Dermot Weld felt the lack of a recent run cost Tahiyra, who finished a close-up second to Mawj in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The Aga Khan-owned daughter of Siyouni had been vastly impressive when taking the Moyglare on her last run in September.
However, her trainer felt that she would have benefitted from an extra couple of weeks and having made a tardy start from the stalls in the mile fillies’ Classic, she had plenty of ground to make up.
Mawj (9-1) brilliantly wins the QIPCO 1000 Guineas Stakes @NewmarketRace!
The fact that Chris Hayes’ mount got within half a length of the Saeed bin Suroor-trained winner, following a ding-dong battle from the dip, said plenty about her ability.
After the 6-4 favourite’s defeat, Weld said: “She ran a big race, probably the ground was a shade slow for her.
“We know she has a lot of pace, a lot of speed. She has run a wonderful race – she was seven and a half lengths ahead of the third.
“She has run a very good race. The ground just takes the real speed off her. She’s run, she’s quickened, and Chris Hayes has probably told you that there is another gear there we didn’t just quite get today.
“I’m thrilled with her, she has put in a wonderful performance. I would like to have seen the head-on, as Chris did feel she was carried across a bit.”
Weld left it until late before giving Tahiyra the go-ahead for Newmarket, after he felt she could have done with a little more time.
He explained: “Because of the weather and things we had, I had to be careful of my training of her.
“I would have liked to have got a prep race before today. She only had two runs as a two-year-old.
“The ideal plan was to give her a run in Classic trial a couple of weeks ago. The ground has been very heavy and I didn’t want to pull the guts out of her.
“So we came into the race slightly undercooked. We had her 95 per cent and we didn’t have her 100 per cent and we have got beaten half a length.”
When asked about the possibility of running in the Irish equivalent in two weeks’ time, Weld added: “We’ll see how she comes out of the race. She has had a tough, hard race. I have another Aga Khan filly called Tarawa that ran a very nice prep for the Irish Guineas at Leopardstown today – she was second (to Zarinsk). She is a very sweet filly and she was always on my mind for that, but let’s see.
Tahiyra was touched off by Mawj in the Qipco 1000 Guineas (Nigel French/PA)
“I’m very proud of her – she has run a great race. There’s lots of places we can go with her – she’s run big. I’m delighted with her. Full marks to the winner.”
Kieran Cotter will send Matilda Picotte to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after her third-place finish under Ronan Whelan.
Like the winner, she had a busy juvenile campaign, running six times, although she was trying a mile for the first time, having finished runner-up to Never Ending Story at Leopardstown on her three-year-old debut.
Matilda Picotte ran a cracker to finish third (Niall Carson/PA)
Cotter said: “We are all here and are absolutely over the moon. It was brilliant – she got some cheer in the stands, I can tell you. There are about 20 or 30 of us here.
“We said coming here that third was up for grabs and we knew we had a serious chance of third. We knew she’d be running on fresh air late on, but she is a marvellous filly.
“The track is tailor-made for her, because she has so much pace and she can trap down, cruise down into the dip for the climb home.
“I doubt she will run over the mile again. We’ll go back down to six (furlongs) for the Commonwealth Cup. I think she’ll go straight there to Royal Ascot. We’ll make sure we enjoy the celebrations!”
Joe Fanning, who rode Dance In The Grass to finish fifth at odds of 200-1, felt she would benefit for going up in distance after staying on well.
Dance In The Grass was a fair fifth (Tim Goode/PA)
He said: “She ran a great race, I just got lost a bit halfway. She stayed on very well and is crying out for extra trip.”
Ryan Moore was a place behind aboard Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf winner, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Meditate.
“She ran respectably. The ground wouldn’t have been in her favour,” Moore said.
Olivia Maralda (125-1) was seventh under David Egan, who said: “I was pleased with the way she ran and I think she’ll be a better filly on top of the ground.
“I thought she was going to be fourth best the last two furlongs, but being on that tacky ground on the last couple of hundred yards up the hill caught her out. She’s a tough filly.”
Frankie Dettori had to settle for eighth on Lezoo (John Walton/PA)
Frankie Dettori, victorious aboard Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday, was eighth on his final 1000 Guineas ride.
His mount, Lezoo, was always up against it on ground that was too soft for her.
He said: “We tried but we’ll go back to sprinting.”
