Intuition makes it three-in-a-row at Hawkesbury

A winter campaign in Brisbane is on the cards for Intuition after the gelding made it three wins from his past three starts in Saturday’s Listed Hawkesbury Rush.

Already the winner of seven races before his latest win, Intuition graduated to Stakes class with a victory that came despite a tardy start and the late challenge of the runner-up Tactical Advantage.

Jockey Rachel King allowed Intuition time to find his feet after the slow getaway and the gelding responded strongly when a gap appeared between the leaders with 100m to run.

The pair then held off the favourite Tactical Advantage and his Godolphin stablemate Badajoz.

Godolphin raceday operations manager Darren Beadman praised King’s ride while she returned the compliment, thanking the stable for sticking by her over the past month while she was recuperating from a race fall.

“To put me on shows they have trust in me,” King said.

“I have to thank them for sticking by me.

“He is a beautiful horse to ride and he was brave. He found his way through the gaps.”

Beadman said trainer James Cummings would now look at options including the Brisbane winter carnival for the son of Street Cry.

Meanwhile, Ghayyaith and Soleil Marin go for glory in the first G1 of the European season, the Prix Ganay, which is run over an extended 10 furlongs on turf at Longchamp, France, on Sunday.

The Godolphin duo have already met at the Parisian course this year in the 10-furlong G2 Prix d’Harcourt on Sunday, 7 April, when Ghayyaith was heavily eased after making all to come home a length and a half ahead of Soleil Marin in second.

Four-year-old Dubawi colt Ghayyaith (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) also won over a mile and a quarter at Longchamp in great style on his only appearance last year in the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange in September and captured the mile G3 Masar Godolphin Autumn Stakes at Newmarket as a juvenile.

Soleil Marin (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona) has gained a pair of Pattern race victories, including when staying on strongly to beat Magny Cours in the G3 Prix Exbury over 10 furlongs in March.

A field of five for the Prix Ganay also includes Waldgeist and Study Of Man, both G1 winners last year, plus Prix d’Harcourt third Intellogent.

Charlie Appleby reported: “We were very pleased with Ghaiyyath’s performance in the Prix d’Harcourt and he came out of the race well.

“This is his acid test, going into G1 company, but he has shown a high level of form on his last two starts at Longchamp and we are going into this race very positively.

“He took a lead in the Prix du Prince d’Orange and made all in the Prix d’Harcourt. He is a horse who likes to get into a rhythm – it is fine if there is a decent pace with something in front of him, but he is happy enough making his own running as well.

“We have always felt that he is potentially up to this class and we will find out this weekend.”

Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin commented: “Soleil Marin is in great form at the moment and ran a great race behind Ghaiyyath in the Prix d’Harcourt.

“This is a tougher contest, but hopefully he can run up to his best again.”