Elusive City wins at Goodwood

Elusive City propelled himself to the top of the European juvenile standings with a powerful performance in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes on opening day at Goodwood Tuesday.

A $250,000 purchase by The Thoroughbred Corporation at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky July Sale, Elusive City - a son of Elusive Quality - was a three-length winner of a six-furlong Lingfield maiden in his debut.

Sent off at 9-2, he broke in the air in the Richmond. Rank at the back of the nine-horse field, he came flying under Kieren Fallon to lead at the sixteenth pole and win going away, by three lengths over Revenue. The time for the six furlongs on good to firm ground was a swift 1:10.80, .99 off Bachir's stakes record. The favored Fatik was fifth.

Trainer Gerard Butler has no immediate plans for Elusive City since The Thoroughbred Corporation may soon be dispersing its holdings following the death on July 22 of Ahmed Salman, but he did mention the Middle Park Stakes in October as an ultimate objective.

Bandari, the 13-length winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial who was beaten by 51 lengths in the Epsom Derby, scored a decisive seven-length win at 15-8 over First Charter in the 1 1/2-mile, Group 3 Gordon Stakes. Trainer Mark Johnston said Bandari was probably good enough to take a chance in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.