Garswood wins first Group 1 race in Prix Maurice de Gheest

Garswood, winless for more than a year, recorded the first Group 1 victory of his career in Sunday’s $420,000 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 6 1/2 furlongs on turf at Deauville, France.

Ridden by Gerald Mosse, Garswood (11-1) raced in the middle of the 14-horse field for the first half-mile and moved into contention with a quarter-mile remaining. Racing wide on the straightaway course, Garswood took the lead in the final furlong and won by a half-length over Thawaany, a 4-year-old filly. Fiesolana (18-1) finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Thawaany.

The race was run on a heavy turf course.

Aljamaaheer, third in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot in June, was scratched Sunday morning, costing the race a leading contender.

Garswood, a 4-year-old colt by Dutch Art, races for Emma Armstrong and Cheveley Park Stud. Trained in England by Richard Fahey, Garswood was winless in four starts earlier this year, including a second in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket in June. In 2013, Garswood won the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood, England and was third in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret in France, a race that could be on his schedule again in October.

** In Ireland, Dick Whittington won his second consecutive group stakes, and first Group 1, in Sunday’s $268,000 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes for 2-year-old colts and fillies at The Curragh.

The six-furlong race was run on soft turf with a field of six, following the defections of Anthem Alexander, The Great War, and War Envoy earlier in the day because of wet weather. Alexander Anthem, the winner of the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, was expected to be favored.

A 6-1 shot, Dick Whittington, ridden by Joseph O’Brien for his father, trainer Aidan O’Brien, won by a half-length over 4-5 favorite Kool Kompany. Capella Sansavero, finished third, a short head behind Kool Kompany. Dick Whittington and Kool Kompany overcame trouble a quarter-mile from the wire to finish in the first two positions.

Dick Whittington, an Irish-bred colt by Rip Van Winkle, races for the Coolmore Stud team of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier. The colt won the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at The Curragh in July.