The Kieswetter family’s 2017 Sun Met champion Whisky Baron finished like the proverbial express train to chase Beat The Bank home in his first start for trainer William Haggas in the £125 000 Gr2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday.
Whisky Baron wins inaugural Sun Met – son of Manhattan Rain
Andrew Balding, who saddled the winner was thrilled, but the cheers out at the Ridgemont Highlands headquarters at Robertson were even louder. Whisky Baron races in the interests of the Kieswetter’s Barnane Stud.
Form jockey Oisin Murphy rode a confident race on Beat he Bank – the jockey was registering his third consecutive Celebration Mile success, having been aboard Lightning Spear in 2016 and 2017.
The now 6yo 2017 Sun Met winner, Australian-bred Whisky Baron, under Dane O’Neill, was having his first jump for the William Haggas team after a five month break following his Dubai campaign and was beaten only a half length.
And the top trainer’s pre-race comments probably added to the son of Manhattan Rain’s generous 20-1 starting price:
Haggas said: “He won the Met at Cape Town, which is a very big race, and then went to Dubai, where he ran a cracking race first time out and then probably suffered from the bounce factor next time. I’ve had him three or four months and he needs to get out. It’s a warm race though, and while he’s a nice horse he’ll need his first run.”
There were no immediate plans available as to where to next for the Baron.
