Brown Panther race at Newbury. [LNB]After a week out with a back injury, Owen trained with Manchester United in the morning before dashing south to see Brown Panther keep his Classic dream alive by finishing a creditable second to Census in the CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes. [LNB]Both the winner and runner-up are firmly on course for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster next month. [LNB]Owen said: 'We are proud of him. He got a decent passage through after passing just about everything else but couldn't quite get to the winner.'[LNB]Fast-improving Census (4-1) reversed Royal Ascot running with Brown Panther to land the feature. [LNB]Richard Hughes was always travelling strongly on the Richard Hannon-trained three-year-old, who was six lengths adrift of Brown Panther in the King George V Stakes but was meeting his conqueror on 3lb better terms. [LNB] Having settled just off the leadersthrough the early stages, Hughes eased to the front three furlongs out,as Brown Panther was driven from the rear to gradually take closer order.[LNB] It looked at one stage that Brown Panther might get there, but Census had a bit in hand in the end and wasa cosy length-and-a-quarter scorer. [LNB]Hughes said: 'He is a genuine Leger horse now. He's a big, raw horse and getting better and better.[LNB] 'I didn't want to go too early, but they stopped in front of me - he doesn't do anything in front.[LNB]'Before the race I thought we had a Leger runner, now we might have a horse who could win it.' [LNB]Stan James.com make the Highclere Thoroughbred-owned Census a 6-1 chance from 10s for the final Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 10. [LNB]The same firm also cut Brown Panther to 8s from 10s.[LNB] Raw horse: Hughes (left) looking ahead while Owen (right) is left empty-handed [LNB]Highclere racing manager Harry Herbert said: 'He was too far back at Ascot and we were giving Brown Panther 3lb.[LNB]'He was babyish there and now he's grown up. We're really excited. The Leger here we come.'[LNB]Hannon said: 'The Leger is the plan. I thought about going to York (for the Great Voltigeur), but I didn't want the travelling for him. [LNB]'He'd have needed a gallop, probably here, so I thought why not run him and earn a few quid.' [LNB]Excelebration trounced his rivals in the CGA Hungerford Stakes, in the process paying yet another huge compliment to the brilliant Frankel. [LNB]Marco Botti's stable star gave Frankel something to think about in the Greenham Stakes over this course and distance at the start of the season, before going on to claim the German 2000 Guineas. [LNB]He was last seen finishing third to Frankel in the St James's Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting, and confirmed he is a class act in his own right in this seven-furlong Group Two event. [LNB] Pleased: Adam Kirby[LNB]Settled just off the pace set by stablemate Ceremonial Jade, Adam Kirby asked the 5-4 favourite to quicken a furlong out, after which he streaked clear for a six-length demolition of Beacon Lodge under just minimal encouragement. [LNB] Kirby said: 'He won really well, Marco has done a really good job as he used to pull very hard. He has done well to get him to settle. [LNB]'He gave him a break between here and Ascot and got him back. I'm really pleased.' [LNB]Botti later hinted the winner might yet tackle Frankel again in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October when he said: 'I've always been convinced this horse is a Group One performer. It's just unfortunate for him he was born in the same year as Frankel, who is a freak. [LNB]'We have to go for a Group One race next time and it might be against Frankel at Ascot. The alternative is the Prix Moulin at Longchamp.' [LNB] Fencing staked an early claim for Classic honours with an emphatic victory in the Denford Stud Stakes. [LNB]The Street Cry colt stepped up on his Newmarket debut third to put a useful field in its place in this seven-furlong Listed race known as the Washington Singer. [LNB] With Leqqaa only setting a steady pace, William Buick upped the ante some way out on the John Gosden-trained colt to make it a decent test. [LNB] Once the chips were down, the well-backed 5-4 favourite pulled clear to win by two and a half lengths from Telwaar with Leqqaa third.[LNB]'There was no pace. There was a lot of stopping and starting and he was keen early, so William took it up,' said Gosden. [LNB]'He did look around in front, but it was only his second race and he was a maiden. He did well in his race at Newmarket and won the race on his side.[LNB] 'He's very progressive. We'll probably stay at seven (furlongs). He's a horse on an upward curve and we've always liked him. [LNB]'At three I'd say a mile and a quarter would be his trip, but time will tell. His dam (Latice) won the Prix de Diane.' [LNB]Stan James and Victor Chandler gave Fencing quotes of 16-1 and 14-1 respectively for the 2000 Guineas, while Betfred make him 16-1 for the Derby and Paddy Power 25s. [LNB]Running over the shorter distance of seven furlongs for the first time proved no hindrance to Directorship as he stormed to victory in the CGA Ladies Handicap. [LNB]Campaigned between a mile and 10 furlongs in his previous 19 starts, Directorship (9-1) only took part as trainer Pat Chamings could find no other race for him.[LNB] It could turn out to be a masterstroke as the five-year-old followed up last month's Ascot win in great style.[LNB] Jockey Fergus Sweeney, who had won the Arab race that opened proceedings at the Berkshire track, brought Directorship with a telling challenge to beat My Kingdom by two lengths with Space Station a neck away third.[LNB]'I didn't want to step down in trip. It was only because we were forced to,' said Basingstoke-based Chamings. [LNB]'He couldn't handle a course like Goodwood and I didn't want to go up north. He was just 1lb too high to get in those 0-85 races. [LNB]'And we wouldn't have run here if it hadn't have rained. The rain came to my rescue. [LNB]'I did want to try him over seven before but there's always been lots of mile races for him. [LNB]'We were forced into it and it's given us an option now. I now know that races like the Cambridgeshire are too far for him.'[LNB]Kieren Fallon's title chances received a boost when he rode four winners on the day at the Berkshire track, recording a double for Mohammed Al Zarooni on Pimpernel and French Navy, while also riding Nordic Sky and Midnight Oil to success for William Haggas and Luca Cumani respectively. [LNB]Each of the quartet were sent off as favourite.[LNB] Johnson retires after being handed a four-year ban for breaching welfare rulesHayley hoping to be one in a Million as she stars in ChicagoTop miler Canford Cliffs retired to stud following defeat by Frankel[LNB] [LNB]

Source: Daily_Mail