In contrast, 17-year-old sensation Billy Loughnane was having his first ride in a Classic and finished 14th aboard another 200-1 chance, Sweet Harmony.
He said: “It was a good run. Me and Spence (trainer Richard Spencer) thought we’d try something (and race on the near side) as it hadn’t been raced on for the last few days.
“It probably didn’t pay off in the end, but she’s run well and she’ll be putting her head in front soon.
“That was a class experience. It’s amazing the speed they go in those races! She’s run a cracker.”
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Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy were thrust back into the spotlight, with Mawj emerging triumphant in an epic renewal of the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
While neither is any stranger to big-race success, for differing reasons victories at the top table have been harder to come by in recent times.
Murphy was champion jockey for three seasons on the trot between 2019 and 2021, but last year was a troubling one for the rider as alcohol and Covid breaches led to him serving a 14-month suspension imposed by the British Horseracing Authority.
But having made his comeback in mid-February, a man of Murphy’s talents was never going to be left sitting in the weighing room when the top prizes are up for grabs and the 27-year-old proved why with a masterful ride aboard Mawj, for a first success in the Rowley Mile Classic having won the 2000 Guineas with Kameko in 2020.
Saeed bin Suroor back in the big time (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
“All the Group Ones are important and it’s a relief as well. The Guineas are such important races,” he said afterwards.
“I was on a long losing run here at Newmarket. I had four full racedays with no winner here and lots of chances and I couldn’t get on the scoresheet, but Teumessias Fox won yesterday and Running Lion was so impressive earlier, so I went out on Mawj full of confidence.”
On securing a Classic winner so soon after his return, Murphy added: “It’s beyond my wildest dreams. I had a really good start back thanks to lots of different trainers supporting me. Just to get back in the big races with a crowd here, it’s a great feeling.
“All the Group One winners mean a lot, even my first winner back meant a lot. I just realise, particularly as I’ve got older, these top-class horses are super hard to find.
“There were 20 horses in the race today who thought they had a chance of winning the 1000 Guineas and there’s only one winner, so you’ve got to savour the moment when you can get those victories.”
Bin Suroor has saddled close to 200 Group One winners around the world during his long and illustrious training career, with names such as Dubai Millennium, Daylami, Sakhee, Swain and Lammtarra adoring his CV. But it had been 14 years since Mastery provided him with the most recent of his 12 previous Classic triumphs in the 2009 St Leger.
The hugely popular trainer has had to watch on as his fellow Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby has become the sport’s dominant force, and Bin Suroor was delighted to show that when given the ammunition he can still get the job done.
He said: ““I think this my 195th Group One winner around the world.
“It means a lot as it has been a long time since we won a Classic race in England. It means a lot to myself, Godolphin and the sport also. It has taken us a long time to win another 1000 Guineas.
“Charlie and myself are a good team. He worked for me for a long time and he has become one of the best trainers now. We are good friends.
“When we started we had very good horses in those days but recently things have been slow with the quality of horses but luckily when I saw this filly start to work, despite her being tiny, she showed her class.
“We ran her in Group races last year and she managed to win one in England then we stepped her up to a mile in Dubai and she won the Jumeirah Fillies Guineas well.
“We talked to Sheikh Mohammed and he let her run in the Guineas today and Oisin gave her a good ride. She has a big heart and I thought she was going to win when they were close.
“I thought she would do well as her last two pieces of work here in Newmarket were brilliant.
“It is a great boost for the stable and everybody at the yard will be really happy.”
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Zarinsk dictated affairs to run out a convincing winner the Cornelscourt Stakes as Ger Lyons and Colin Keane enjoyed a big-race double at Leopardstown.
The daughter of Kodiac was a classy operator at two and was not disgraced on her return here when third behind Aidan O’Brien’s Classic contender Never Ending Story over seven furlongs in the “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes – form significantly boosted by the effort of runner-up Matilda Picotte in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Upped to a mile for this Group Three event, the Juddmonte-owned filly was quickly to the fore under and once Keane kicked for home rounding the home bend the 11-2 shot soon drew clear of the chasing pack who were unable to reel her in close home.
