Michael O’Callaghan’s Black Forza swooped late to land the Group 2 Markel Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday.
The son of American first-season-sire Complexity was sent off a 9/1 chance on the back of his Fairyhouse maiden success in July and although success looked unlikely for much of the six-furlong contest, Black Forza put his previous debut experience over further too good use when swooping late in the closing stages.
Wathnan Racing's new recruit The Strikin Viking, who chased home an exciting prospect in the Group 2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh in June, looked as though he had the race in the bag once sent for home at the furlong market under James Doyle. However, the 11/10 market began to paddle and it quickly became apparent the closers still had a role to play in proceedings.
Under a well-timed Dylan Browne Mcmonagle ride, Black Forza finished with a wet sail down towards the near side rail and was nicely on top crossing the line. The winning margin was half a length, with The Strikin Viking hanging on to fill the second spot.
Ed Bethell's Intrusively defied odds of 40/1 to grab the bronze medal position.
"Fantastic - to win the Richmond is very special," said Michael O'Callaghan. "This is a horse we bought at the breeze-ups. Goodwood has been lucky for us; I didn't get to be here when Steel Bull won the Molecomb. For this horse to come here was kind of the plan even before he won his maiden, the loose plan. He's a talented colt who loves that ground. He was flat out for the first half of the race and was just getting going at the line - he hit the line very strongly.
He added: "I think he just had a bit of class, more than raw pace. He wasn't the fastest horse in the breeze-ups - he was maybe top 30 or 40, but he wasn't slow by any means, it was my favourite breeze; he's a very good mover.
"It takes class to see out a race where they go very quick. I'd be hopeful that he will get seven furlongs in time, and maybe, he might get a mile around a turn. He's an American-bred horse - we'll see how the rest of the year goes. You're always taking a chance buying a dirt-bred horse to go on grass, particularly by a first-season sire. But it's all worked out."
It was a first success at Goodwood for jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, who said of the performance: "He's a top-quality colt, he's improving, and I still think he's going to come on a lot again.
"Stamina was never going to be a problem for us. He jumped fine and after talking to Seamie Heffernan the last day, we just felt that a little bit of cover would be the key to getting him relaxed in the first half and he came home good for me.
"I was kind of outpaced for the first half to be honest, but I knew they were never going to keep going the speed they were, and he quickened up good when I needed him."
The runner-up looks set for a trip to York.
"First of all, we are delighted with him," said Wathnan Racing manager Richard Brown.
"He was a short-priced favourite and of course, you want to win, but James (Doyle) just got off and said if he could have another crack at it, he would have held on to him a bit longer.
"He knows the horse now, which will be a big advantage going forward. He put a couple of lengths on them pretty quickly and then idled and then he didn't see the winner coming.
"I am sure there is a big day in him. I imagine a fast six furlongs at York will be right up his alley. I hate making plans straight after a race but, literally, he hadn't pulled up and I was thinking Gimcrack Stakes."
