Phantom takes Flight for Scott and Shepherd
Second to William Haggas’ Al Aasy 12 months ago, the five-year-old was making his seasonal return in the Listed race, which was also his first outing since being gelded and for new trainer George Scott.
Having made the running when vanquished last year, Shepherd was happy to let 6-5 favourite Alyanaabi go forward before asking the 16-1 outsider of five to move to the lead approaching the final furlong.
Al Aasy gave chase late in the day, but there was no denying Phantom Flight as he kept on resolutely for a one-length success.
The winner sports the same red silks of Victorious Racing that Isle Of Jura carried to success at Royal Ascot and he is likely to try to follow in the footsteps of Scott’s stable star by venturing to Bahrain later in the year via the Coral Glorious Stakes at Goodwood on August 3.
Scott said: “We’ve been really pleased with him since he came to us, he arrived in great condition and we decided to geld him and his work is pleasing.
“He’s a horse who doesn’t take much training, he just has an amazing stride and a great way of going.
“It might sound crazy as the outsider of the field, but I wasn’t surprised to see him win. He’s got a lot of quality and back form, he was bought for the Bahrain International and that looks the perfect race for him down the line.
“He will try to emulate Isle Of Jura I guess, but he will run a couple of times more before going (to Bahrain).
“There’s a Group Three at Goodwood on the Saturday which is for four-year-olds and up which looks a really good spot for him and he will fit in a race like that nicely. I think he will like the track and if he comes out of this nicely, I think he will go for that.”