Century Dream Revels on Soft Ground in Celebration Mile

For the connections of Century Dream, the rain that drenched Goodwood this week was cause for celebration. So was what happened in the track's showpiece prize Aug. 29.

Victory in the Ladbrokes Celebration Mile (G2) gave the 6-year-old the biggest victory of a career that seems highly likely to continue in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1), in which a repeat of the now normal QIPCO British Champions Day conditions would be extremely well received.

Not normal is soft ground at Goodwood in late August, but it was like butter to the knife of the James Doyle-ridden Century Dream, who powered through the closing stages to defeat Sir Busker by 4 1/2 lengths in a race his father, Cape Cross, landed 21 years ago.

In a division now sadly devoid of Mohaather, dual group 1 winner Palace Pier is odds-on with some bookmakers for Ascot's autumn mile championship. His triumph in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) showed that a deep surface does not hinder him—but it positively helps Century Dream, who benefited from every one of the 45 millimeters of rain that poured on Goodwood from Monday to Friday.

"He just loves this ground—that is key to him," said Ed Crisford, who trains Abdulla Belhabb's stable star alongside his father, Simon.

"When the ground is like that it's about who can get through it the best and he's a bit of a mudlark. He loved it and traveled so well. James rode a perfect race as well, so I'm really pleased.

"We'll look at all the group 1 races over a mile and I think we'll go wherever the ground is soft. He has run well at Ascot, finishing third in the Queen Elizabeth II and fourth in the Queen Anne (G1), and we're pretty much sure to get soft ground there."

Very happy he got soft ground here was Doyle, who said: "It was pretty smooth. He's in better shape now than he's ever been, so I don't see why he couldn't win a group 1 given the right conditions."

The idea of Sir Busker winning any sort of group race would have seemed fanciful at the start of the season. However, the Royal Ascot-winning pride and joy of Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds is having a fantastic campaign and ran a cracker on his elevation out of handicap company, giving trainer William Knight plenty of reason to smile on his 44th birthday.

Knight, who enjoyed a birthday success with Seinesational in the following contest, said: "That shows he can run in that sort of class. I'm not totally sure what to do now. My gut feeling is to try to find a race he can win and then put him away for next year."

The Crisfords' gut feeling will surely take them to Ascot.

"Palace Pier is an exceptional 3-year-old," said Ed Crisford. "I think we could serve it up to him but it would be a tough one."

Goodwood's ground was certainly tough—but not for Century Dream.