Another owner/ breeder success in Goodwood EBF Fillies’ Series showcase

Thu 2 Aug 2018

CARAVELA PROVES STELLAR in EBF Fillies’ Handicap

The Mick Channon-trained Caravela (11/1) captured the EBF Breeders’ Series Fillies’ Handicap under Andrea Atzeni, the sixth race on day two of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The four-year-old daughter of Henrythenavigator launched a powerful challenge towards the outside of the field in the home straight and responded willingly to Atzeni’s urgings to score by a length and three-quarters from Roger Charlton’s Savaanah (4/1), who filled the runner-up position in the 10-furlong contest.

Channon, registering his first victory at this year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival, commented: “Caravela won nicely today. We thought she had a chance and we are delighted she has won.

“She is quite a valuable filly who is by Henrythenavigator and we think there is a bit more to come from her.

“She hasn’t been the easiest horse to train and has had lots of niggles throughout her career. We’ve had to wait for her, but if they’re good you don’t mind waiting!

“Getting black-type would be the plan for her now if we could take that route. I think there is a final to this EBF Breeders’ Series so we will look at that.

“It would be great to get black-type for her. In the last five or six months, she has been a pleasure to train and long may it last.

“Hopefully, she keeps improving and we could have a go at a Group or Listed race with her.

Atzeni, registering his second victory of the 2018 Qatar Goodwood Festival following Stradivarius’ victory in the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup, remarked: “Caravela won well. She is the sort of filly who needs a strong gallop and I think in the future, she could stay a mile and a half.”

Atzeni rode Without Parole in today’s feature race, the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes. Trained by John Gosden, the 7/4 favourite was forced to make most of the running and was unable to repel an array of challengers in the home straight, eventually trailing home in seventh behind 9/1 scorer Lightning Spear.

The Italian rider commented: Discussing the race with John Gosden beforehand, it was clear that there was not going to be much pace on.

“He had to make most of running and I didn’t really want to lead on him, but I had no choice.

“When the rest of the field came to him. He did pick up nicely but faded late on. He is a horse who I think prefers to have something to aim at – he’s better than that as she showed at Ascot last time.

One and three quarter lengths separated the first two home, with Caravela, an 11/1 chance trained by Mick Channon, coming out on top from the 4/1 Roger Charlton-trained Savaanah.

Charlton commented on his three-year-old filly’s run: “I am pleased really – I thought she ran another solid race.

“Silvestre [de Sousa, jockey] wasn’t sure whether she was quite the same as she had been when she won at Salisbury. But that was only a two-horse race

“We beat the winner (Caravela) there, a sort of bloodless victory where the handicapper put us up four pounds.

“I thought we would beat her again today, but Caravela has run very well, she has never been out of the places. The winner was rated 77 not that long ago and now she is in the 90s.

“I think we will try a Listed race with Savaanah soon.”

Result

4.45pm EBF Breeders’ Series Fillies’ Handicap

1 Caravela (Jon & Julia Aisbitt) Mick Channon 4-8-09 Andrea Atzeni 11/1

2 Savaanah (Prince A A Faisal) Roger Charlton 3-8-09 Silvestre de Sousa 4/1

3 Four White Socks (S Stuckey) Luca Cumani 3-9-02 Luke Morris 5/1