World Pool Lennox Stakes 7036b |
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| Group 2, Goodwood 15:00 £180,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 7f, Class 1 |
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412l67
There’s a sense the jury’s still out on Audience this summer, but the stage is set for redemption—and a reminder of the talent that once turned heads in 2024.
Cheveley Park’s enigmatic six-year-old will have the chance to silence doubters once more, after a flat return at Haydock left connections scratching their heads. The John and Thady Gosden-trained runner was a warm favourite for the John of Gaunt Stakes, back at his preferred seven furlongs, but failed to fire and trailed home a disappointing seventh.
Congratulations to Audience, second in last year’s @SkyBet City of York Stakes, for winning the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes👏🏼 https://t.co/kEH9aS9BuG
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) May 18, 2024
That performance follows a subdued showing in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in April—his first run since a glittering campaign last season that included a shock Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
“He’s the sort of horse where the stars need to align,” itted Cheveley Park Stud’s managing director Chris Richardson. “They didn’t on Saturday. But we’re looking ahead—we’ll aim him at the Lennox again, and likely the City of York too. Those races should suit.”
Whether the raw ability remains is the question hovering in the breeze.
“You do start to wonder,” Richardson added candidly. “I think it’s still there—when he’s good, he’s very good. But he looked a touch heavy last time, maybe just short of peak fitness. A few more runs and he should tighten up.”
The fire might have flickered, but the summer will tell whether it’s still burning brightly.
World Pool Lennox Stakes 2024, Group 2
£180,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 7f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (5) Audience 5 9-11 John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin 4/1
2 (6) 4 Art Power 7 9-6 Tim Easterby David Allan 16/1
3 (8) 1 Kinross 7 9-6 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 7/2F
4 (4) 2 English Oak 4 9-6 Ed Walker James Doyle 4/1
5 (3) nk Pogo 8 9-6 Charles Hills Kieran Shoemark 22/1
6 (1) ¾ Tiber Flow 5 9-6 William Haggas Tom Marquand 11/2
7 (2) shd Chicago Critic 3 8-13 J P Murtagh Ben Coen 12/1
8 (7) 4 Noble Dynasty 6 9-6 Charlie Appleby William Buick 5/1
