New Mandate Punches Breeders' Cup Ticket in Royal Lodge
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Photo: Hugh Routledge
New Mandate wins the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse
Marc Chan's New Mandate landed the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds at Newmarket Sept. 26, securing a guaranteed start in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) as part of the international Breeders' Cup Challenge series.
New Mandate, a gelded son of New Bay out of the Authorized mare Mishhar, stepped up in company to score his third consecutive success of the season for trainer Ralph Beckett. He was settled at the rear early by Frankie Dettori before kicking home to win by three-quarters of a length from Ontario, with the Clive Cox-trained Cobh back in third.
Celebrating his sixth Royal Lodge Stakes victory, Dettori was quick to praise his mount.
"They went slow and I had to kick earlier than I wanted to, but he's a good horse and has gears," he said. "A mile is spot on at the moment."
Beckett said he is eyeing up a potential trip to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
"We will think about (Breeders' Cup)," he said. "He is a gelding, so can't run in group 1s in the spring. I think if he got beat today, I wouldn't be so positive about going, but now he's done that we'll certainly think about it."
New Mandate, the 9-4 favorite, finished a mile in 1:36:87 on a course listed as good.