Lake Forest was in the Glorious Goodwood winner's circle on Tuesday and looks likely to go again in the Sussex Stakes tomorrow.
The William Haggas-trained five-year-old narrowly held off the challenge of the flying Rogue Diplomat to justify odds of 10/11 in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes. Cieren Fallon timed his challenge to perfection, delivering the No Nay Never gelding to perfection to chalk up a second straight win at seven furlongs.
Talk before the meeting suggested that, if successful on opening day, then he would be allowed to take on the big guns in the Sussex Stakes on day two.
Wife of the winning trainer, Maureen Haggas, says that he is now on track for a quick turnaround.
“I don’t see why he can’t come here again tomorrow, that’s the plan. We’ll see how he is, if we’re happy with him then why not," Haggas told reporters.
“He’s a five-year-old gelding and he hasn’t got to travel anywhere, we don’t know about a mile but he stays the seven well. That’s the plan, anyway, anything can happen overnight but that’s our plan.”
Punters will get a far bigger price than the 10/11 on offer about Lake Forest in the Lennox, with 14/1 available for the step up into Group 1 company.
His only other start at seven furlongs at the top level came last year when he ran Andrew Balding's Never So Brave to within half-a-length in the City Of York Stakes in August.
Improvement is surely needed to get his head in front when taking on Bow Echo, Gstaad and Opera Ballo, however, he does look far more straightforward after being gelded at the beginning of the year.
Sussex Stakes latest odds
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