Gleneagle Bay
Gleneagle Bay ran a big race to finish third in the Victoria Cup at Ascot last Saturday. Settled back in the field by Hollie Doyle through the early part of the race, and towards the stands side, he drifted back in the field so that he was 16th of the 17 runners passing the two-furlong marker. Moved towards the near side, he picked up smartly when his rider asked him to, hit the front on the near side inside the final furlong and ran all the way to the line. In the end, he went down by a nose and a short head to Hickory and Qirat, who had raced toe-to-toe on the far side.
Even though he didn't win, it was still a massive run by Stephen Thorne's horse. He had to race on his own towards the near side, while the two horses who finished in front of him in the head-bobber raced against each other on the far side. There is every chance that, if he had been in there with them, he might have done even better.
Gleneagle Bay is five now, but this was just his seventh run, and it was just his third run for Stephen Thorne. Only just beaten in the Sovereign Path Handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions' Weekend last September when he was with Jack Davison, he was sent off as favourite for the Irish Lincoln on his debut this season, and he ran well there to finish fifth. But he was a little keen through the early part of that race over a mile, and it may be that seven furlongs suits him better. The stiff seven furlongs at Ascot obviously suits him well, and a fast pace. His trainer mentioned the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot, over the same course and distance, as a possible target now, and that makes lots of sense. The handicapper raised him by 3lb for his Victoria Cup run, but he still has the potential to go beyond his new mark of 95.
Ascot, 10th May 2025
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