Gosden unearths Oaks hopeful as Goodwood pays tribute to Everton legend Ball

May 22 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

JOHN GOSDEN and Jimmy Fortune were the main winners as Goodwood paid tribute to former Everton and England star Alan Ball yesterday.

The duo scored a double with Michita in the Height of Fashion Stakes and Baby Houseman in the Evertonians Remember Alan Ball Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

The former scored an impressive four-and-a-half length success in 1m2f Listed contest and could now head for the Juddmonte Oaks at Epsom on June 6. The three-year-old is as low as 10-1 with some firms for the Fillies’ Classic, but is a best-priced 16-1 with VCbet and Skybet.

Gosden said: “We took her to Newbury to get a race into her and to get her to settle down.

“She came along from there and worked nicely afterwards, so we were expecting a good show.

“The trip is no problem and she will get a mile and a half, so Epsom is definitely on my mind. I thought she was very good. She improved from Newbury and I hope she can make the same improvement again.”

Fortune completed a 428-1 treble on Richard Hannon’s Orchard Supreme (10-1) in the concluding Congratulations To Portsmouth FC Stakes.

In the other two races on the card named in honour of World Cup winner Ball, who sadly died just over 12 months ago, were Hannon’s newcomer Elusive Wave in the EBF Alan Ball Supporters Maiden Fillies’ Stakes as Hannon’s newcomer Elusive Wave (4-1) and McConnell scored for Gary Moore in the Alan Ball Memorial Handicap.