Sun Goddess, the Aidan O'Brien-trained two-year-old, overcame a severe traffic problem to win the Harry's Half Million by Goffs, a £500,000 sales race at York on Thursday. Owner Derrick Smith said he had never seen anything like the performance.
Dramatic Victory
Sun Goddess, a Group 1 winner on her previous start, was eligible for the race having been bought for £120,000 at the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale in 2025. She was backed into Evens favourite. However, the race did not go to plan, with low-drawn horses getting a head start. Jockey Ryan Moore was pushing his mount along after just a furlong.
With the field fanned across the far rail side of the straight, Sun Goddess was left with nowhere to go at the two-furlong pole. When Moore went for a gap, the filly was buffeted by horses on either side. Moore was forced to take her back and then wide of the field into the middle of the track. Once in clear daylight, she flew home and crossed the line six lengths clear.
Owner and Jockey React
Smith, one quarter of the Coolmore partnership, exclaimed: “I’ve never seen anything like it. She was completely cut down and then showed unbelievable speed. It was very, very special, just unbelievable.”
Moore said: “I just got pushed down amongst them and one did roll on top of me but she was out in plenty of time and won easy. She was always going well. It’s not ideal when you get a trip like that but she was doing everything very easy.”
Sun Goddess broke from stall 17. Moore added: “It’s not good when you are getting biases and you have 20 horses wanting to go on the same strip of ground. The going description says there’s not much in it but something’s up.”
