English/Ire
Cool Hoof Luke hits the bullseye for Murphy and Balding
Cool Hoof Luke completed a double for jockey Oisin Murphy and trainer Andrew Balding when running out a gutsy scorer of the BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton.
Cool Hoof Luke – who is named after former World Darts Champion Luke Humphries – enjoyed Group 2 success as a two-year-old in the Gimcrack. He was subsequently off the track for over a year and a half but proved he retained all of his ability when a highly promising third in the Listed Kachy Stakes at Lingfield on his belated return.
Looking to give Andrew Balding a record fourth success in the contest, he broke sharply from the gates under Murphy and despite pulling hard in the early stages, he found plenty late on to land the spoils at odds of 11/4.
Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: "He doesn't want to lead early but I didn't want to sit last because I thought we wouldn't go that fast and in an ideal situation he was going to be second or third with cover.
"I didn't achieve that, but he did really well to save enough. He never switched leads back to his outside on the straight so there's probably a bit more to come.
"He is a Gimcrack winner. The start before the Gimcrack, Andrew ran him at Goodwood in the Lennox because he felt he would get seven and I actually made the running on him there and went too fast, so I worried about repeating the error, but I got away with it.
"He's four and Andrew will plot and plan what's best for him but as long as the horse stays healthy, he has a very bright future.
"He's a beautiful model and obviously that was quite a deep race. It was only his second race back after a year and a half off, so it was an excellent performance."
Earlier on the card, Murphy and Balding found the winners' circle with The Lost King, who after being sent off a well-backed 3/1 chance, picked up well against the inside rail to claim the BetMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap by a length and quarter from William Haggas' front-running First Principle.
Murphy said: "The horse is nice to ride particularly going left-handed and it set up well, so I was glad it worked out.
"Today he was a gentleman, wasn't he? He didn't get excited in the prelims. He was good in the gate, and he beat some quality horses there.
"My horse is only four, he's lightly raced and it's great for (owners) King Power and Andrew.
"This horse will maybe go to Finals Day on Good Friday, but Andrew will have a think with (racing manager) Alastair Donald and everyone else."
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