Witch Hunter, trained by Richard Hannon, has set a new target to the Queen Anne after a valiant effort in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
The five-year-old is a reliable racer who achieved unprecedented success in the previous season when he won the Group Two Hungerford Stakes. Perhaps that victory motivated him to try his hand at a course and distance race this coming weekend.
After finishing third at the Listed level in the Spring Trophy race at Haydock, the gelding finished fifth behind Charyn in the bet365 Mile during his seasonal start at Sandown in late April.
He was a 22-1 shot under Sean Levey going into the Lockinge, back at Newbury, where the market was slightly in favour of John and Thady Gosden's Inspiral over Maurizio Guarnieri's Big Rock. This was against experienced Group One horses.
All of the aforementioned was not to be the ultimate winner, though, as the Gosden and Cheveley Park second-string Audience prevailed at 22-1, having run into an unstoppable lead when attempting to lead his stablemate Inspiral.
Charyn trailed closely after him, giving chase with diligence, and Witch Hunter, a 22-1 chance who significantly outran his odds, came in third.
Witch Hunter will now be targeted for the Queen Anne Stakes over the same trip at Royal Ascot in June after putting in another strong performance over a mile.
“He ran a super race, it was a bit of a strange race in the end but I was very pleased with him,” said Hannon. “He was the best of the rest on his side of the race, he ran a super race and I’m sure his day will come. We’ll look at the Queen Anne for him.”