Audience stuns Newbury with devastating Al Shaqab Lockinge Win

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Audience caused a sizable surprise in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, leading all the way up the Newbury straight under Rab Havlin.

The five-year-old, running over a mile for the first time, was sent forward from the gates by the veteran rider and led the field down the centre of the track. As the race developed Audience found an extra gear and began to put more daylight between himself and the chasing pack, who’d largely headed for the stand-side rail.

Silvestre De Sousa and Charyn attempted to chase down the leader and switched towards the centre, but Audience was not for catching and eventually passed the line a length and three quarters ahead.

The Sandown Mile winner Charyn was six and a half lengths clear of Richard Hannon’s Witch Hunter in third.

Speaking to ITV Racing post-race, winning rider Havlin commented: “It was a nice surprise. Last year he wasn’t giving himself a chance, we were running him over sprint trips to start. He was a little bit of a thug.

“He’d run some great races over seven furlongs last year, really staying on towards the end, and even towards the backend this was always going to be the starting point. We didn’t think he’d be good enough to beat Inspiral but he’s always threatened to win a big one.

“If he can improve over a mile which he clearly has there’s some nice races to win with him.”