Ice Max swoops late to spark Goodwood Celebration

Clifford Lee was a cool customer aboard Ice Max as he pounced late to take the William Hill Celebration Mile Stakes at Goodwood.

Karl Burke’s gelded son of Dark Angel looked a progressive operator earlier in the season but has had his momentum checked in deep waters the last twice.

However, he regained the winning thread in great style on the Sussex Downs, relishing testing conditions as he denied Simon and Ed Crisford’s Poker Face who ultimately showed his hand too early as he tried to make all.

Sent off at odds of 5-1, Burke was always confident about Ice Max’s chance once the rain arrived and was thrilled to see his charge scoop Group Two honours.

“The more rain that fell, the more confident we were,” said Burke.

“He is a progressive, talented horse and when he learns to settle better will stay further. We are delighted with his performance.”

Anshoda booked her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup by claiming the William Hill Prestige Fillies’ Stakes for David Loughnane.

An impressive winner on debut at Lingfield, she outran huge odds to finish second in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown and proved she is a filly on the rise after scoring at 4-1 in the hands of Billy Loughnane.

She was cut to 16-1 for Newmarket’s Rockfel Stakes and 20-1 for the bet365 Fillies’ Mile by Paddy Power following the Group Three success, but a trip to Del Mar in November is uppermost in connections’ thoughts.

Loughnane said: “I’m delighted and it’s our first runner for Gary Barber and Team Valor, who bought the filly after she won at Sandown, so it’s a huge result in that respect and a great start to the relationship.

“I bought her in the Guineas breeze-up from Diamond Bloodstock and Rodrigo Goncalves recommended her. She was a cheap buy but Rodrigo did a great job with her and told us to mind her until the seven-furlong races start and then she will win first time.

“She’s tough and hardy and they all had to go on that ground, but we were hopeful that with her attitude she would get through it fine. She crept through it beautifully, hit the line strong and I’m over the moon.

“She’s American-owned now and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf will very much be her target and we will work our way back from there. She has a few entries between the Rockfel and the Fillies’ Mile and I always felt getting her up to a mile is when you would see her true ability – she’s tough and she grinds it out and over a mile, hopefully she will be even more impressive.”