RICHARD Fahey took a gamble and watched it pay off as Utmost Respect landed the £106,000 Duke Of York Blue Square Stakes at York Racecourse.
The Malton trainer’s five-year-old is at his best with cut in the ground but, on good to firm, he finished powerfully to take the Group 2 spoils.
Utmost Respect was sent off an unfancied 16-1 shot on his seasonal reappearance and Fahey admitted his race prospects didn’t look good early on in the six furlong contest.
But, despite being pushed along more than a furlong out, the tough gelding wore down King’s Apostle and the prominent Tax Free to take the “dash for the cash” by three-quarters of a length.
Fahey said his stable star would now be “entered in everything” with a host of Group 1 races his likely destination.
“We took a chance and we got away with it,” he said. “He’s in great order and it is very hard to take out a horse who is in great form.
“He was travelling better than any of them and when Paul (Hanagan, jockey) went for him I just felt, ‘well the ground is going to take its toll here’.
“But he said once he ran on, and gave him a couple of digs, he came home well. He will be even better with a bit of cut in the ground.”
Fahey continued: “He will be entered in all the Group 1s and hopefully he will get his chance to show how good he is.
“He is a horse we have always liked and he is improving and I felt this would be his year. Hopefully he can build on this.
“I took a chance but, a furlong and a half down, I thought I had done the wrong thing. I was going to get in my car and go home but it all came good.
“He’s right on the button. He is getting stronger. He has been very backward but I just feel it could be a big, big year for him, me and Paul.”
Elsewhere, Godolphin got their York season off to the best start when Moonquake (8-1) won the opening Blue Square Casino Stakes.
Frankie Dettori’s four-year-old travelled well throughout the one mile two furlong contest and looked to have plenty in hand at the line – holding off a challenge from Checklow for a half-length success.
Brief Encounter (5-1) and William Buick got up on the line to win a thrilling Blue Square Stakes.
It looked to be a battle between Hartley and Photographic inside the final furlong, but Andrew Balding’s gelding flew up the outside to nail them both at the post.
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