Richard Hughes has Goodwood Group Three ambitions. © Photo Healy Racing
Richard Hughes will target Group Three success at Glorious Goodwood following Fair Angellica’s Listed victory in France.
The three-year-old daughter of Harry Angel disappointed at Royal Ascot when she came home tailed off in the Sandringham Stakes to confirm Hughes’ fears that a mile might have been too much of an ask for her.
But she bounced back in the best possible fashion as she dropped back to seven furlongs at Deauville in the Prix Amandine, where she took charge between the final two furlongs and kept on strongly to win by one and three-quarter lengths in the hands of Ryan Moore.
And now Hughes will point his charge at the Oak Tree Stakes in Sussex at the end of the month.
The trainer said: “We were delighted (at Deauville). We went over searching for black type.
“We’ve always really liked her. We thought through the winter that she’d win the race in Ascot.
“When she won in Kempton, her prep race, I had a sneaky suspicion then that she might not stay, with the turn of foot that she showed.
“So, she didn’t stay at Ascot and we went to Deauville on a recovery mission trying to get black type and she won well.
“Ryan gave her a really positive ride and she ran well and we’ll go for the Oak Tree next.
“She’s come out of the race really well. She’s a fine, big, tough mare. It was more important to get the black type than a handicap for the owner-breeder.”
Bracken’s Laugh was caught out by the ground in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and Hughes will give him a short break before targeting a return at Haydock.
Hughes added: “He will have a little break after Ascot. The ground was too quick for him. Maybe the Rose of Lancaster up in Haydock. There will be a chance of getting the ground up there.”
No Half Measures won a trio of races at Lingfield, Wolverhampton and Goodwood earlier in the season before running a big race at the Royal meeting to finish third in the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes at 50-1.
The daughter of Cable Bay will take her place in the Blake-Turner Solicitors Handicap at Newmarket on Friday and Hughes is hopeful she can get back to winning ways.
He said: “She ran a blinder (at Ascot) from a very poor draw. Ran a brilliant race, so she has a great chance there on Friday.”
