Rakti wins in fine style at Newbury

Rakti put up a hugely impressive performance as he stormed to victory in the Group One Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury today…

Rakti put up a hugely impressive performance as he stormed to victory in the Group One Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury today.

Philip Robinson had the 7-4 favourite in front not long after the start and none of his rivals ever looked like catching him as he pulled well clear in the final furlong of the mile contest.

Mac Love, a 50-1 outsider, ran on well for second with Hurricane Alan third, but they were not in the same league as Rakti, who set a new course record.

Australian raider Elvstroem was the quickest away but Robinson soon had Rakti in front as the enigmatic six-year-old took a keen hold.

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The jockey managed to get him swinging along, though, and the result never looked in doubt after he upped a gear coming to the two-furlong marker.

Elvstroem and Mac Love tried to go with him, but the Michael Jarvis-trained winner soon had them trailing in his wake as he accelerated away to score by five lengths and one.

"This just shows how good he is on his day. This is the best horse I've sat on - and I've been on some good ones," Robinson told Channel 4 Racing.  "They put the old snaffle bit back on today and he was really confident in it.

"The plan was that if they went slow I would go on, and he relaxed lovely in front. I am very pleased with him. If we can keep him in that frame of mind, he's a very hard horse to beat."

Jarvis was delighted with Rakti's performance and full of praise for obinson's front-running ride.

"He's a wonderful horse. We have our moments with him but Philip has long aid that if he gets the horse in front and just relaxes him, switches him off, e will pick up," he said.  "We worked him round Lingfield a couple of weeks ago and he was by his lead orse in a couple of yards and just switched off.

"I think he would have broken the track record round Lingfield the other day! It was different to how we had been riding Rakti as obviously over a mile and a quarter they don't go that quickly anyway.

"But all credit to Philip. He has always said a mile is his best trip. He's such a versatile horse. When you think he's won an Italian Derby over a mile and a half, he's just a wonderful, wonderful horse."

A trip to Royal Ascot at York next month is now on the cards for Rakti, with Jarvis adding: "I would say he will probably go for the Queen Anne next."