Birchwood Proves Best In Superlative

Birchwood broke the juvenile course record for seven furlongs at Newmarket with an impressive victory in the Group Two Bet365 Superlative Stakes on Saturday, July 11.

The Dark Angel colt, who is trained by Richard Fahey, was smartly into his stride under James Doyle and disputed the early running before settling in a close fourth of the eight runners after a furlong and a half.

He travelled powerfully to go second over three furlongs from home and quickened well to take the lead approaching the final quarter-mile.

Birchwood soon opened up a clear advantage and stayed on all the way to the line for a length verdict over Air Vice Marshal in 1m 23.33s on good to firm ground.

Richard Fahey said: "Birchwood bombed out big time on his latest start in Ireland but he was just in the wrong frame of mind there. Today he was a star and we are back to where we thought we were with him.

"This was the target after he won at Newbury. We went to Naas to try and pick up a Listed race but that didn't happen and we will discuss where to go next. He deserves a crack at a Group One now.

James Doyle added: "I got a little bit excited at the two-furlong pole and let him go. He wandered a bit late on but it was a fair performance.

"He travelled into it really well and, at the halfway stage, had a few of the others at it so I just let him carry on. He put the race to bed nicely and then just had a little look late on.

"He has got a lot of speed and six or seven furlongs is fine for him. He is a very relaxed character and seven furlongs is probably as far as he wants to go at the minute."

John Ferguson, Bloodstock Advisor to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, commented: "Birchwood was very impressive at Newbury and then a little bit disappointing in Ireland but James Doyle said that he didn't feel right going to the start. He has come back and done it right today."

Birchwood is Godolphin's second winner of the Superlative Stakes following Dubawi, who captured the race in 2004.