The very admirable King’s Advice collected his eighth win of 2019 for trainer Mark Johnston when putting up a brave performance for victory in the one mile, six-furlong, £100,000 Qatar Summer Handicap.
Ridden by Joe Fanning, King’s Advice – a son of Frankel out of G1 winner Queen’s Logic – was the 7/2 favourite and, in seeing off Outbox by a neck, gave his trainer a sixth winner of the 2019 Qatar Goodwood Festival. Johnston is one winner away from his previous highest total at this meeting – seven, which he achieved in 2012.
Five-year-old King’s Advice is the winning-most British-trained horse of 2019.
A proud Johnston said: “It’s quite incredible. I never really believe that horses know whether they are winning or have their head in front, but if ever there was a horse who wants to put his head back in front, it’s him. I thought he was beaten so many times today, even inside the final furlong it looked like the second horse was going to get the better of him, and perhaps did even get its head to the front, but he just comes back again.
“Just absolutely incredible. He’s gone from a rating of 71 to winning off 108 today, and he’s only lost one race for us. That was the Northumberland Plate and he was unlucky there – and he didn’t have Joe Fanning. Joe Fanning is unbeaten on him.
“It’s got to be the Ebor next. That’s going to be very, very difficult because they’ll be queuing up for a go at him, but we’ve got to go there, and the owner has been suggesting a step into Pattern company for several runs now, and we’ve talked him out of it, but he’ll get his shot quite soon. Possibly the Irish St Leger.”
FANNING MAKES IT EIGHT FROM EIGHT ON THE SEASON’S WINNINGMOST HORSE
Joe Fanning thought there might be another handicap or two in King’s Advice (7/2 Fav) when he won a class 5 handicap at Lingfield on March 2 on his debut for Mark Johnston, but he could never have guessed that he would be winning another seven on him by August, culminating in an oh so gutsy neck victory over Outbox (5/1) in the £100,000 Qatar Summer Handicap.
King’s Advice was always in the first three or four, but he had to really stick his neck out after Outbox headed him and looked sure to win. On pulling up at the end of the mile and six furlongs race Fanning, who won on the stable’s Mrs Bouquet earlier in the week, said: “I think he is getting better. I thought Andrea (Atzeni, on Outbox) had me beat when he came to me – it felt like he got a neck up and then this lad just battled back.
“He is very tough. Andrea came by me quite comfortably and he just knuckled down. He is not the biggest of horses either, so to carry that weight and do it like that.
“For one of Mark’s, he is a small horse and he has lumped top-weight around. I think his last two races have been his best. It’s unreal how he keeps finding this bit of improvement. He’s tough, he’s game and he is very good.”
Fanning, who is 48 and missed five weeks of the summer through injury, added: “You can ride him anywhere, and he’s best just wherever he’s comfortable. He doesn’t move well, but if you leave him alone he’s grand.
“He worked well before Lingfield, and he’s probably never worked again since. We thought he was well handicapped there off 71, but that’s eight times I’ve ridden him and eight wins. I can’t really claim the first few though as he was so well handicapped!”
OUTBOX PLEASES TRAINER CRISFORD
Simon Crisford, trainer of 5/1 chance Outbox, the neck second to winner 7/2 favourite King’s Advice, was delighted by his horse’s resolution in the £100,000 Qatar Summer Handicap.
Crisford said: “It was a super run, I am very happy with him. He acquitted himself very well. He has a bright future ahead of him.
“I thought the ground might be a bit quick for him but he handled it very well and battled hard. He was very resolute in the finish, but that [King’s Advice] is a tough horse to beat.
“Outbox might stay a bit further than this and may go over two miles. He is lightly raced and is still learning. A big baby.”
Andrea Atzeni, rider of the Frankel gelding, added: “He ran well. Kings Advice beat him last time by five lengths and this time a neck only. He ran a good race, stays very well and is only going to get better.”
Silvestre de Sousa, jockey of the Andrew balding-trained, third Shailene, said: “It was a great race – she just met two good horses in front of her.”
2.25pm Qatar Summer Handicap 1m 6f
1 King’s Advice (Saeed Jaber) Mark Johnston 5-9-10 Joe Fanning 7/2 Fav
2 Outbox (Sheikh Mohammed Obiaid Al Maktoum) Simon Crisford 4-9-04 Andrea Atzeni 5/1
3 Shailene (George Strawbridge) Andrew Balding 4-9-00 Silvestre De Sousa 25/1
13 ran
Time: 2m 59.58s
Distances: nk, 1½
Tote Win: £ £4.10 Places £1.60, £2.30, £8.50 Exacta: £27.90 Trifecta: £511.70
Breeding: Frankel – Queen’s Logic (Grand Lodge)
Breeder: Rabbah Bloodstock Limited
Mark Johnston – 153rd Goodwood winner (84th at Qatar Goodwood Festival)
Joe Fanning – 53rd Goodwood winner (20th at Qatar Goodwood Festival)