Footstepsinthesand Colt Earns Trip To Ascot

The Richard Hannon-trained Threat (2c Footstepsinthesand - Flare Of Firelight, by Birdstone) will now head to Royal Ascot after producing an impressive performance to win on debut at Newmarket on Sunday.

The field of just four provided strong competition, with the well-bred Electrical Storm leading the market following his debut second last month, while there was also strong support for 375,000gns breeze-up buy Path Of Thunder.

Threat was ridden to track the leaders and improved to lead two furlongs from home, running on well under Tom Marquand to beat the favourite by two and a quarter lengths.

Richard Hannon later commented, “Threat is a very nice colt, always has been. I thought he would run very well today. Our two-year-olds have needed it, so if they win first time out, generally they are very good - and if they win like that, I think it is a great sign. Obviously, you'd like to think of him as a Coventry horse and I think he will be better when he goes six furlongs.”

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned winner was bought as a foal by Capital Bloodstock for 100,000gns from Ringfort Stud. He is a grandson of champion older mare Shiva, from the top-class Niarchos family of Light Shift, Ulysses (Galileo), Main Sequence and Cloth Of Stars.