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Lead Artist edges out opposition in tight Lockinge Stakes
Fort Washington (10) with Junior Alvarado up wins race 12 - the Dinner Part Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, on May 17, 2025.
Field Of Gold's defeat in the Guineas proved the catalyst for John and Thady Gosden adopting a "best available" approach for riding arrangements -Kieran Shoemark's loss turned out to be Oisin Murphy's gain.
Starting odds of 17-2, having been as big as 16-1 earlier, Lead Artist was always well placed to strike on the heels of staunchly placed leaders, and, despite being headed by Dancing Gemini (Ryan Moore 2-1), in the final furlong, fought back to win by a neck to give the Gosdens a fifth success for Newbury's premier Flat race.
Lead Artist reversed a 13-length deficit with Gemini from the bet365 Mile.
"They watered at Sandown before the end of the jumps season, and then it rained on top of that, so he got stuck in the mud last time. But the race brought him on a lot. He'd been working fine before that He came with a nice run but blew up at the furlong pole and dropped right out. Kieran looked after him after that which was great," said John. With connections of the runner-up and third-placed Rosallion keen on a rematch at Royal Ascot, the Queen Anne Stakes looks set to kick the royal meeting off in style next month.
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No longer first choice for the Gosden's, Kieran Shoemark had to settle for sixth on Fallen Angel, while Oisin's luck was well and truly sealed, having already committed to Lead Artist before seventh-placed Tamfana was confirmed for the Lockinge, rather than next weekend's Prix d'Ispahan. Otherwise, it might have been someone else's name next to Lead Artist on the racecard.
"I was never going to jump off a Juddmonte horse after committing," said Oisin, who was fined £140 by stewards for removing his helmet after the race whilst still on Lead Artist. "Ryan Moore beat me in a photo-finish in this race a few years ago, so it was nice to have some rare revenge"
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A jockey in France took unprecedented action to avoid a heavy fall after being unseated mid-air in a chase at Auteuil on Saturday. Kevin Nabet was dramatically thrown up in the air from Lord Brett 6-5, after a rival horse appeared to bump him from behind jumping a fence midway through the Prix Djarvis. Kevin quite remarkably managed to land on top of Lord Brett as he completed the fence, but the rider was unable to get his right leg across the horse and slowly began to slip towards the floor.
After a brief battle with gravity, he was ejected again this time to his left, and thrown towards L'Amazone, the horse responsible for its initial bump. Although he was still able to keep his right hand on the rein of Lord Brett, Kevin slipped to the floor, using his left to grip on to L'Amazone's rein. Being held up by the two runners, he was suddenly dragged across the ground while stood up, for around four seconds. Had to be seen to absorb the full horror.
He let go and fell to the floor, but common sense actions meant he avoided any serious injury, while L'Amazone went on to finish fourth. Commentator, Darren Owen, said "Look at Lord Brett's jockey there, hanging on for dear life to L'Amazone. Spectacular stuff."
The incident happened at France's biggest jumps meeting, with the French Champion Hurdle and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, included. Kevin has a ride in the French Gold Cup on Hasard De Brion while Lord Brett's trainer, Francois Nicolle, has a runner in the race in Diamond Carl.