Wednesday 11 May 2011

Gatepost Looks Ascot Bound After Impressing On The Knavesmire

Another hugely encouraging display from a West Ilsley juvenile saw Dr Marwan Koukash's Gatepost step up on his debut win at Folkestone by taking the Blue Square.Com EBF Novice Stakes at York this afternoon.

With no less than seven previous winners in the field, this was by far the most competitive two year old contest to date and the son of Footstepsinthesand didn't have an easy passage in the opening stages but went on to record an eye-catching victory.

Bumped when exiting the stalls, Gatepost was outpaced for the opening two furlongs and was fully four lengths off the pace before being switched to the outside by Jamie Spencer to challenge a furlong from home.

A swift backhander saw the colt immediately respond and he went on to win by two and a half lengths to the delight of MRC.

"He's a lovely horse and was always an eyecatcher at home not least for the unsightly scar he carries on his off stifle. I saw him by chance when I was in Ireland last year after he had an altercation with a gatepost - hence the name. We have two Footstepsinthesand two year-olds and the lads christened him to tell them apart. It's not a structural problem, merely superficial and it certainly doesn't stop him!

"That's five wins from seven runners for Dr Koukash, so we've been very lucky for him and I think we'll head for Royal Ascot and the Coventry. Jamie thinks he'll be better over six furlongs and it certainly looks like that to me, so that's the logical step."