Zarinsk (11-2) makes pretty much all of the running in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes @LeopardstownRC 👀@ctkjockey was bold and brave from the front, but he had an ultra-willing parter in the three-year-old daughter of Kodiac. pic.twitter.com/3LbUDPUn6K
“She’s honest and is surprisingly light compared to what she looks like. I don’t think ground is any issue to her. That ground is horrible, good ground would be no problem to her,” said Lyons.
“It’s pure heart that keeps her doing that. I’d love her to relax more and help him get it a bit easier.
“It’s been all about black type for her and we’ll go Group Two with the hope that she matures into a horse for here on (Irish) Champions Weekend.
“As Colin says if she is going to be at the very top table it might be over in America.”
In the very next race the trainer and jockey combined to land the Group Three Amethyst Stakes with Power Under Me (9-1).
Power Under Me (front) ridden by jockey Colin Keane wins the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)
A Listed winner over course and distance last October, the five-year-old came home with a late rattle to down Fozzy Stack’s You Send Me by half a length.
“That’s more like it, but Colin said it turned into a bit of a sprint which probably suited him and maybe gives a false reading on the horse,” Lyons continued.
“He’s probably between trips, not an out-an-out miler and not quick enough for the proper sprints anymore.
“He loves the ground and you can see that with his confirmation and his action. I thought that type of race was within his remit but his last two runs didn’t fill me with any confidence.
Power Under Me (9-1) bounces back to form in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes @LeopardstownRC 🏇
Ger Lyons' five-year-old had underperformed on his first two starts this season, but this time makes absolutely no mistake under @ctkjockeypic.twitter.com/mqTFF0qHUj
“Seven furlongs to a mile and Listed or Group Three is his thing. You will never see him on anything quicker than good to soft.
“The only negative is that Vincent (Gaul, owner) is not here today as he’s at home at a house party. He loves his racing and it’s a pity he’s not here to see him.”
The victory brought up a 107-1 treble on the card for Keane having also won aboard Dermot Weld’s Azazat earlier on the card.
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2.72063761-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-05-07 16:40:072023-05-07 16:40:07Zarinsk and Power Under Me at the double for Lyons
Jessica Harrington could have a Betfred Derby contender on her hands after Sprewell recorded an imperious victory in the Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.
Following two respectable runs in maidens last term, the son of Churchill broke his duck when winning a heavy ground four-runner event at Naas in March.
That win came over a mile, but he thrived for the move up to 10 furlong here – quickening clear from Proud And Regal and Londoner shortly after a furlong out and he was still lengthening away from the running-on second Up And Under in the closing stages to finish three lengths to the good.
Sprewell (8-1) sprouts wings in the Derby Trial Stakes @LeopardstownRC 👀@Jessica_Racing's strapping son of Churchill has all sorts of lofty entries.
He was cut from 20-1 from 50-1 for the Epsom Classic on June 3 by Betfair, but the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly a day later also appears an option for the upwardly mobile colt.
“We’re very, very happy. We kind of let him down after he won in Naas and he got a bit fat on us so we had to be quite hard on him the last 10 days and he’s come good today,” said Kate Harrington, assistant trainer to her mother.
“He’s got fancy entries everywhere. I know it would be the owner’s dream to go to the English Derby, but we’ll see how he comes out of this. France could be an option as he is very good on soft going.
Sprewell and connections after winning the Derby Trial Stakes (PA)
“Mum and Khalid (Abdul Rahaim) will have a chat and see where we go from here. I think he’s a proper horse and as good as we’ve ever had at that distance.
“I’d say the further he goes the better he’s going to get. He’s a really exciting horse and personally I think he’s only 80 per cent there and there is a good bit more improvement.”
The 6-4 favourite Proud And Regal kept on well for third and trainer Donnacha O’Brien was pleased to see his Group One-winning juvenile blow away the cobwebs.
He said: “I thought he ran well and the first run of the year he might have got a bit tired. The last furlong he got a bit of a bump and he might have just had a blow.
“I thought it was a satisfactory run and we’ll make a plan from here.
“He was just a little bit rusty for his first run of the year.”
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Mawj gained a scintillating success in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, getting the better of favourite Tahiyra after an epic duel up the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the Exceed And Excel filly showed guts aplenty under a superb ride from Oisin Murphy to score by half a length.
The 9-1 winner had to do the hard work on the near side as the 20-strong field split into two groups – and it always looked like being a two-horse battle from the dip.
