'They do things we can't' - Oliver Cole praises stalls handlers after Sumo Sam causes 25-1 upset

Trainers often praise owners, jockeys and their staff when troublesome horses win, but Oliver Cole heaped praise on a more anonymous group when Goodwood's stalls handlers helped Sumo Sam to a surprise Lillie Langtry success.

Such was the relentless style in which she slammed the highly promising River Of Stars, it was difficult to believe the challenging point of the race occurred when the gates opened.

The habitual front-runner had mysteriously broken slowly at Ascot the last two times, throwing away her chance and frustrating her two trainers, Cole and his father Paul, a factor which may have contributed to her 25-1 starting price.

"She's just not easy," said Cole, who braved the elements in the winner's enclosure as a barrage of rain sent most running for cover. "We've been doing a lot of work with her at home and putting her in the stalls two times a week.

"I said to someone watching with me, 'I wish we could do it as easy as the stalls handlers do', and it just shows you how amazing they are at their job. They're the unwritten superstars who need more kudos; they do things we can't at home.

"We stay a length out the back of her trying not to get kicked and they're going behind her confidently."

Sumo Sam routs her Goodwood rivalsCredit: Mark Cranham

It was another front-running masterclass from the meeting's leading rider Tom Marquand, who was drafted in with just ten minutes to spare when Neil Callan was unable to make the filly's allotted weight of 8st 11lb, but Cole warned not to underestimate the performance.

"Tom's been brilliant but he's also had two horses to take him there," he said. "She's a very, very good horse and out in front like that she's hard to pin back.

"Someone said to me a few weeks ago, 'If you want to get the best out of that horse, leave her until next year', so this just shows you have to persist with horses. They're not there to be decorations."

Although Marquand admitted he took inspiration from his enterprising ride on Quickthorn in Tuesday's Goodwood Cup, he praised the filly's attitude for being able to replicate such a bold plan in treacherous conditions, which saw the 10-11 favourite Free Wind labour home in fourth and the card abandoned just a race later.

"She was tough," he said. "Obviously, she was a last-second spare, so I didn't have much of a plan until ten minutes before. She loves the ground, she's always looked like a galloper, and she put them to the sword. It was a lonely last couple of furlongs. It was a proper slog out there, so she's done well.

"Mr Cole was very keen bowling forward would be her trick, while riding her off the neck-strap per se, rather than on her mouth. It was obviously quite easy to execute, having had a blueprint from earlier in the week!"

Read this next:

Goodwood's Stewards' Cup card called off with three races remaining due to unsafe ground 

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.