Racing: Islington fulfils late date with destiny

Glorious Goodwood: Weinstock filly adds to owner's posthumous success while Bond Boy leads home Cup charge

There is an old, rather cynical, adage in racing that those seeking profit should always back a dead man's runner. The reason is that, with the executor's sale possibly looming, such a beast will be trying for its life in order to ameliorate its value. In the case of the late Lord Weinstock's horses, any notion that the elite bearers of the famous pale-blue silks should run on anything other than their merits should be instantly repudiated. But the precept continued to hold good here yesterday as, a week after Golan took the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, his stablemate, the fine filly Islington, fulfilled her own Group One destiny in the Nassau Stakes.

To land two such top-level prizes within eight days is a monumental achievement for any owner-breeder, but both performances were overlaid with the feeling that the fates might have been less niggardly with their timing. Lord Weinstock died just 12 days ago and Islington's failure in the Oaks in June, her sole defeat this year, was the last time he had been well enough to go racing.

The winning trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, recalled: "He fell totally in love with her when he saw her win for the first time this year at Newbury. He called her his perfect filly. It is rather sad that he could not see her redeem herself and show she is the filly we thought she was."

None of her nine rivals could match Islington's burst of speed in the last quarter mile of the 10-furlong contest. Kieren Fallon organised her to lie handy, tracking the smart pace that was set by Starbourne on behalf of the Ballydoyle number one, Quarter Moon, and as soon as he said go she did. Islington's fluid action and willing attitude lit up the wet, grey gloom that had settled over the Sussex Downs by mid-afternoon and she came home an eased-down four lengths clear of Sulk, with the favourite Quarter Moon, who had been runner-up in the Oaks and two other Classics, third.

Islington's disappointing run behind Kazzia at Epsom had been put down to her inability to cope with the extremely heavy ground that day, but there was more to it than that. "She had been badly squeezed out of position at one point," said Fallon, "which affected her action. Nothing went our way that day."

Stoute concurred. "It was all just too testing for her," he added, "and she came home very sore in her muscles in front and behind. It took us quite a few weeks to get her sound again."

There had been another lameness worry during the week, when Islington started feeling the new shoes applied on Tuesday, but skilful work from vet and blacksmith nipped any trouble in the bud. The Sadler's Wells filly's next date is likely to be a return later this month to the Knavesmire, where she won the Musidora Stakes in May, for the Yorkshire Oaks, the day after her Ballymacoll-bred comrade in arms Golan tackles the International.

Glorious Goodwood this place ain't when the clouds scud low and the thunder rumbles, but try telling that to Mark Johnston. He not only finished the week's top trainer for the third time but achieved the feat with the help of victories from horses running twice at the meeting. Scott's View, a winner on Tuesday, came out again fresh as paint yesterday to score a runaway success under top weight in the 14-furlong rated handicap. He, too, is bound for York, as the new favourite for the Ebor Handicap.

Scott's View was Johnston's fifth winner of the week. By contrast, Bond Boy gave Bryan Smart his first success ever here, at any meeting, when he took the the Stewards' Cup, one of the season's most frenetic races in terms of both betting activity and the death-or-glory charge down the straight six furlongs. Smart, though was not present to witness it, having elected to attend his runners at Doncaster.

The reigning champion apprentice, Chris Catlin, brought the 14-1 shot, who was drawn one stall from the rails on the traditionally favoured far side of the course, home a length clear of Halmahera, who finished runner-up in this contest for the third time in four years. Undeterred finished third for the second successive year, just in front of his two David Nicholls stablemates, Hurricane Floyd, the 5-1 favourite, and Tayif, who dead-heated for fifth with Peruvian Chief.

The record Tote Scoop6 win pool of £1,322,530 was shared by 257 winners, who will tackle the bonus pool of £686,120 next Saturday.

The summer season shifts across the Channel today, from the matchless setting of Britain's most famous festival to the delights of Deauville. This afternoon's programme at the Normandy resort features two all-filly Group Two events. In the Prix d'Astarte, Banks Hill drops back to a mile as she attempts to redeem her reputation after disappointing third places against colts at the top level, to Grandera in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and to Best Of The Bests in the Prix d'Ispahan. Her nine rivals include another high-class distaffer in Proudwings.

There is a two-pronged British challenge against runners from France, Germany and Italy in the mile and five-furlong Prix de Pomone. Marcus Tregoning relies on the Oaks third, Shadow Dancing, and Michael Jarvis sends the progressive Maimana to tackle Group company for the first time.