Symbol Of Honour continues upward path with G2 Sandy Lane Stakes win

Symbol Of Honour highlighted his status as a sprinter going places as he completed a quickfire double in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park, UK, on Saturday, 24 May.

The progressive three-year-old was bidding to follow up success in Newbury’s Listed Carnarvon Stakes seven days earlier, although he made his task harder with an awkward break from the stalls.

Having recovered to race towards the rear of the nine-strong field, Symbol Of Honour was niggled along by William Buick at the halfway point and responded well for pressure to quicken between horses over a furlong out.

Symbol Of Honour and Arabian Dusk went on in the closing strides, with the Charlie Appleby-trained runner finding more to prevail by a short-head.

Charlie Appleby said: “We will give Symbol Of Honour a bit of a break now and look to step him up to G1 company over the summer. Ultimately, we are working backwards from Dubai again and hopefully a tilt at next year’s Al Quoz Sprint.”

William Buick added: “Symbol Of Honour jumped up in the air leaving the stalls and came out a bit awkward, but I was happy with where I was in the race. It’s only a week after his Newbury win, and Charlie and the team were right to bring him here. Credit to the team at home – he’s backed up pretty quickly in a very competitive race.

“He has always threatened to perform at this level, and I am delighted that he is now doing it. He has the speed and probably stays six and a half or seven furlongs, which is a big help in these races when you can ask for a bit more in the latter part.

“He’s a very high-class sprinter, he has proven that today, and he loves fast ground on flat tracks. We could have an exciting summer with him.”