Racing: Resonant gives Buick good vibrations

RESONANT ran his rivals into the ground with a commanding front-running performance to take the Unibet Handicap at Newmarket.

There was no let-up in the gallop right from the start, as William Buick set a furious pace with Cosmic Ray trying to keep tabs on the leader.

If the opposition felt the 12-1 winner had gone too fast they were in for a surprise, with the Cape Cross colt running strongly all the way to the line to give trainer Mark Johnston a third successive win in the race.

He coasted home by three and three-quarter lengths from Gibeon, with Azmaam a further three and a quarter lengths away.

Buick said: “I rode him at Epsom at the Derby meeting. I tried to ride a race on him behind the leaders and he seemed to sulk a little, so I had it in my mindset that I wanted to make it. If I went a stride too quick I would rather do that.

“He’s done it well. He had good form earlier in the year and he’s confirmed that really.”

Johnston said: “I thought today he’d gone a bit too quick and I was watching our other horse Mythical City, who I thought was in the perfect spot as I thought they had gone too hard up front. We were quite happy just to leave him alone up front today and William said he was always comfortable with him the pace he was going.

“He managed to get a bit of a breather into him when the second horse tried to come at him.

“I think a mile and a quarter is his trip. I don’t think he’ll be coming back down. We tried it at Royal Ascot and it didn’t work.”

Salvo (10-1) made a successful introduction with a pleasing performance in division one of the John Deere EBF Stallions Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Carrying the Anthony Oppenheimer colours made famous this year by the exploits of champion three-year-old colt Golden Horn, the Charlie Fellowes-trained filly looked a two-year-old with a big future as she powered to victory. Frankie Dettori brought her with a sweeping run on the near side to win by a length and three-quarters from Cosmopolitan Girl.

Lumiere was a most impressive winner of division two on her debut, producing an eyecatching all-the-way success.

Buick had the grey Shamardal filly settled and relaxed out in front before asking her to quicken as the field approached the rising ground. The response was instant as Johnston’s charge blew her rivals away to win by six lengths from Sharja Queen.

It was a double on the day for Johnston, Buick and owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum after Resonant’s triumph earlier on the card. Johnston said of the 6-5 favourite: “We were hopeful she’d be that good and William Buick was very enthusiastic about that.”