Tahiyra fell out of the stalls, but made silky-smooth headway under Chris Hayes and the Dermot Weld-trained filly looked the most likely winner a furlong out.
However, on her first start of the season, the Moyglare winner – sent off the 6-4 market leader – just lost out to the battle-hardened Mawj, who had twice won in Meydan over the winter.
The pair were seven and a half lengths clear of Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte, who had helped the set the pace on the far-side group and stuck to her guns gallantly. Caernarfon was fourth at 50-1 for Jack Channonn.
It was a welcome return to the big-race winner’s enclosure for Bin Suroor and his third success in the race following Cape Verdi (1998) and Kazzia (2002), while it was Murphy’s second Classic after Kameko’s 2000 Guineas win in 2020.
Bin Suroor said: “I think this is Group One number 195 around the world.
“The filly was doing well before the race. If you saw her last year she was really tough and strong. She is a tiny filly, but she has a big heart. She is a Group Two winner here and unbeaten in Dubai.
“I spoke to Sheikh Mohammed before we ran her in Dubai over a mile. We tried her over a mile and she did well out in Dubai. I talked to Sheikh Mohammed before we declared her and it was a great decision from him, and the filly won well – we’re happy with her.
“Me and Charlie (Appleby) are a good team and he was with me for a long time before becoming the best trainer now. We’re good friends and have the best horses in the country, maybe even the world in our stables. We will sometimes have luck like with Mawj today, she’s a nice filly.
“We will keep options open and see how she comes out of the race. She’s entered in French Guineas but that is probably too close to this race, but she is also in the Irish Guineas so we will take to Sheikh Mohammed and will make a decision after a week.”
Former champion Murphy – who this season has returned to the saddle following a 14-month riding ban – said: “The sun is beating down, there are lots of people here and she walked round like she was half asleep. When I got on her back I started to believe it could happen.
All smiles from winning connections (Nigel French/PA)
“I was worried there wasn’t a lot of pace in the race and I rode her a bit like Frankie (Dettori) rode Chaldean yesterday – I set my own fractions on the wing with no cover.
“It really was a very good training performance, she hasn’t run in nearly three months and I got a huge buzz out of that. These are such important races.”
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Via Sistina was a runaway winner in a strong renewal of the Howden Dahlia Stakes for jockey Jamie Spencer and trainer George Boughey.
The strapping daughter of Fastnet Rock, reportedly the biggest horse in the Newmarket yard, had won a Group Three at Toulouse in November, having finished runner-up on her first start for the yard in a similar contest at Newmarket.
Formerly with Joseph Tuite, the five-year-old was back down in trip to nine furlongs for her seasonal debut and relished the soft ground, travelling sweetly throughout the Group Two contest.
Keep looking, @JPSPENCER1980, but you are flying solo … ✈️
As the field split into two groups early, Spencer sat motionless on the far side as last season’s Falmouth winner Prosperous Voyage set the pace, and he was still on the bridle when the pace quickened.
With two furlongs to race Via Sistina, sent off the 5-2 favourite, was asked to quicken and she strode clear in tremendous fashion to score eased down by six lengths from Al Husn, who got the better of Astral Beau by half a length for the minor honours.
Boughey said: “She’s done very well over the winter and Jamie said he had them covered all the way.
“The ground is so key to her – she’s got a hell of a turn of foot in soft ground. Her work is good on decent ground, but when it’s soft I haven’t got anything to go with her, so this hasn’t come as a huge surprise. When the rain started to fall we were pretty happy.
Via Sistina in full flight (Nigel French/PA)
“She’s done it with consummate ease there. She’s not so free now, she’s able to relax and that’s going to enable her to get better and better.
“Even at the back end of last year we were talking about the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day as a realistic possibility. It’s been soft for the last however many years on Arc day and we’ll work back from that.
“The Pretty Polly on Irish Derby day is possibly the next step and she’s not sort of pace, so I think she’s pretty versatile trip-wise.
“I don’t really know what her trip is, but the softer the ground the better for her really.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2.72064640-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-05-07 15:25:312023-05-07 15:45:06Via Sistina oozes class in Dahlia Stakes cruise
John Gosden was hesitant to commit to a tilt at the Betfred Oaks with Running Lion following her dominant success in the Howden Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.
