Impressive Gordon Stakes victory for Cross Counter

Cross Counter lowered the course record for the 12 furlongs at Goodwood, UK, with a dominant display in the G3 Gordon Stakes on Saturday, 4 August.

The three-year-old son of Teofilo, stepping up to Pattern company for trainer Charlie Appleby after readily taking an Ascot handicap over the same trip on 14 July, disputed the early running before being sent on into the lead after a furlong and a half.

Cross Counter quickened well under William Buick approaching the final quarter-mile and powered clear of his three rivals over a furlong from home, galloping out strongly to beat G1 Derby second Dee Ex Bee by four and a half lengths in a new Goodwood best time of 2m 31.39s on good to firm going.

Alex Merriam, assistant to Charlie Appleby, reported: “It was a nice performance; very impressive.

“Cross Counter has done everything right. It is all going the right way with him and he won a handicap at Ascot last time very nicely.

“He only started up and had his first run in December, so he’s improving all the time. He’s a big raw horse and I think there is some more improvement to come.

“He’s been gelded – he was a bit of a boy back in the day and Charlie thought it was the best thing to do.

“He’s seen out this trip really well, and liked the ground as he is by Teofilo. Speaking just now to Charlie, a trip to Australia might be in his sights.

”William Buick commented: “It was a lovely performance from Cross Counter. Charlie has brought him on well and he’s not the finished article yet, so there is more to come.

“He has opened up a lot of doors with this win. He is going to stay in training and will keep progressing. I think he is very talented and he put a long distance between himself and his rivals.

“We didn’t go an end-to-end gallop, but it was an even gallop - it wasn’t a falsely-run race by any means. He managed to quicken off the front again, which is always a very good sign.

“It was a track record. He beat a top-quality stayer in Dee Ex Bee in second and it was great that he could make the step-up to this grade.

“Cross Counter gave me a nice feel and it was nice to see him win like that today. “He was relentless to the line and I thought that it was a very good performance.

“He will make into a lovely horse next season and it is great for a horse like him to keep on progressing through the ranks.”