Sixties Icon back in the swing and heading for Royal Ascot

May 23 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

SIXTIES ICON booked his ticket to Royal Ascot after his first victory since winning the 2006 St Leger at Goodwood yesterday afternoon.

Owned by Paul Roy, and named after his time at Liverpool University in the 1960s, the Jeremy Noseda-trained five-year-old scored a comfortable five-length success in the Listed Letheby & Christopher Festival Stakes at Goodwood yesterday.

Now the Classic winner, who had been second the classy Getaway at Newmarket on his seasonal debut earlier in the month, will head to the Royal meeting for the Hardwicke Stakes before a possible globetrotting campaign if all goes to plan.

Sent off the 8-13 favourite yesterday he was held up at the back by Ryan Moore, but once he made his move in the last two furlongs of the 1m1f contest, he readily pulled clear of his rivals to score comfortably.

It was a welcome return to form following a disappointing season last year and Noseda said: “He had problems with his palate last year. His first run was a step in the right direction and this was a nice confidence booster.

“The trip wasn’t a concern as he has a lot of speed. I said to Ryan not to worry about gears as he has loads of them.

“He’ll head to the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot now and I might consider races like the Arlington Million in mid-summer.

“He holds entries in everything and later in the year he might go back up to Group One company.”