Audience delivers rousing performance in Lennox Stakes success

Lockinge hero Audience got back on the winning trail with a dominant display in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.

John and Thady Gosden’s charge was a shock winner of the first Group One of the season at Newbury, where he made every yard of the running to upstage his fellow Cheveley Park-owned stablemate Inspiral.

Having since finished fifth in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, the five-year-old was eased in grade and distance for this seven-furlong Group Two and was visually impressive in the hands of Robert Havlin.

In a race in which only two horses were ever really in contention, 4-1 shot Audience sat in the slipstream of the pacesetting Art Power before being unleashed entering the final furlong and the race was soon over as a contest as Havlin’s mount sprinted four lengths clear.

Art Power boxed on to fill the runner-up spot, with 7-2 favourite Kinross – bidding for his third victory in the race following previous triumphs in 2021 and 2023 – making late headway to finish third.

Of the winner, Havlin said: “After he won the Lockinge, I told everyone it was no fluke and they laughed.

“He’s always had a lot of ability. We used to ride him without the hood on but I sat on him on Saturday and he absolutely flew so we thought this was the right time to try him without it.

“He wasn’t very competitive in the Lennox round here last year (finished sixth) but, with the hood off, it really sharpened him up. He’s so controllable now, as well.

“I didn’t think we were going overly quick up the hill but I let him go at the three (furlong marker) and by God, he was fast.”

Audience now looks set to stick at the seven-furlong distance for the City of York Stakes on the Knavesmire next month. Paddy Power cut his odds for that lucrative prize to 7-2 from 12-1.

“Plainly he didn’t quite stay the stiff mile at Ascot,” said Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson.

“We’ve stuck with Rab (Havlin) the whole way through and the horse continues to thrive and they have a great relationship.

“I was thrilled that Pat Thompson was there at Newbury when he won and I’m sorry that they are not here today, but defying a penalty has certainly given everyone plenty to think about.

“We’ll probably go to York for the City Of York Stakes, where he doesn’t carry a penalty, then it’s all to play for. We’ll look at all those races over his favoured seven furlongs.”

John Gosden added: “He’s matured and the mile’s too stiff at Ascot. He’ll go to the City Of York, he was second in it last year to Kinross. He’ll go there, no penalty. That’s the plan.

“We’ve put him in the Prix de la Foret, last year’s ground would be perfect as it was good to firm. He wouldn’t want traditional Parisian turf.

“He has the speed for a race like the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar. He could be a horse for it. Travelling would be no problem.

“Rab knows him really well. He rides him most mornings and every time he nearly takes him home!”

Tim Easterby was proud of the performance of the admirable Art Power, saying: “He’s wonderful. He’s a pony, but he’s wonderful and tries like hell.

“He’s got an unbelievable temperament. We thought he’d run well. We wanted to run him over a fast seven somewhere; he ran well at York over seven.

“If it had been softer, it would have been better, but he goes on any ground.

“We want to go for the big race at Ascot in October (Qipco British Champions Sprint), but where we go before then, I don’t know. We’ll get him back home first. But he’s a wonderful horse.”