May 13, 2019 | News
Raa Atoll beats Thomas Hobson to land the Oleander-Rennen in the fifth WH Stayers' Million qualifier
Raa Atoll, who was making his first start for owner-trainer Luke Comer, was a surprise winner of the fifth qualifying race for the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million - the Group 2 Oleander-Rennen at Berlin-Hoppegarten.
He beat evergreen stayer and warm favourite Thomas Hobson a length and half into second place.
The winning colt had some previous good form when trained by John Gosden last year, winning twice and then finishing not far off the winner when fourth in the Gr.2 King Edward VII Stakes. It looks like he has matured into a stayer to be reckoned with this season.
The focus for the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million now shifts to York on Friday where last yearâs Million winner Stradivarius makes his seasonal reappearance in the Matchbook Yorkshire Cup - a race he won last year which set him on the road to staying stardom.