Royal Ascot-placed Guildsman wins Kentucky Gr. 3

Last year's Gr.2 Coventry Stakes third Guildsman landed his second Stateside Stakes success in the Gr.3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs recently.

Guildsman had won the Tom Ridge Stakes (Black Type) at Presque Isle Downs for Qatar Racing and Brendan Walsh in August and he followed up in the 12-runner Gr.3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes over six and a half furlongs on the firm turf at Kentucky five weeks on.

With Tyler Gaffalione taking over from Pablo Morales, Guildsman came from deep in the track to wear down Island Commish, winning by a neck with the pair 3 lengths clear. Guildsman became a first US Graded winner for his sire Wootton Bassett.

Guildsman had made a deeply impressive winning two-year-old debut at Goodwood and then finished in the frame in the Gr.2 Coventry Stakes, Gr.2 July Stakes and Gr. Round Tower Stakes when trained by Archie Watson in Lambourn, England.

Qatar Racing was represented at Kentucky Downs by Fergus Galvin, who told local track reporters: "Sheikh Fahad was watching closely at home in England. He was thrilled. He had a big couple of weeks with (Gr.1 Kentucky Oaks winner) Shedaresthedevil.

"Brendan has done a great job with the horse. He had it mapped out from a few months ago, but Sheikh Fahad has gotten a massive thrill out of him. He's always shown a lot of promise, this horse.

"He ran in some of the bigger 2-year-old races (in Britain). The distance, 6 1/2 furlongs, and the configuration of the track obviously played to his advantage. But it certainly made Sheikh Fahad a big fan of Kentucky Downs. He's already wanting to stock up the stable to point to the meeting next year."