Ribchester wins G1 Lockinge

Iffraaj's star colt wins one-mile G1 contest in commanding fashion

Iffraaj's star performer Ribchester triumphed in the G1 Lockinge Stakes in commanding fashion at Newbury on Saturday, winning the first G1 of the season for older horses by over three lengths. 

Iffraaj's four-year-old son made all the running under William Buick and was shaken up at around the two-furlong marker to stride clear and triumph for Godolphin by three and three-quarter lengths from Lightning Spear.

Bred by A Thompson and M O'Brien, Ribchester is trained for Godolphin by Richard Fahey. The colt landed his first G1 success last year when winning the Prix Jacques Les Marois and went on to run champion filly Minding to just half a length in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on his final start of his three-year-old season. Also a top performer as a juvenile, Ribchester won the G2 Mill Reef Stakes at two on his only previous visit to Newbury.

The Lockinge Stakes marks a fourth G1 victory of the year for Iffraaj, following the Classic victories of Gingernuts and Jon Snow in the southern hemisphere.