English/Ire
Survie strikes at Lingfield for Moore and Boughey to set up Saudi bid
Coolmore’s new recruit looks set for Saudi following Lingfield success.
The classy filly Survie made the perfect start for new connections and booked her ticket for Saudi with a smooth success in the Midnite Winter Derby Trial Conditions Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday.
Just three went to post for the conditions contest and George Boughey's new recruit, who held some high class form last season for Nicolas and Flo Clement having finished third in the Pretty Polly and runner-up in the Prix Jean Romanet, was sent off a 4/7 chance on her first start since joining the Coolmore roster for 1,900,000gns in December.
With Ryan Moore in the saddle, Survie picked up well in the straight to move past the front-running Military Academy before drawing clear to score by two- and three-quarter lengths.
"I was very happy with her," said Ryan Moore on Sky Sports Racing. "Obviously, George (Boughey) has only had her six weeks or so and she hasn't won for a long time, so it was nice to get that winning feeling back."
The daughter of Churchill now looks set for a trip to compete in sunnier climates, with the valuable Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia seemingly next on the agenda following her return to winning ways.
George Boughey added: "She'd been off the track for a while and wasn't a winner since three, so it was nice to get her winning.
"Ryan said she lugged right a bit down the hill, just a few new experiences for her but I'd hoped she'd do it like that and I'm glad we did do it.
"She is hot without being too much, which is kind of why we got her away today. It's hard to train these horses this time of year because there aren't too many horses on this kind of path.
"Ten (furlongs) plus is probably her trip, and I always thought stamina would come to the fore. It went how we'd hoped it might go."
The judge failed to separate both Diligent Harry and Completely Random in the Listed Midnite Kachy Stakes later on the card.
Diligent Harry looked to have his rivals firmly on the stretch when kicked into a sizeable lead round the bend, but Ryan Moore produced Completely Random with a withering late run up the rail to rapidly cut back the deficit and force a photo.
The judge took some time deliberating the picture but failed to split the duo, with Clive Cox's Diligent Harry (7/1) and the Harry Charlton-trained Completely Random (Evs) forced to share the prize.
"I'm so proud of him," said Cox. "To win first up as an eight-year-old after a break and he's just been giving me that feeling that he's as good as ever back home.
"He was amazing and has always been a top-class performer. It gives me great options for the summer which is great."
Completely Random's winning trainer said: "It was a good result all round. This is a higher grade, so he wasn't able to close them down as quickly as he did here two weeks ago.
"Ryan was hoping to go on the outside, but they all fanned out and he had to go down the inside to get the job done.
"I suspect we'll give him a break now until the turf season."
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