Connections have praised the consistency of Random Harvest after the continued rise through the ranks that has seen her compete at the highest level this term.
Trained by Ed Walker, the daughter of War Front was a neck away from Royal Ascot success in 2022 when second in the Kensington Palace Stakes.
By the time she returned to contest the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes at the latest edition of the Royal meeting she had progressed to a three-figure rating and become a standing dish in Group-level contests on the big stage.
And again she went close, with a neck separating her from Rogue Millennium.
“She’s been a brilliant filly and she’s so consistent,” said Charlie Gordon-Watson, racing manager to owner Lady Bamford.
“She’s been second twice at Royal Ascot, once off 81 and then 105 and that is quite something – 24lb improvement from one Royal Ascot to the next is a great bit of training and these older mares do improve so it’s been fantastic.
“She’s ran at Epsom on Derby day, she’s been to Royal Ascot, Newmarket July meeting and at Ascot on King George day. She’s never missed a beat and has been amazing.”
Random Harvest holds entries for a whole host of Group One assignments later in the autumn and although her team are yet to decide her next destination, she is none the worse from her latest outing at Goodwood when tasked with taking on the colts in the Celebration Mile.
Gordon-Watson added: “We were unlucky in that it rained at the last minute and because every horse in the race is a soft-ground horse and she’s the one who would have liked it fast. She just missed the break a bit and things didn’t go right for her.
“For her to run in a Group Two against the colts, everything had to go right and it didn’t and it was just unfortunate, we got a bit unlucky.”
Praise was also reserved for Random Harvest’s regular rider Saffie Osborne, who first partnered the five-year-old at Royal Ascot in 2022 and has been an ever-present in the saddle ever since.
Osborne has successfully joined forces with Random Harvest on three occasions as she enjoys her own rise up the riding ranks and the durable mare has proved a reliable ally, providing the 21-year-old with Group Three victories both in Italy last October and at Ascot more recently when landing Valiant Stakes glory.
Gordon-Watson continued: “Of course we have to mention the jockey who gets on so well with her. That’s a good story in itself really. It’s been really good.”
