- Hot favourite made to sweat by outsider Que Amoro
- Hills: ‘I probably think it was the best run of his career’
The explosive brilliance which Battaash brought to the Nunthorpe Stakes 12 months ago was missing here on Friday, but in its place was a grit and unwillingness to concede defeat that prompted Charlie Hills, his trainer, to call it “the best win of his career.” Battaash had rain-softened ground, a howling gale and an unexpectedly quick rival to deal with in the outsider Que Amoro, yet by a hard-fought length, he finally got the job done.
Que Amoro, a four-year-old filly, was making her debut at Group One level on Friday, against one of the fastest sprinters of recent decades, and she had failed to read the script. Battaash tends to take a field apart by halfway, but with just two of the five furlongs to run, Que Amoro was still a couple of lengths in front of the 1-2 favourite and flying along against the stands’ rail, with the welcome assistance of a 40mph tailwind.
Continue reading...
