Tiber Flow continued to flourish at seven furlongs as he came out on top in a pulsating finish to the feature BetVictor Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.
The William Haggas-trained five-year-old has always been a consistent performer in stakes company but his career almost came to a cruel end when brought down in dramatic circumstances at York earlier in the season, tipping a somersault and sending his big-race pilot Tom Marquand crashing to the ground.
Thankfully, both horse and rider escaped the Knavesmire incident unscathed and the son of Caravaggio has cut a resurgent figure since, being upped to seven furlongs to claim the John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on his next start.
Although faltering at Goodwood in the Lennox Stakes, he was back to his best in Berkshire as he saw off previous winners Witch Hunter and Jumby to scoop Group Two honours.
The 4/1 chance was positioned towards the rear in the early exchanges, as all bar Ed Walker’s Popmaster plotted a stands’-side course for home.
He was soon moving into contention in the hands of Marquand and showed his trademark guts and will to win to edge out a titanic tussle in the closing stages, scoring by a nose with the blanket finish also including Frankel’s half-brother Kikkuli, the 7/4 favourite looking to emulate his illustrious sibling by dazzling at the track.
Maureen Haggas, wife and assistant to the winning trainer, admitted she did not think Tiber Flow would be around after what happened earlier in the season.
She said: “After York, he ran the next time at Haydock and had to be pushed out to win, he’s an absolute legend and I couldn’t be more proud of him, he’s such a star.
“He wants to win and that’s a pretty hard trait to find in a lot of horses – and it’s just brilliant.
“I thought he was dead [at York]. I took my shoes off and went running down the track and he just came cantering past me with his ears pricked. I promise you, we went back to the stables after and it didn’t seem to bother him, he must be as hard as nails.
“He’s as tough as old boots and a legend. He prefers softer ground in an ideal world but you just wouldn’t know, he just keeps surprising us.”
Winning rider Marquand added: “He’s a proper warrior and to have had the turbulent year he has and to come out and have the season he has since, has been brilliant.
“To be honest, he’s been a revelation since he had the fall and it’s quite remarkable. As I said after he won at Haydock, you can’t underestimate how much the team does at home to make sure these horses come to the races in peak condition.
“Chris, who rides him every day, knows when he’s on, knows when he’s off, and that’s so important when it comes to getting them back to peak condition.
“We hit the ground very hard [at York] and in a six-furlong Group race you are flying. It was relatively quick ground and it’s remarkable that he stood up all right.
“When they turn over, you can’t help but think about the worst for the horse because they are much more fragile than we are and aren’t meant to do that – I know we’re not either but we’re probably built a bit more for it.
“Remarkably, he was back less than six weeks later and getting his head in front and probably producing a career best – and now he has bettered that again, it is pretty incredible stuff.”
On the close finish, Marquand went on: “I thought I was beat. Witch Hunter came with a bit of a run and I thought it would push me forward and then right on the line I thought Jamie’s (Spencer, on Witch Hunter) nose was down and he just caught us at the wrong time. Absolutely thrilled that he didn’t.”
Jim Crowley enjoyed an armchair ride as Al Aasy cruised to victory in the BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.
The Haggas-trained seven-year-old has been a bit of an enigma throughout his career but impressed at Goodwood earlier this month and was on his best behaviour again.
He was always travelling sweetly in behind the pacesetters and came through on the bridle to hit the front late on and had two lengths in hand of the rallying Al Qareem passing the post.
It was a second straight Group Three triumph for the evens favourite, who has now registered six of his nine overall victories at that level.
“He has always been a talented horse and has probably been better since he’s been gelded,” said Maureen Haggas.
“It was great, pretty easy. He’s a dude. It’s only four weeks since he had his first run of the season and he’s had two weeks from then till Goodwood and another two weeks till today and it was a big ask, especially after he had a bit of time off like he had.
“But we couldn’t pass up an opportunity like today and we had to come. He’s seven years old now and it’s time to get to work really.
“He enjoyed it today and it was a good pace, which he enjoys. He’s run over all sorts of trips, from a mile up to a mile-and-five, but he just likes a good pace. He used to be very keen and he’s not as keen now, but can still be very strong when he wants to.
“To have the likes of him and Hamish fill a lot of holes is great. Hamish is of course ground dependent but this lad goes on any ground and these older horses, if you look after them and they are sound, then they are just wonderful to have around.”
Crowley added: “Early on, I probably didn’t get it quite right with him a few times but he’s really come to himself and improved for being gelded as well.
“He’s a lot more amenable in a race and that was just like riding a piece of work, it was lovely.
“It’s a great feeling when you’re in behind, you’ve got everything covered and you know when you want him to go, he’ll go. I probably got there a bit soon and could have been a bit cheekier on him.”
It was Karl Burke’s Al Qareem who filled the runner-up spot after rallying back to pip Go Daddy to the silver medal.
The Spigot Lodge handler was proud of his charge, feeling that the quick conditions may have been the deciding factor in the contest.
Burke said: “He’s as game as they come and on softer ground I think you might have got a different result.
“We looked at his form this morning and it’s easy to forget he ran such a good race in the Bahrain Trophy back in the day on good-to-firm ground and had just got beat that day.
“I spoke to Nick (Bradley, owner) and we decided to let him take his chance and he had just been showing signs of being flat at home, so I wasn’t mad keen to run given that and the ground.
“But with the race cutting up, we decided to let him take his chance and I said to Cliff (Lee, jockey) if you are not going to win, don’t knock him around. He’s only given him two little flicks and, as you saw in the last furlong, he’s so honest.
“He’s picked up plenty of prize-money again and more than paid his way, so we will give him a nice easy three weeks now and get him ready for some races in the autumn.”
