Shakespearean Shines In Solario

Shakespearean wns the Solario.

Mark Johnston continued his red-hot streak of form by sending out Shakespearean to win the Variety Club Children's Charity Solario Stakes at Sandown.

The Middleham handler was saddling his 13th winner inside the last two weeks - but this one will have given him more pleasure than most.

One of the best horses the former vet has ever handled was Shamardal, who won the Dewhurst and later the French Guineas, French Derby and St James's Palace Stakes when in the care of Godolphin, and this juvenile was Shamardal's first stakes winner as a stallion.

Shakespearean was quietly fancied for the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot but flopped, although he ran much better to finish third in the Superlative Stakes after that.

He made nearly every yard in the hands of Richard Hills in beating the favourite Buzzword by a length and a quarter, and the 11-2 winner looks to have a bright future.

Johnston said: "He's very lazy at home, but it was very interesting to here Richard say even though it looked like they were queuing up behind, he felt he had a lot in the tank if something had come to him.

"I think that is the first Group winner for Shamardal.

"I think he is going places, he is a big, heavy horse and will take a bit more time to mature and will be a beautiful horse next year.

"Before the race I'd been thinking of the Royal Lodge and I'd expect it will be something like that, but I wouldn't rule out a jump up to Group One level."

Simon Crisford, racing manager to Godolphin, owners of Buzzword, said: "We'll look to keep him at a similar trip and look for a similar race, either Listed or Group Three."