Trawlerman digs deep for Lonsdale Cup glory

Trawlerman confirmed himself as the standout performer in the staying division in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York.

John and Thady Gosden’s seven-year-old won the Ebor on the Knavesmire three years ago and remained unbeaten on home soil this season with a performance that may have been less conclusive than his Gold Cup romp, but equally impressive in the manner in which he professionally repelled his rivals.

Unable to get his own way at the front this time with Aidan O’Brien’s Shackleton alongside throughout the majority of the early exchanges, William Buick pushed his mount along entering the home straight and asked for him to showcase the stamina that is his forte.

Unlike at Royal Ascot when the 5-6 favourite left his rivals trailing, they were queuing up in his slipstream this time around but Trawlerman showed his relentless staying power to gallop on to the line and lead home a Clarehaven one-two, with well-backed stablemate Sweet William a length and a quarter adrift in second.

Trawlerman was made the 6-4 favourite from 2-1 with Coral for the Qipco Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day, with his handler suggesting that would be his next target.

John Gosden said: “The two of them have come away and they are proper, proper staying horses.

“One is seven and the other is six, and they are a lot of fun because staying races are an important part of our programme, so it’s lovely to see him come from the Gold Cup to win the Lonsdale.

“We will freshen him up now and all being well, he will run one more time this year at Ascot on Champions Day.

“The horses tell you if you listen to them, if you force them, it never works. We are delighted with them both and to see the quality of that, it’s a long straight here and it was a proper old battle between the pair of them.

“It will be Doncaster (for Sweet William) all being well.

“He’s (Trawlerman) getting on, and you have to respect his age.

“They tell you how to train, the older they get, they get a little wiser than the trainer, so you listen to them and they tell you.”

Al Nayyir delighted trainer Tom Clover in finishing third, beaten a total of five and a half lengths

He said: “He ran a lovely race, they didn’t go overly hard but he was able to pick up nicely.

“I think now, with the age he is, he might just appreciate a little more cut in the ground but that said, we’ve given them a good race and we’re thrilled with our boy.

“He deserves to pick up a Group race at some point and hopefully he can do that soon.

“Doncaster might come a touch soon for him, we’ll have to see how he is, otherwise there’s the Listed Rose Bowl at Newmarket.”