Sheer Form (GB) Secures First Group I win in Equinics Phar Lap Stakes

All eyes were turned to the Equinics this weekend. The second race of the turf series to go off today was the Phar Lap Stakes, named after the Australian racing legend. The race had drawn sixteen contenders, gathering from across different residencies to find out who would be the best over the two miles on the turf.

All broke well once loaded into the gate, drawing nearly an even line of horses across the width of the track. Soon to the stand side of the course, early race favorite Heart’s Intention (GB) and B Tender (ENG) started to draw away from the pack. By the turn these two had been put away by the locally bred Zzzforcash (FR). The bay Kingzambo (SAF) trailed the field early coming out of the turn.

Coming out of the turn, Shady Sticks (IRE) and B Tender (ENG) angled in towards the rail to save ground. Neck and neck down the back stretch, Borrowman (KY) made an early move to challenge the front running Zzzforcash (FR). It was the Kentucky-bred Borrowman who would win the battle as the bay son of War Front edged past his rival to hold a slight lead of about a quarter of a length. In the backstretch Borrowman would open up his lead by several lengths on the rest of the field and Newhook (GB) began a steady run, gradually picking off horses.

The order of the race remained much the same up until about the thirteen-furlong mark where the late closes started to make their bid for the front. From near the back of the field Sheer Form (GB) and Waylanka (JPN) came surging forward together. Held back towards the middle of the pack out of the gate, Fire Josh Now (SAF) was starting to make his move, looking for room to run behind the other contenders. Shady Sticks (IRE) also began to make his run, while Heart’s Intention (GB) was starting to fall back out of contention.

Into the stretch, Sheer Form (GB) and Waylanka (JPN) drew alongside the tiring Borrowman (KY) eventually putting him away. It was a duel between the two to the wire. Fire Josh Now (SAF) was running well in third and Borrowman (KY) valiantly tried to fend of Newhook (GB) and Shady Sticks (IRE) for fourth, but would eventually give way.

In the final furlongs, it was Sheer Form (GB) who would edge out Waylanka (JPN) in the duel that developed between the two in the final furlongs. Sheer Form (GB) would come out on top by one and a quarter lengths over Waylanka (JPN). In third was Fire Josh Now (SAF).

The winner, Sheer Form (GB) is owned and trained by harrylanlow12 and is a member of Elite Racing Club. The four-year-old bay colt is the son of top sire Frankel (GB) and is out of the stakes winning dam Dubawi Form. The dam produced her first group stakes winner with this colt of four to race. An unraced two-year-old named Frankel Policy is a full brother to Sheer Form (GB). The winning colt himself secured his first Group I victory in this race and also put his lifetime career earnings over the one-million-dollar mark. The colt won the race with a speed figure of one hundred and eleven while completing the race in 3:27.

Also Rans: Newhook (GB), Shady Sticks (IRE), Borrowman (KY), Vino El Lechero (KY), Heart’s Intention (GB), B Tender (ENG), Sea Plus Plus (IRE), Kingzambo (SAF), Tete Ormstunga (FR), I Am Sweeper Cotc (AUS), Okran Dark Cocoa (WY), King’s Risk (IRE), Zzzforcash (FR).