Space Traveller roars into Qatar Goodwood Festival frame with return to form in Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot

Richard Fahey believes the Lennox Stakes will suit his Royal Ascot hero Space Traveller.

Danny Tudhope produced a superb ride on the three-year-old son of Bated Breath to win the Group 3 Jersey Stakes in Berkshire on Saturday.

The unfancied colt, who was sent off at 25/1, crossed the line a head in front of 5/2-favourite Space Blues with Angel’s Hideaway third.

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It brought up a fourth win at the meeting for Tudhope, who earned praise from trainer Fahey.

Now all roads lead to the Qatar Goodwood Festival and an opening-day assignment in the Group 2 Lennox, also over seven furlongs.

Fahey said: ‘Danny is riding out of his skin and it is a huge result for him.

‘It’s great for us poor little northern trainers, too!

‘The next step for him is the Lennox. Something like that would suit him well. It is the only place we can go really.’

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Space Traveller was celebrating his first success since beginning his career under rules with a double.

The Clippers Logistics-owned talent failed to kick on from those wins at Doncaster and Hamilton, though.

His seven subsequent outings, including two trips to Maisons-Laffitte, yielded no more than a couple of second places.

Space Traveller’s most recent outing came in the Listed Prix de l’Office de Tourisme de Maisons-Laffitte at the French course earlier this month.

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But despite having a strong chance, the 102-rated colt finished seventh of 11.

All that was forgotten at Ascot, though, as he roared back to form to suggest he is ready to realise his great potential.

Fahey added: ‘You would have to say this win was a big surprise on his form.

‘We did like him last year, so he has bounced back to what we felt he might be. But it is a shock.

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‘We went to France over six furlongs and thought we would win.

‘We thought it would give him a confidence-booster but it didn’t go right.

‘Seven is probably his trip but he might even get a bit further now.’

The five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival begins on Tuesday, July 30.

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