Glittering Legend (9/2) emulated his half-brother Megallan with victory in the Listed BetMGM Burradon Stakes as he gamely denied Bowmark in the opening race of Newcastle’s Finals Day card.
The most experienced of the six runners with five starts under his belt, Glittering Legend was steadied towards the rear of the field by Daniel Muscutt, who produced the son of Too Darn Hot with two furlongs remaining.
Bowmark quickened down the centre of the course to hit the front a furlong and a half out, although the 6/4 favourite was collared by Glittering Legend approaching the final half-furlong.
Glittering Legend asserted in the closing strides to prevail by a neck and provide trainer James Fanshawe with a first Finals Day success. The front two pulled a length and three-quarters ahead of third home Royal Playwright.
Fanshawe said: “I am absolutely delighted – Glittering Legend is a star horse. Mark McStay bought him at the Somerville Sale. He was very naughty to begin with but, now he is getting it together, he is a really useful three-year-old.
“I told Dan to get some cover because we thought there would be some pace, but it looked like in front they were controlling it – it didn’t look like they were going that quick. He is tough, experienced, and that probably stood him in good stead today.
“He came there travelling beautifully and I just hoped he’d seen the Gosden horse up the middle. That’s the thing in these sorts of races at this time of year, you don’t know what you are taking on. I think it was quite a way back to the third, as well.
“The question now is whether we step him up to a mile and a quarter. I’ll speak to Mr Ho his owner and we’ll come up with a plan from there, but I would say he will end up at Royal Ascot.”
Muscutt said: “Glittering Legend was taking on some fairly talked-up rivals, but we were bullish about this horse. He is plenty streetwise enough and I think that counted for a lot.
“I probably had the cleanest run of the whole race, just in behind the speed. He had to work in between horses and challenge on the right part of the track, and he hit the line good.
“He is not a slow miler by any stretch of the imagination – he has a good turn of foot, especially in a decent-run mile. He has many gears but, given how he hit the line and galloped out, going further would be an option further down the line.”
Bowmark’s jockey Kieran Shoemark said: “I am thrilled with him. He has only won a novice before this. He has a bright future.”
Co-trainer Thady Gosden said: “The winner is a nice horse, he showed good form and won well at the backend of March, so that was a good first run from Bowmark.”
Asked if the G2 Dante Stakes could be a possibility, Gosden added: “There is stamina on the dam side. Bowmark is by Kingman and, as you saw there, he has a real turn of foot. They didn’t look like they went an overly quick gallop early on and he picked up readily to hit the front. The Dante is definitely an option.”
1.15pm BetMGM Burradon Stakes (Listed)
1 Glittering Legend (K K Ho) James Fanshwe 3-9-04 Daniel Muscutt 9/2
2 Bowmark (Lordship Stud) John & Thady Gosden 3-9-04 Kieran Shoemark 6/4F
3 Royal Playwright (Jeff Smith) Andrew Balding 3-9-04 Oisin Murphy 5/2
6 ran
James Fanshawe – 1st Finals Day winner
Daniel Muscutt – 1st Finals Day winner
