Temperature rising for Humidity at Goodwood
A winner in the colours of Cheveley Park Stud at Newbury on debut, Andrew Balding's son of Ulysses dazzled on his first start for his new owners with his Chesham success and will now take the next step up the juvenile ladder for the Group Two Coral Vintage Stakes on the Sussex Downs.
'He's a lovely colt and I loved the way his ears were flicking about in front,' said Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown.
The Chesham Stakes goes the way of @the_doyler on board HUMIDITY for @AndrewBalding2 pic.twitter.com/My6jDv2zNx
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 21, 2025
'I thought James Doyle gave him a brilliant ride as it's hard to make all on a two-year-old and win from the front, but he got every fraction right and there was still plenty in the tank as he was flicking his ears all the way along and in particularly in the last furlong.
'We were delighted and he's a colt with a good future. He's come out of it well and with Goodwood being an important meeting for Wathnan as it's supported by Qatar he will head to the Vintage Stakes.'
Joining Humidity for the owners at the meeting is fellow Ascot scorer French Master who is set for a step up in class for one of the meeting's highlights, the Group One Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
John and Thady Gosden's Copper Horse Stakes winner thrived in first-time blinkers in Berkshire and will now return to a track he has already tasted success at this term – claiming a race that was once won by Wathnan original Courage Mon Ami – on his penultimate start.
'I saw French Master at John and Thady's a couple of days ago and he looked to have come out of Ascot in great nick,' continued Brown.
'He'd raced on and off the bridle on his previous start at Goodwood and it was actually Rab (Robert Havlin) who suggested to put some headgear on and I think it just helped him focus during the race. I don't think he needs the help at the finish as he's a very genuine horse, it's just during the race he needed it.
'You had to be impressed with the performance and he's going to have to step forward again to go from a handicap to a Group One but it was a top performance and we're going to pitch him in the Goodwood Cup and see where we are at.'
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