ANY doubts about Oasis Dream's right to be called champion sprinter for the season were removed in spectacular fashion yesterday by the John Gosden-trained flyer in the Nunthorpe Stakes on York's final day.
Those of us who dared question this three-year-old's effectiveness over five furlongs as against the six over which he had won previously, were left stuffing large helpings of humble pie into our mouths. The champion simply slaughtered the pretenders to his throne, going so far clear by the four-furlong mark that all that was left was the presentation.
Dominica tried to outspeed Oasis Dream in the first half of the five-furlong dash, but she was put firmly in her place as Richard Hughes made the merest flicker of a move with his reins.
The Tatling (9-1) and Acclamation (9-1) stayed on well to finish second and third, two and a half and one and a quarter lengths away, but never even began to threaten the 4-9 favourite.
Oasis Dream, owned by Khalid Abdulla, ran the five furlongs in 56.20 seconds, just 0.04 seconds outside the record set by Dayjur in this race in 1990. Champion? We had better believe it, because it is probably the case that this horse actually is better over six furlongs. His trainer reckons he could win over a mile, and he intends to prove it.
Gosden hailed Oasis Dream as the fastest horse he has ever had. ''I've trained some very fast horses, in Europe and in America, '' he said, ''but this is definitely the quickest I've ever trained. Some of these American horses know how to trap out, but we could live with the best of them, and the exciting thing is I really do think he has the stamina for an easy mile.
''He will now go to Haydock for the Sprint Cup, unless it's a bog, and then the Breeders' Cup Mile. The problem with the Breeders' Cup Sprint is that if you miss the kick, you get a load of sand in your face and that's that''.
Hughes was equally ecstatic. ''He was very special today,'' he said. ''They put a good bit of water on last night and if they'd left the water off, I'm sure he would have broken the course record.''
There was an earlier extra special performance in the Peugeot Lowther Stakes when Carry On Katie proved that her extraordinary 12-length Ascot victory last month was no fluke. The filly kept up Jeremy Noseda's fine form by making all the running and beating Badminton by two lengths, with Dunoskin a length behind in third. The 3-1 winner drifted in the betting and Silca's Gift, who was unplaced, started 6-4 favourite.
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