Israr upstages Adayar to take Princess of Wales’s honours
Full replay: Israr springs a surprise in the Princess Of Wales's Stakes
Additional quotes via Graham Clark and Nick Seddon
Israr was well on top of the line, as 2021 Derby and King George winner Adayar disappointed in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket.
Charlie Appleby’s Adayar was a long odds-on favourite to get back to winning ways following a meritorious run in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Back up to his favoured mile and a half on the July course, the 1-3 market leader was expected to take care of three rivals before heading to the King George and an attempt to reclaim the crown he won two years ago.
Everything appeared to be going smoothly three furlongs from home as Jim Crowley began to get serious with Israr, but Adayar was not pulling away.
As soon as Israr, trained by John and Thady Gosden, pulled level, William Buick began to send out distress signals but there was no response from Adayar, with Israr (7-2) ultimately pulling four and a half lengths clear.
Appleby said: “I think obviously we have a decision to make, but you know me, I won’t rush into anything. We’ll get him back and see if there is anything untoward, but unless we find anything out of the ordinary…
“We will give it a week or 10 days and see if anything transpires. He owes no one anything – he’s a Derby winner. You certainly can’t go to a King George or a race like that on the back of a performance like that, though.
“I thought he would go there and put it to bed. Israr, to be fair to him, came under the pump earlier than we did and we got him at it, but Will said he just emptied as he hit the rising ground on me.
“We will see what his vitals are like after the race, but it wasn’t the ground. I’m not going to use that as an excuse.
“We will see if anything comes out in the wash. I don’t think the race came too quickly after Ascot because the signs at home were good.”
Gosden to consult programme book
Gosden plans to take his time with Israr
Gosden said: “The last time we ran him at York it was over a mile six and it was a mistake as it was too far, and he took on a good stayer that day. They have gone strong fractions today and they are not far off a track record. It was a great performance and he coped with the ground. It was genuine good to firm ground.
“Take nothing away from that performance - it was the best performance of his life.
“He coped with the ground well so from that point of view he has run a great race, but that wouldn’t be his favourite (ground). Like most horses he likes it good.
“He is improving, and I don’t want to rush him in any big races like the King George. I expected him to run well today, but I didn’t expect him to beat Adayar like that.
“I think it (the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes) would be too soon and too quick after a performance like that and I wouldn’t want to do that (go to Ascot). I’d like to try and box a bit more cleverly than that. We were coming here today taking on an odds-on shot. We were confident he would put a good performance in, but I think if we space his races he will be a nice horse right the way through to the Sheema Classic next year.
“I do (have some stepping stones on my mind) but I’ve not got them organised yet. I will have to get the old book out.”
Crowley: Israr improving with age and racing
Crowley explains to Lydia Hislop how he won the big race at Newmarket
Jim Crowley added: “He has probably been unlucky a couple of times this year. I thought he got mugged at Newbury. He came down the outside, fought his horse off, and one nipped up the inside and he didn’t get the chance to fight with it.
“He didn’t quite get home last time at York, but he is probably only just coming to himself now. He is a big, strong horse that is getting better with racing and age.
“At the time no, I wouldn't say he was masquerading in handicaps last year, but I suppose if you look back now, he was. He got beat in the November Handicap at the end of last year and he was entered in lots of big handicaps at the start of this year, and I think he was ante-post favourite for the Chester Cup.
“He is a work in progress, and he has got better with every run as we saw today. He has got some very good trainers that prepare him which is always a very big help.
“He has a very good personality. He is very laid back, but he is tough, and he tries hard and wants to win and that is all you can ask.
“As soon as I got upsides Adayar at the two pole I pretty much knew we had got him beat. It looks as though a mile and a half is definitely his trip.”