The three-year-old was sent off at 100-30 for the Listed contest following a hat-trick of all-weather wins and was always travelling strongly in the hands of Oisin Murphy.
Once given her head, Running Lion soon put clear daylight between herself and her rivals and passed the post with four and a half lengths in hand over the runner-up Sumo Sam.
Betfred immediately slashed the winner to 7-1 for 20-1 for Epsom – but having seen her sire Roaring Lion come up short in the stamina department when third in the 2018 Derby, Gosden raised the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, as a possible alternative.
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 7, 2023
“We’re delighted with her. We brought her down here for a piece of work and Oisin said we should go for the Pretty Polly rather than the 1000 Guineas as she’ll need the mile and a quarter, so we’ve made the right decision,” said the Clarehaven handler.
“Roaring Lion was a wonderful horse with all the Group Ones that he won. He won the Dante in tremendous style, we went to the Derby, he was the last one off the bridle and didn’t see out the mile and a half, so it will be very interesting with this filly whether she’s more Prix de Diane or a mile-and-a-half Oaks filly. We’ll have to give that a bit of thought.
“Anything’s possible and you’ve got more trials to come. There’s the Musidora at York and the Newbury trial and the filly of Sir Michael Stoute’s who won here on Friday (Infinite Cosmos) looked very classy, so we’ll see how it shapes up.”
John Gosden was delighted with Running Lion’s performance (Mike Egerton/PA)
He added: “The jockey’s first reaction was to possibly stay at a mile and a quarter and I’m always interested as to what they say when they come back straight away, not when they’ve had time to think.
“We made the mistake with Roaring Lion, who hit the line strongly in the Dante but didn’t see out the trip in the Derby, so we’ll give it a lot of thought.
“The idea would be to go to one of the Oaks, which one it is I don’t know. We won the Diane last year (with Nashwa) and it’s a wonderful race, you just don’t want a bad draw.”
HMS President finished with a flourish to secure top honours in the £100,000 Howden Handicap.
Torcello gave a bold sight in front for much of the one-mile-six-furlong contest, but was unable to resist the late charge of Alan King’s 7-1 shot, with a neck separating them at the line.
HMS President (right) gets up to score at Newmarket (Nigel French/PA)
Adjuvant also came home strongly to dead-heat with Torcello for second.
King’s assistant, Robin Smith, said of the Rossa Ryan-ridden winner: “I thought he got a bump early on and that lit him up and Rossa did a good job of managing him from then on.
“I thought if he could keep the horse on his outside (Adjuvant) behind him he’d keep finding and these big fields probably suit him as they go a gallop and come back to him if they go hard in front, like they did today.
“He’s a very talented horse and we’re very pleased to have him. The plan for some time has been to come here today and we’ll see where we go from here.”
Charlie Appleby followed up his earlier success with Adayar when newcomer On Point (8-11 favourite) dug deep to win the Howden British EBF Maiden Stakes.
The son of Blue Point is now likely to head to Sandown’s National Stakes before a Royal Ascot tilt.
“He’s been an honest little horse and a straightforward horse. He’s been very professional and we know the family on both sides so we were very keen to have a Blue Point winner.
“It’s fantastic and what you love to see is that he’s shown all the characteristics that his dad showed as a two-year-old, with showing up early and having natural speed. He was a bit fresh in the paddock when saddling beforehand, but you don’t mind that. You’d rather them get a feel for it all before the jockey gets on.
“As William (Buick) said, It’s hard to really assess as it was a bit of a two and a half furlong burn up, but he’s done it and knuckled down and we’ll hopefully get another run into him before we start making Ascot assessments. I’d say we’ll probably take a look (at the National Stakes), I’m always keen to try to get two runs in before Ascot.
“It’s a big day and a big occasion and sometimes you can lose a horse there (if you have only had one run previously). It takes a while to get them back and at least if they’ve cut their teeth a couple of times they’ve a bit better understanding of it all.”
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Former Derby and King George winner Adayar showed a clean pair of heels to his four rivals in the rescheduled bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket.
Charlie Appleby’s Frankel entire had been sidelined for 11 months before winning a conditions event at Doncaster in September and followed that with a half-length defeat to Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Making his seasonal bow as a five-year-old, William Buick’s mount was sent off the 5-6 favourite for the 10-furlong Group Three contest, which was saved after Sandown’s card was abandoned last weekend.
