Aomori City proved too good for his rivals in the Gr2 HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes on the Qatar Goodwood Festival Day 1 on Tuesday, handing trainer Charlie Appleby a second win in the seven-furlong contest after champion juvenile Pinatubo in 2019.
Winning jockey William Buick tracked leader Cool Hoof Luke into the straight, and after switching out passing the cutaway, Aomori City (2/1F) quickened strongly for a convincing success.
He finished a length and three-quarters ahead of runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch, who was last of the seven runners turning for home before putting in a good effort on the outside of the field.
Aomori City made a winning debut at Nottingham last month and finished third over six furlongs in Newmarket’s Gr2 July Stakes.
Aomori City charges home under William Buick (Pic – Goodwood Racecourse)
Appleby said: “William had obviously decided just before the cutaway to angle out and he was travelling well. When they’ve ran to that level over six, you are going to be confident they are going to travel well and he did that. Once Will decided it was time to give him a kick, he had plenty of horse under him.
“We had toyed with the idea of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf for Aomori City over the past couple of weeks. Al Qudra went and won on Saturday and he’s probably a horse we’ll pinpoint towards that race – it doesn’t mean we can’t run two in it. We’ll keep all options open for Aomori City. On the evidence of what we saw in the July Stakes, we thought coming into this race that stepping up to seven would suit, and he cut it at a decent level there. Today was a marked improvement on what we saw [before]. He was neat – he had to be brave there; he got tightened up on the turns, and that does no harm in educating them towards the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
“When you watch him at home, he’s not a work horse. In the past couple of weeks we’ve had horses who are working over him, like Al Qudra and a couple of maidens, but they are working out at a decent level themselves, so he’s not doing much wrong. In the pecking order? He’s doing what he’s doing. I’m not saying he’s just going to be a two-year-old, but he’s neat, he’s professional and he’s doing what he’s doing now, so I feel we’ll just keep pressing on.”
Buick said: “Being where we were was always the plan, but we just had to tussle for our position at the top of the hill and round the turn, which just gave a bit of pressure, but he was very brave and got stuck in.
“Aomori City is a pretty well-seasoned two-year-old and knows his job, which is always a help round here. I was really pleased with his performance – he sort of does what he has to in front, but I thought he won well and I think he’ll improve.
“He has been very effective over six furlongs but equally he was going to improve for the step up to seven. He’s athletic, handy – the track was never a worry.”
Wolf Of Badenoch’s trainer Hugo Palmer said: “I am absolutely delighted. He still looks like a work in progress. He was the first one off the bridle and ultimately the winner just got first run on him. He is a horse with a really exciting future and he will stay a mile this year. His dam stayed 14 furlongs and he might get 10 furlongs next year. He has some nice entries. We put him in the National Stakes in Ireland and we will put him in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere as well now.”
Andrew Balding said of Cool Hoof Luke: “It was a good effort. Seven furlongs is probably stretching him at this moment in time, so we will probably drop him back to six furlongs for the remainder of the season. Something like the Mill Reef Stakes is possible for him.”
HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes (Group 2)
1 Aomori City (Godolphin) Charlie Appleby 2-9-03 William Buick 2/1F
2 Wolf Of Badenoch (Fitri Hay) Hugo Palmer 2-9-02 Jamie Spencer 14/1
3 Cool Hoof Luke (John Wallinger & Partner) Andrew Balding 2-9-03 Oisin Murphy 3/1
7 ran
Charlie Appleby – 17th Qatar Goodwood Festival winner
William Buick – 39th Qatar Goodwood Festival winner
