Souchez has delivered Godolphin Australia an early stakes win on 2016 Coolmore Classic Day at Rosehill this afternoon; leading from start to finish to take out the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).
Souchez completed a strong start-to-finish performance to win the Pago Pago Stakes at Rosehill. Photo: Steve Hart
Souchez heralded plenty of interest in betting markets leading up to jump in the Pago Pago Stakes and did his chances of success no harm when striding forward and immediately taking up the pace.
Experiencing an easy run in transit on the rails, jockey James McDonald allowed the son of Lonhro plenty of time to balance upon arriving at the final straight before asking for an extra effort; the colt responding with a strong kick to hit the line a length clear of a fast-finishing Chimboraa.
Trainer John O’Shea was thrilled with Souchez’s performance for success in the Pago Pago Stakes but revealed he is yet to decide if he will progress to next week’s Group 1 Golden Slipper.
“In trying conditions it was a great James McDonald ride on a really progressive young horse that wants to be a racehorse,” O’Shea said.
“James rode him on Tuesday morning and I think that gave him a lot of confidence to do what he did on him today.
“When he got to the front nice and easy he was just in a nice rhythm, which was great.
“He’s in the race (Golden Slipper), but obviously we’ll have to get home and have a chat about him.”
McDonald delivered a strong performance aboard Souchez to win the 2016 Pago Pago Stakes and is confident he will progress into a serious miler in future seasons.
“He’ll be in the Slipper so he’s always a chance once he’s in the race, but I think he’ll be a genuine seven furlong to a mile horse in the future,”
“He does a lot right but still has a lot to learn through.”
Souchez debuted to racing for an impressive win in the Schweppes Plate (1100m) at Rosehill on December 19th; resuming this time for a credible third in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) on February 27th, in what was his only other start prior to this afternoon’s Pago Pago Stakes triumph.
