AUDIENCE produced a breath-taking performance on the first day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, when galloping away from the field to take the Group 2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes by an incredible four lengths. Despite having to carry a five pound penalty for his Lockinge Stakes win earlier in the year he made light work of his rivals, which included previous Group 1 winners Art Power and Kinross. Settled in second through the early stages by is usual pilot, Rab Havlin, AUDIENCE sprinted clear inside the final couple of furlongs to register an impressive victory.
His joint trainer, Thady Gosden, commented; ‘He was kept in training as a lead horse to Inspiral, as he was in the Lockinge. He’s improving with age so there’s hope for us all yet. He’s matured a lot mentally. It wasn’t a fluke in the Lockinge. The mile was too stiff at Ascot. Rab really knows him. He rides him most mornings – and then he takes him home. We’ll go to the City of York without a penalty. We’ve put him in the Foret – last year’s ground would have been perfect. He wouldn’t want traditionally Parisian ground. He could well be a Breeders’ Cup Mile horse as well.’