Golden Spell grabs bronze in Stakes race

Golden Spell gained reward for several good efforts when third in the Listed Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

The Johnny Murtagh-trained Golden Spell had already shown herself to be a tough and useful 2-year-old prior to Fairyhouse, winning two of her previous six starts and finishing in the first five in two Gr. 3 races. She lined up in the Listed Ballyhane Blenheim Stakes over six furlongs as the fourth-best in the market, but went one place better than that as she stuck on well behind Brick By Brick and the odds-on Gobi Desert.

The likeable Golden Spell has now proven herself on ground ranging from heavy to good to firm, and while she's clearly very effective over six furlongs, she should be suited by a return to seven furlongs at some point as she's by Al Kazeem out of a half-sister to dual Gr. 2 winner over a mile and a half Bronze Cannon. Golden Spell is one of just three runners in Britain and Ireland so far for Al Kazeem, and one of the others has also won.

Qatar Racing had another horse finish in the frame in a Listed race on Wednesday when 3-year-old Naval Warfare took fourth against his elders in the Fortune Stakes over a mile at Sandown. Trained by Andrew Balding, Naval Warfare had won two of his four previous starts in handicap this year, including at Newmarket in August, and he confirmed the improvement he'd shown there when almost making all at Sandown. He's a very straightforward and progressive young colt, and there will be more good races to be won with him.