Back in business! 💥
Adayar, the 2021 Derby winner, makes a terrific seasonal debut in the Gordon Richards Stakes @NewmarketRace
Despite the soft ground, his supporters never had any cause for concern, as the Godolphin-owned runner tracked stablemate Highland Avenue, himself making his return after 428 days off.
While James Doyle set out to make all, Adayar settled superbly in behind and taking it up on the bridle approaching a furlong out, William Buick’s mount lengthened with the minimum of fuss, striding clear to win by two and a half lengths.
Anmaat, who had a 5lb penalty for winning the Prix Dollar at ParisLongchamp in October, was a little keen early on, but stayed on well under Jim Crowley to overhaul Highland Avenue for second late on.
Adayar was subsequently cut to 7-2 (from 6-1) for the Coronation Cup and 16-1 (from 33-1) for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Coral, with Betfair going 7-2 from 9-2 for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Adayar did it nicely on his return (Nigel French/PA)
Appleby is keen to head to the Royal meeting.
He said: “It’s tiring ground out there, he got tired and didn’t handle the dip, but good horses can overcome those negatives and still do what he’s done today.
“I’m very pleased to get him back on track, he’s had a nice experience out there today and he will definitely come forward for the run, so I’d imagine now it’s all systems go for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
“He and Hurricane Lane are two great racehorses and it’s great to get the pair of them back this week. We feel the mile and a half is going to be Hurricane Lane’s division this year and I’ve always wanted Adayar to try to win a Group One over a mile and a quarter as it will look very good on his CV.
“Better ground at Ascot would suit him, for sure. They went a sensible gallop today, but I think in a Prince of Wales’s where he’ll get a good, strong gallop to run at it will suit him really well, and we know he loves Ascot.
He added: “It was a frustrating time having to sit through the summer with him last year. We saw some great racehorses, but we had a horse that we were very excited about in the spring miss three-parts of the season. Hopefully we’ll make a bit of headway again this year.”
He said: “It was a solid run. I thought we were up against it giving 5lb to Adayar and he’s run his race. He needed to get his season started so I thought it was a good solid run. He battled away and it’s tough out there, it’s hard work.
“It was his first run of the year and we were giving away 5lb, so it’s solid. He’s in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in around three weeks’ time and the Prix d’Ispahan in France, so we’ll see how he comes out of this.
“We might try him over a little bit further at some stage. I don’t know when, but we’ll see.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2.72062025-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-05-07 13:39:562023-05-07 13:50:06Adayar makes the perfect return to action at Newmarket
Royal Scotsman will be aimed at a rematch with Chaldean in the St James’s Palace Stakes following his third-place finish in the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, the son of Gleneagles went into the first Classic of the year having run Andrew Balding’s colt to a head in the Dewhurst in the autumn and was an 11-1 shot to turn the tables on Chaldean on his reappearance.
However, having been lit up by a bump early into the one-mile showpiece, Royal Scotsman’s petrol gauge began to flash red inside the final furlong at the same time Frankie Detorri and Chaldean were hitting top gear, with the Group Two scorer having to settle for the bronze medal in the hands of Jim Crowley.
Just over two lengths separated the pair at the finish and Paul Cole is confident he will be able to get Royal Scotsman to settle better throughout his races before the duo lock horns again over a mile at Royal Ascot.
He said: “Being his first run back wasn’t a problem. He got a little nudge at the start and that got him on his toes a little bit and he did too much in the first half of the race.
“If I can get him to settle right, which I think I can do as he is not a silly horse, he will finish better.
“We will almost certainly have a go at the winner again at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes as timing wise it is about right.
“I don’t think the ground was the issue. He simply got a bit keen today and that didn’t help him finish.
“Last year when everything went well, another few yards against Chaldean in the Dewhurst and we would have won.
“He has got the better of us twice now but hopefully we can get the better of him at Royal Ascot as that is where it counts.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2.68072423-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-05-07 10:58:492023-05-07 10:58:49Royal Scotsman camp looking forward to another clash with Chaldean
Connections of outsider Qipco 2000 Guineas runner-up Hi Royal were not surprised their colt outran his huge odds of 125-1 at Newmarket.
The Kevin Ryan-trained three-year-old only gave best to Chaldean inside the final furlong, despite veering across the track at one point, beaten a length and three-quarters at the line.
