Back-To-Back Group 2 Victories For Talented Threat

Gimcrack Stakes victor Threat (2c Footstepsinthesand - Flare Of Firelight, by Birdstone) defied a penalty when following up in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at the Doncaster Leger Festival.

The highest-rated of the five runners at 113, the Richard Hannon-trained colt was sent off favourite under Pat Dobbs and took a keen hold toward the back of the field. Making smooth headway from two furlongs out, he was ridden to lead inside the final furlong and denied his closest market rival Royal Crusade by a neck.

A delighted Richard Hannon commented after the race, “It's a very good race and Threat carried a three pound penalty, and travelled there like a horse that is special. I've always said we'll worked our way back for the Guineas and we'll look at the Middle Park or Dewhurst.”

Bred by the La Lumiere partnership, Threat is owned by Cheveley Park Stud and was bought as a foal from Ringfort Stud for 100,000gns. He is one of 32 individual Group winners by Footstepsinthesand, who celebrated a double on the competitive card when Lucander (2f Footstepsinthesand - Lady Sefton, by Oratorio) took the penultimate contest over a mile.

It marked a second career success for Lucander, who is trained by Ralph Beckett for Mrs ME Slade and B Ohlsson. Footstepsinthesand commands €10,000 at Castlehyde Stud.