The Juddmonte homebred Lead Artist provided the Gosden stable with a much-needed boost in the Lockinge at Newbury on Saturday after their heartbreak runner-up placing in the 2000 Guineas a fortnight earlier.
Lead Artist (Oisin Murphy, pink cap) edges out Dancing Gemini (Ryan Moore) to score his first Gr1 (Pic – Newbury Racecourse on FB)
The four-year-old son of Dubawi scored his first group 1 win on Saturday in a stellar field when denying the Ryan Moore ridden Dancing Gemini in a thrilling finish.
The strongly backed Lead Artist justified a sustained market move, backed from as big as 18/1 on Saturday morning to a starting price of 17/2.
Last season’s Irish 1000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel led the field until two furlongs out with Lead Artist never far away in second, and Dancing Gemini tracking the eventual winner on the inside of an eight strong field. Last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Rosallion was more towards the stands rail in midfield with the Newmarket 2000 Guineas Notable Speech held up in rear by William Buick.
In a fairly run race Oisin Murphy wasted no time getting first run on his rivals with only Dancing Gemini managing to mount a serious challenge over the final furlong and a half.
Dancing Gemini actually headed Lead Artist inside the final 100 yards, but Lead Artist fought on the stronger to get back on top of the 2/1 favourite Dancing Gemini.
Oisin Murphy, riding his first top-level Group One winner for owners Juddmonte, edged ahead by a neck in the final strides.
Murphy was riding his first winner in this prestigious race noted: “He has an amazing temperament but was really flat out 500 meters from home. The lads were really confident, and the market told.”
Rosallion was third with Notable Speech fourth and both can be expected to come on plenty for their seasonal debuts.
The first four home let set to provide a mouthwatering rematch in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.
Winning trainer John Gosden commented: “He’s got a great deal of talent but got stuck in the mud at Sandown last time. He got a peach of a ride from Oisin. I thought we’d be in the first three, but not necessarily win it.”
“The Queen Anne is the next obvious step, but we hope the weather doesn’t get wet. He’s got so much natural speed, and the stiff mile of Ascot will suit him best.”
Trainer Roger Teal was left to rue the recent dry weather with Dancing Gemini after his neck defeat.
Teal observed: “He’s run a cracker, but that ground was rattling fast. I asked the clerk of the course on Friday if he’d put a bit of water on it Friday, but he wasn’t playing ball.”
“That’s quicker ground than he’s ever been on, but we’ve only gone down a neck. We don’t duck and dive and will go to Ascot next. He went down on his sword and is a group 1 winner waiting to happen.”
