Speedball Prohibit heading for York's Nunthorpe Stakes
A late gamble that saw his odds contract from 12/1 to 7/1 in the minutes before the start of the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot, provided more than a hint that connections were expecting a big run from Robert Cowell's Prohibit against some of the world's fastest horses in what proved to be a sensational and truly international contest, writes Elliot Slater.
Those that took the double figure odds were celebrating in style minutes later after the six-year-old gelding weaved his way through a big field to get the better of a desperate finish with Australian speed merchant Star Witness, the flying Hong Kong mare Sweet Sanette, and the back-to form Hungarian legend Overdose, leading in the dying strides to score by half-a-length and the same, with a neck back to Overdose in fourth. Those placing York Ebor 2011 bets should keep a close eye on the horse.
Newmarket-based Cowell, landing by far the biggest win of his career, was reduced to tears by the win of his sprinter (placed in two Group 2 events in the previous three weeks and clearly thriving on his racing), whilst winning rider Jim Crowley advertised his talents with the biggest win of his life, the former jump jockey riding the perfect race in producing his mount to score almost on the line.
A horse for whom his trainer insists "a yard over five furlongs is too far", Prohibit's next major target will be the five-furlong group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York's Ebor meeting in August, another race that connections believe will be ideal for their star who needs to be produced from off a strong pace at the minimum trip. Tuesday's race was possibly the most international sprint ever run in Britain with eight countries represented, amongst whom Germany's War Artist ran fifth, Ireland's Sole Power came home eighth, French raider Mar Adentro was ninth, and US raider Holiday For Kitten came thirteenth.
