More Goodwood Joy For Blue

Illustrious Blue masters Warringah.

Course specialist Illustrious Blue wore down long-time leader Warringah to come on top in a thrilling finish to the Coutts Glorious Stakes at Goodwood.

William Knight's six-year-old was settled in behind rivals by Jim Crowley but was asked to go and pick up the leaders in the home straight.

Warringah and Ryan Moore made a bold fist of things from the front, but Illustrious Blue gradually reeled him in to score by a neck.

The 9-1 shot was securing his first triumph since May 2007 - but his sixth success at Goodwood.

Crowley said: "Everything went really well. He loves to come down the outside and he was always going to get there.

"William has done a fantastic job with him and this race was the plan.

"It's nice when it comes off."

Knight added: "To bring him here for this meeting, and for him to win at Glorious Goodwood and provide me with my first Group winner, makes him a legend.

"He came to me as I was first starting out as a trainer and he's progressed all of the time.

"He's a 10lb better horse at Goodwood and I think the turns and the hills keep him interested.

"He's been a fresh horse this season and I think that has made such a difference.

"He's on the up - even at the age of six.

"We'll keep him over a mile and a half now and there's a race in Turkey (Bosphorus Cup) which may suit him."

Philip Newton, owner of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner-up, said: "If it hadn't rained on Thursday I think we would have got it.

"Unusually for a big horse, he bounces off the quick ground.

"He has lots of options, and we might think about the Melbourne Cup."

Mick Channon said of the third: "Halicarnassus is Halicarnassus and he has run a proper race.

"He didn't want to know last weekend, but that's just the way he is and we'll keep having some fun."