Morris Dancer touched off in G2 Vintage Stakes

Unexposed two-year-old Morris Dancer took a significant step forward as he went down by a short-head to Zavateri in the G2 Vintage Stakes, despite showing signs of inexperience in the seven-furlong contest at Goodwood, UK, on Tuesday, 29 July.

The Palace Pier colt, making his Pattern debut for John & Thady Gosden on the back of a Haydock Park maiden success, raced in a clear last of the 10 runners for the majority of the race.

Asked to quicken by William Buick two furlongs out, Morris Dancer started to make good headway soon after but had to switch out after nearly running into the back of Do Or Do Not.

The Godolphin runner, who continued to look ill at ease on the camber, flew home inside the final furlong and strongly pressed Zavateri in the final strides, with the G2 July Stakes winner finding more in the shadow of the post.

John Gosden said: “We are thrilled with Morris Dancer, who has run a great race. He won at Haydock and then just had a little niggle and cough. So we backed off and he came here off the minimum work. William said don’t be frightened to step up to a mile with him and we will do that somewhere.’’

William Buick added: “There wasn't much between Morris Dancer and Zavateri in the end. He ran super. It seemed like the winner found a bit more when I got to him but Morris Dancer has stepped up on his previous run, so we are very happy.''