Threat Captures Gimcrack Stakes For Footstepsinthesand

Richard Hannon and Footstepsinthesand’s tremendous season with their juveniles continues to go hand-in-hand, as Threat (2c Footstepsinthesand - Flare Of Firelight, by Birdstone) ran out a commanding winner of the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, just one day after Mums Tipple (Footstepsinthesand) produced an outstanding performance to win the valuable Goffs UK Yearling Stakes.

Threat was sent off favourite following second placings in the Coventry Stakes and Richmond Stakes, both Group 2 contests run over six furlongs, as was the case on Friday. Oisin Murphy tracked the leaders aboard the chesnut colt and made smooth headway with over two furlongs left to race, applying pressure to lead approaching the final furlong. Staying on strongly, he scored by a length and three quarters with a further two and three quarter lengths back to the second favourite in third.

Speaking after the race, Richard Hannon said, “I've told enough people how good I thought Threat is. I've never seen a bad horse win the Gimcrack or even a moderate horse, they have to be very good. He's danced every dance and has been second to some very decent animals.”

Threat was bred by the La Lumiere Partnership and impressed on his first and only appearance in the sales ring, fetching 100,000gns from Capital Bloodstock as a foal. Out of a half-sister to Listed winner That Which Is Not, Threat’s second dam is Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup heroine Shiva, herself a half-sister to Oaks winner Light Shift, who is in turn the dam of Ulysses (Galileo).

Footstepsinthesand commands €10,000 at Castlehyde Stud.