The Group II Lennox Stakes (7f) at Glorious Goodwood is run a at real sweet spot in distance terms for the William Haggas trained Lake Forest and the son of No Nay Never duly scored a neck win as favourite with Cieren Fallon in the saddle paving the way for a crack at the G1 Sussex Stakes taking on unbeaten 3YO Bow Echo.
Lake Forest was coming off a last start close fifth in the Group I Royal Ascot Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes and how now won two of three starts this year since being gelded.
“The race didn't pan out how we thought it would; we expected them to go fast and it didn't so it's a great effort on his [Lake Forest] part. When he was a colt, he was just a bit bolshie, too much testosterone I suppose. He was just a bit I'll do it if I want to do it and if I don't feel like doing it, I'm not doing it,” said Maureen Haggas.
“He was difficult before the race sometimes, he would charge headlong through a crowd of people. Today he was so quiet, I rang William and said 'oh my god, I think there's something wrong with him he's so quiet'; he never put a foot wrong. It [gelding] just knocks that aggression out of them. He's always been a talented horse but you could never call him consistent because he was absolutely brilliant one day and the next day he couldn't be bothered; it seems to have made him more consistent which is great.”
Connections are giving consideration to backing Lake Forest up in the Group I Sussex Stakes (1m) on Wednesday.
“I think the owners are up for it [the Sussex Stakes]. We've got plenty of time to decide. We've got nothing until York, he's not done any travelling, he doesn't seem to have taken a whole lot out of himself. He's pretty laidback. Unless Siraj [Bahadar] feels there's something overnight he's not happy with, that's the plan,” Maureen Haggas added.
Purchased for 130,000 guineas from Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale by Eighteen Bloodstock, Lake Forest has the overall record of five wins and five seconds from 18 starts.
He is a half-brother to Group III winner Star Fortress and stakes-winners Lady of Kyushu and Clint Maroon being the best of 10 winners from 10 foals to race from Group III placed Lady Aquitaine.
