Kick On wins impressively at Newmarket
Qatar Racing's Kick On made an excellent impression when winning the Bonhams EBF Maiden Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.
Kick On, a son of first-season sire Charm Spirit - who is owned in partnership by Qatar Racing and will return to Tweenhills Stud in 2019 - had showed plenty of ability when second on Newmarket's July Course on debut in August, and he improved to comfortably beat 17 rivals on the Rowley Mile.
From his draw near the stands' rail, Kick On was sent straight to the lead by Oisin Murphy and never looked like being headed, showing a high cruising speed and a willing attitude. He hit the line with two and a half lengths to spare over stablemate Humanitarian, with the three ahead of Kick On in the betting - Constantinople, Bangkok and Magic Illusion - filling the next three placings.
Kick On now deserves his place in a higher grade - the Gr. 3 Autumn Stakes and Gr. 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy could come under consideration - but discussions will be had first between Sheikh Fahad, David Redvers and winner trainer John Gosden.
Gosden said of Kick On: ‚"I had a foot abscess with him after his first run, so he missed a fair bit of time. He has come back well there, and I'm delighted with him.
‚"I think stepping up to a mile with him was very important. Charm Spirit was a miler, and I think this boy could go a bit further.
‚"I will chat to the owners and see what they want to do. We've got the whole of October, and it's a long time until April, so I'm not frightened of having another go somewhere.‚"
Gosden also issued an update on triple Gr. 1 winner Roaring Lion recently:
"Champions Day is the plan. He's obviously not wanting too much rain. He's very happy on good to soft but he wouldn't want to go soft or heavy.
"He's in sparkling form since Leopardstown. He's actually quite full of himself and was playing around - he's got some constitution, that horse.
When asked whether he could have foreseen such results for Roaring Lion after he was beaten on his return, the trainer said:
"It was a very colt winter, which went on and on and on. We had no spring, so to that extent he was never quite with us early on, certainly not in the Craven. He ran a nice ran in the Guineas but got over where the juncture was and drifted of on his own.
"Then he was sensational in the Dante, ran a blinder and was last of the bridle in the Derby but didn't stay the trip and since then has been magnificent.
"You ask him to go from February to October/November and it's a big ask, but at the moment he seems to be answering the call."
Roaring Lion is currently a short-priced favourite for the QIPCO Champion Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 20 October.