Home Of The Brave leads home Criterion 1-2

Home Of The Brave beat Jungle Cat as the Godolphin duo fought out the finish to the G3 Criterion Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket, UK, on Saturday, July 1. 

With the eight runners splitting into two groups early on, Home Of The Brave (Hugo Palmer/James Doyle) and Jungle Cat (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) settled in first and second of the three horses that raced on the stands’ rail. 

Home Of The Brave quickened well to take the overall advantage passing the two-furlong marker, with Jungle Cat running on strongly to lay down his challenge as the five-year-olds went clear of the rest of the field inside the final furlong. 

Home Of The Brave found more near the line to beat Jungle Cat by three-quarters of a length in 1m 23.13s on good to soft ground, with a further two and three-quarter lengths back to third home Breton Rock. 

Hugo Palmer commented: “Home Of The Brave has been a pretty consistent horse throughout his career, certainly during the early part of the season. 

“James Doyle has ridden him on most of his starts and gets on really well with the horse – he said that Home Of The Brave was great today. 

“I think that we will give him a short break and then head to the Lennox Stakes (G2, 7f, August 1). A month between races is great for him and seven furlongs on decent ground also seems to be his thing. 

Charlie Appleby said: “I was delighted with Jungle Cat and full credit to Home Of The Brave, who is a very good horse over seven furlongs. 

“Jungle Cat has seen the trip out well and this has opened up a few more avenues for him now.

“We will have a look at the Lennox Stakes as well. There is a question mark over whether he will be good enough to win a race like that over seven furlongs but I think he will be competitive at that level.”