Impressive G1 Lockinge Victory By Belardo

Belardo finished strongly to win going away in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes over the straight mile at Newbury, UK, on Saturday, May 14.

The four-year-old colt, trained by Roger Varian in Newmarket and ridden by Andrea Atzeni, was held up third last of the 12 runners after going slightly left after the start.

Another of Godolphin's runners, Toormore (Richard Hannon/James Doyle), raced prominently and briefly had the lead before Belardo's stable companion Barchan (Roger Varian/Jack Mitchell) went to the front.

Barchan took the runners along by a couple of lengths before losing the advantage with three furlongs remaining and left Toormore ahead but he could not sustain his run from the distance and came home fifth.

Meanwhile, Belardo made progress through the field, was switched left towards the far side with over a furlong to go and came to challenge the new leader Euro Charline well inside the final furlong.

He ran on well to win by a length from Euro Charline, with a neck back to the third Endless Drama, in 1m 38.18s on ground described as good, good to soft in places.

Roger Varian said: "It worked out nicely for Belardo today - he is comfortable on this ground. He has put up some great performances since his Dewhurst win but was due another big one. He has a very good turn of foot and is a very talented horse.

"Belardo salvaged his career last year when chasing home Solow in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October and that really told us that we ought to keep him in training. He was only beaten half a length that day which was arguably the best form going into this race.

"To win a race like this is why connections have kept him in training, so I am delighted for Sheikh Mohammed and his Godolphin operation and Prince Faisal. They have kept patience with the trainer and been rewarded.

"I have always kept faith in Belardo because his work at home was outstanding and he has got masses of talent. We messed him around a bit last year, to be fair. We had him ready for races and then didn't run because of the firm ground. We dropped him back to six furlongs at Haydock, but he is not a sprinter.

"I probably messed about with him too much but he came back and told us what a good horse he was when chasing home Solow at Ascot. The team at home have done a fantastic job. I am delighted for connections and pleased for the horse.

"His run at Sandown last time was a race to put a line through. He put up a good performance that day but I kicked myself after for running a pacemaker because we got a bit too strung out on a turning track and it just didn't work out.

"Most people who watched the race would feel that the horse put up a solid performance and it might have been a different result under different circumstances. We hadn't lost faith in him and certainly felt that he had a chance today of reversing the form.

"I didn't want to be so far behind early today but he wasn't great coming out of the gates and he is a horse who loves coming through horses.

"I was happy throughout the race but I was worried a furlong from home when he wasn't getting light to come between horses.

"When Andrea pulled him out to go round them, I was worried that he might just throw it away going left-handed but he straightened himself out and won well on the line.

"We will stick to mile with him - he has a high cruising speed and very good acceleration. He will be in all the mile races and hopefully this is just the start. He will certainly be trained for Royal Ascot now, the G1 Queen Anne Stakes (1m str, June 14)."

Andrea Atzeni commented: "The last time I sat on Belardo in a race was when he won the Dewhurst.

"I have galloped him once since and it was great to be back on him in a race today. He is a good horse on his day and I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for letting me ride him.

"They went quick and he sort of half fell out of the stalls but that's him and he travelled good into the race. Once I got a bit of daylight, he picked up well like he can do so it was great.

"The ground is on the easy side of good and he probably needs a bit of cut to be at his very best. On his day, he is very good."

Richard Hannon said about Toormore: "He ran a good race. The pacemaker dropped away a little sooner than we would have liked and were left in front.

"He pricked his ears and James had to go with him there. I am hopeful he will a G1 before the end of the year - he deserves one - and will go to Royal Ascot next."

Belardo was the seventh winner of the Lockinge Stakes for Godolphin - the winning-most owner in the history of the Newbury race. The others have been Cape Cross (1998), Fly To The Stars (1999), Aljabr (2000), Creachadoir (2008), Farhh (2013) and Night Of Thunder (2015).