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Farhh thrashes rivals in Lockinge Having had a chip removed from his fetlock after finishing runner-up in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in September, Godolphin's Farhh returned to a Frankel-free world to blitz his rivals at Newbury Saturday and earn a belated first Group 1 success in the Lockinge Stakes. Sent off the 10-3 second choice as all the money was for Ballydoyle's Declaration of War, the bay was rank early behind the pacesetters but when let loose by Silvestre de Sousa passing the quarter-pole sprinted clear for a four-length success from the 80-1 outsider Sovereign Debt. "He won really well, which surprised me as Saeed has had to tiptoe very quietly with him," Racing Manager Simon Crisford commented. "This is fantastic, particularly after the problems we've had in the past few weeks and a major boost to the stable." Farhh thus emerged as a leading candidate for the June 18 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, where he would clash with champion Animal Kingdom. Farhh only got as far as the starting stalls in his first encounter with Frankel at Doncaster's St Leger meeting in September 2010, injuring himself in the gates ahead of the seven-furlong conditions race that first signposted the future Juddmonte giant's considerable prowess. While his nemesis struck gold on several occasions, Godolphin's bay stayed under the radar and he boasted just two handicap successes to his tally at the time of Sir Henry Cecil's peerless campaigner's streak to glory in this race 12 months ago. A luckless third in the Prince of Wales's at Royal Ascot in June was the first showcasing of Farhh's raw talent, and that was quickly followed by a second in the Eclipse at Sandown before he met with Frankel again in the Sussex at the start of August. Six lengths adrift there, he was a further length behind as that rival sauntered to a career-best in York's Juddmonte International later that month before going down by a head to Moonlight Cloud in what amounted to a match in the Prix du Moulin in September. Nurtured back from his injury after that race, he was expected to be ring-rusty here, but there were no signs of that as he turned on the pace despite having over-raced initially as Declaration of War's rabbit Reply and Penitent fought for the lead. Dominating from the quarter-pole as his chief market rivals floundered around him, he hit the line strongly to provide bin Suroor with a fifth renewal of a race that helped cement his reputation during the operation's earlier days. "We were slightly concerned about the trip today, but he did it so well maybe we will think about the Queen Anne Stakes rather than the (June 19) Prince of Wales's Stakes," Crisford said. "We'll keep both options open and see what Sheikh Mohammed wants to do. He deserved it, having kept on finishing second to the best horse of all time last year." Sovereign Debt's trainer Michael Bell was delighted with the effort of the surprise package of the race, who was not performing out of turn judged on what he had shown on the gallops. "His work at home has always shown he is more a 120 horse than a 110, so I wasn't surprised to see him run well," he told PA Sport. "He is a very exciting horse to have. He's in the Queen Anne at Ascot, which I am sure the owner will be keen to have a look at." Joseph Allen's lightly-raced colorbearer Declaration of War arrived at Newbury with serious confidence behind him judged by the betting move for him at 5-4, but could find little in the way of acceleration when asked by Joseph O'Brien before the final quarter, and trailed in a disappointing fifth. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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