The Telegraph
Thursday 18 July 2013
Sire Alex Ferguson's Telescope back on track with facile success at
Leicester
Telescope, Sir Michael Stoute’s one-time Derby hope, belatedly got his season up and running at Leicester on Thursday when he ran out an impressive 24-length winner of a mile and a quarter conditions race.
The Galileo colt, owned by a Highclere syndicate which includes Sir Alex
Ferguson, missed the Dante after a graze on his leg became infected and was then
pulled out of the Derby after failing to satisfy connections in a Lingfield
racecourse gallop.
Here, however, was more like the colt that had been hyped through the spring,
although the winning margin in this three-horse race should be taken with a
pinch of salt. Centurius, was all but pulled up and the runner-up Mulakim, who
had won a Haydock maiden on his only previous start, did not have much to race
for once beaten.
Nevertheless, the way Telescope lengthened from three out and kept on to the
line under Ryan Moore was very encouraging and it appears Stoute’s patience
could be well rewarded with a productive autumn campaign. “It will get tougher
for him that’s for sure,” said Stoute, “but he’s done nothing wrong on the
racecourse. He’s been very smooth today.
“It’s been frustrating, but hopefully he can get on his way now. There are
quite a few possibilities but we’ll see how he comes out of this and make a plan
in a week.
“He’s only really done one good piece of work since Lingfield and impressed
us, so we thought we’d look for a race. He’s had a workout and was nice and
relaxed although the race was a bit inconclusive.”
There was no dream start to Jamie Piggott’s career as an apprentice jockey at
Killarney. The 19-year-old son of Lester Piggott made his debut on Pivotal Rock,
who was backed into 6-1 favourite for a handicap.Although well placed early, the
horse never realistically looked like winning and any chance he might have had
disappeared when he was squeezed up about two furlongs out. He finished seventh,
beaten 12½ lengths.