3 minute read

John Gosden dominated the bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock Park as Pomology beat stablemate Sultanina.

Both fillies were unbeaten going into the Group Two race, but all Pomology's three wins came last season, while Sultanina had not run at two and three yet won both her races this year.

The result looked signed and sealed some way out, as Pomology (8-1) was cantering all over the opposition two furlongs from home and eased into the lead before being pushed out by Graham Lee to beat Sultanina by two and a quarter lengths.

Last year's Investec Oaks winner Talent ran much more like her old self in third, but the heavily-backed Seal Of Approval was in last place early on under Hayley Turner and never picked up the bridle at any stage, finishing well beaten.

Gosden said: "She's a nice filly, she hadn't been working particularly well but it's different on the track sometimes. The other filly found the ground a bit sticky for her, they were labouring in it a bit."

Lee, riding his first Group Two winner as a Flat jockey, said: "That was nice. I spoke to Mr Gosden earlier, he told me to ride her as I found her and if the ground was too soft not to be too hard on her on her first run back.

"She gave me a great ride, she kept it simple - she jumped, travelled and lengthened. It's nice to sit on a horse of that calibre."

Normandie Stud owner Philippa Cooper said of the runner-up: "I'm delighted in defeat and thrilled the stable has had a one-two. Robert (Havlin) said she has improved since her last run here and to finish second in a Group Two, we can only be delighted.

"I'll leave it up to the trainer to decide where she goes next. He has so many good fillies, we have to worry about others in the yard as much as the rest of the opposition!"

Ralph Beckett said of Talent: "I am not going to come up with any excuses, I thought the ride was fine and I thought the way the race panned out was fine. She just galloped away one-paced. We will see what we are going to do next."