Birchwood & Strong Challenge Seek Vintage Success

Time/Date - 14.35hrs local time/Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Goodwood/UK
Surface/Distance - Turf/7f

Exciting two-year-olds Birchwood and Strong Challenge for for glory in the Group Two Qatar Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs at Goodwood, UK, on Tuesday, July 28.

Birchwood (Richard Fahey/William Buick) has already scored at Group Two level, breaking the seven-furlong juvenile record with an impressive length victory in the Bet365 Superlative Stakes on good to firm going at Newmarket on July 11.

The Dark Angel colt came home third on good to yielding ground in a six-furlong Listed contest at Naas, Ireland, on June 1 and gained a pair of wins on quicker ground, including a smooth victory in a Newbury conditions race, also over six furlongs, on May 16.

Strong Challenge (Saeed bin Suroor/James Doyle) steps up in class and trip after beating subsequent Group Two winner Gutaifan by a length and three quarters in a six-furlong maiden at Goodwood on June 5.

The son of Exceed And Excel was second on his debut to Riflescope, who went on to finish fourth in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, in a Lingfield Park turf maiden on May 9.

Richard Fahey commented: "We are very happy with Birchwood. He hasn't done a lot since he won at Newmarket but we were delighted with the piece of work he did the other day.

"Before he ran in Ireland, I thought that he would love softer ground. He has a bit of a knee action but his run at Naas completely confused me. I think his whole demeanour was wrong that day."

Saeed bin Suroor said: "Strong Challenge is doing well. He won his last race nicely and the form of that race looks very strong, with the runner-up winning a big race in France over the weekend.

"He is in good form and seven furlongs is a nice trip for him."

Birchwood and Strong Challenge meet six other two-year-olds including dual winners Galileo Gold, Twin Sails and Welford, plus debut scorer Ibn Malik.

Aljabr (1998), Naheef (2001), Dublin (2002) and Rio De La Plata (2007) have been successful for Godolphin in the Vintage Stakes.