Tentyris surges home in Gothic Stakes to stamp claims for G1 Coolmore

Co-trainer Sam Freedman is hoping the pre-Golden Slipper injury to Tentyris has worked in the handsome colt’s favour as he continues his path towards the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight 1,200m course in a fortnight.

Tentyris showed his finishing strength with a remarkable victory in the Listed Gothic Stakes 1,200m at Caulfield on Saturday at just his second start this preparation.

Second-last on the home turn in the field of seven, Tentyris charged to the line to beat Raging Force by a half-length, with Sheza Alibi 1.5 lengths away in third place.

The three-year-old covered the distance in 1 minute 9.35 seconds for jockey Mark Zahra and is now on course for the Coolmore on 1 November.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-prepared colt lifted his record to three wins and two placings from six starts for prize-money and bonuses totalling $768,100, notching his third Stakes victory in the process.

Tentyris dead-heated in the Listed Talindert Stakes 1,100m for juveniles at Flemington in February before finishing an unlucky second in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes over 1,200m at Caulfield.

The chestnut then stormed home from second-last to win the G2 Todman Stakes over 1,200m at Randwick on 8 March before a slight leg injury forced him out of the G1 Golden Slipper.

“It was pretty gutting to miss the Slipper as a two-year-old, we felt like he was the best chance we had in that race,” Sam Freedman said.

“So hopefully, it's a blessing in disguise as sometimes those horses can do with a bit more time.
“We're keen to be the fresh horse on the scene for the Coolmore, it looks like he’s going to do that.”

Freedman said the stable always had a big opinion of Tentyris and had given him plenty of time to recuperate.
“It’s been a slow build-up, he's had a lot of work put into him,” Freedman said.

“He came in last start, I think 30kg heavier than he did last time when he was in Victoria.
“To all the Godolphin staff at home, the team at home have done a great job, it was a big win.

“We've had a lot of chats about this horse, Mark (Zahra) and I. 

“He's best when he is coiled up; he dead-headed in the race before the Blue Diamond up on the speed, but you get a decent field, genuine tempo and he’s a very good horse. He’s got a very good turn of foot to get out of trouble.

“We didn't want him to have a gut-buster, we had a couple of leaders there, so just stalk them and hope for a bit of luck, which he got.
“But credit to all the team at home and Godolphin who have shown a lot of faith in us.”

Zahra was relieved after the race after riding to a set plan that, at times, looked likely to fail.
“The feedback has been, get him in amongst them, get some action,” the jockey said.

“It's a bit of a game for him when he's just idling out in front, and so when they're all around him, he really pins his ears back and has a crack – which is an attribute that he's shown throughout his career.

“I wanted to ride him dead-cold today.
“So the pundits are probably having heart attacks back at home, but he's just a horse if you push to be out of his comfort zone, he doesn't like it. 

“And earlier, I just couldn't hold my spot, but I just had a faith in the horse’s turn of foot.”
Zahra said he was confident Tentyris had the finishing speed to collar the leaders when he gained clear running.

“He just loves that competition, in amongst them, he just loves it,” Zahra said. 
“When he's out on his own, he has a bit of a think, but today, slicing through them, he was at his best.

“You've got to have a horse for it, of course, a horse I could trust.
“So, I was able to ride him like that and, like you've seen, when he's ridden like that, his last 200s are exceptional.”

Tentyris is now near the top of the betting markets for the Coolmore Stud Stakes, sharing the second line with G1 The Everest runner-up Tempted.

The Godolphin filly beat all but Hong Kong superstar Ka King Rising in the world’s richest sprint on turf at Royal Randwick and could be one of a three-pronged assault on the Coolmore if G1 Golden Rose winner Beiwacht also lines up to tackle the straight-six speed test.