Royal Ascot may now beckon for the son of Kodiac, who was having just his fourth career start.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Jaber Abdullah, said: “That was no surprise as Kevin Ryan told us in the paddock that he thought the horse could run a big race and that he thought he would handle the ground.
“Kevin wants to get him home and see where we go next but he could be a Royal Ascot type.”
Oliver Cole, joint-trainer of third-placed Royal Scotsman along with his father Paul, is keen to take on the winner again at Royal Ascot.
“He’s run a massive race to be third, but he was a bit too keen in the early stages. He had no problem with the ground as he goes on anything,” said Cole.
“It was always the idea to come straight here and hopefully he can improve from this and we can have another crack at the winner at Royal Ascot.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin, the 13-8 favourite, disappointed and came home 12th under Ryan Moore after failing to land a blow.
Stablemate Little Big Bear also disappointed and trailed home last under Wayne Lordan.
O’Brien said: “It was a little bit of a non-event. It was a non-event for Ryan’s horse and then Wayne’s horse got badly bumped and just got lit up. The whole thing was a bit of a non-event really. The travelling over is what it is.”
Auguste Rodin 💙 🧡
Ballydoyle’s son of Deep Impact taking it all in during the QIPCO 2000 Guineas prelims. pic.twitter.com/sdTg1DxSge
Lordan added of his mount: “He jumped smart and felt like he wanted to show me his pace. We didn’t go mad for the first two furlongs, something caught my heel and it wasn’t ideal after I’d gone two furlongs or so.
“It was a little bit of everything, so we’ll see what comes out of it.”
Kieran Shoemark, rider of Galeron who finished fourth as a 150-1 shot, said: “He’s run a massive race and he was well overpriced. I was wheel spinning early on, so he’s run well despite the ground. He’s a good horse.”
While Daniel Muscutt, rider of the fifth-placed Dubai Mile, confirmed he stayed the trip very strongly and that the Derby now beckons for him.
He said: “It was a great run. I hit the gates nicely and travelled comfortably. The ground has helped, he hit a bit of a flat spot but saw out his race really well and hit the line great.”
James Doyle, rider of the sixth-placed Noble Style, said: “He ran super and I’m delighted with him. It probably just stretched him a bit in this ground but he travelled tremendously. I got a lovely position in the race just behind Frankie (Dettori, on Chaldean), but his stamina just didn’t last out.”
David Egan felt Mill Reef winner Sakheer would be better off dropping back in trip after finishing seventh.
“I was really pleased with the way he ran. There was a lot of hustle and bustle in front of me but I took him back and he settled into a lovely rhythm,” said Egan.
“The race unfolded on the other side, which I wasn’t really anticipating. Chaldean was a great winner and he was drawn low, but I was expecting it to unfold on my side early. When I asked him to quicken he seemed to handle the ground, but maybe a mile on soft ground is stretching him too far.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2.72045313-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-05-06 18:31:422023-05-07 10:25:06Royal lives up to Hi hopes with Classic second
‘She has run a wonderful race’ – Weld so proud of Tahiyra in defeat
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMDermot Weld felt the lack of a recent run cost Tahiyra, who finished a close-up second to Mawj in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The Aga Khan-owned daughter of Siyouni had been vastly impressive when taking the Moyglare on her last run in September.
However, her trainer felt that she would have benefitted from an extra couple of weeks and having made a tardy start from the stalls in the mile fillies’ Classic, she had plenty of ground to make up.
The fact that Chris Hayes’ mount got within half a length of the Saeed bin Suroor-trained winner, following a ding-dong battle from the dip, said plenty about her ability.
After the 6-4 favourite’s defeat, Weld said: “She ran a big race, probably the ground was a shade slow for her.
“We know she has a lot of pace, a lot of speed. She has run a wonderful race – she was seven and a half lengths ahead of the third.
“She has run a very good race. The ground just takes the real speed off her. She’s run, she’s quickened, and Chris Hayes has probably told you that there is another gear there we didn’t just quite get today.
“I’m thrilled with her, she has put in a wonderful performance. I would like to have seen the head-on, as Chris did feel she was carried across a bit.”
Weld left it until late before giving Tahiyra the go-ahead for Newmarket, after he felt she could have done with a little more time.
He explained: “Because of the weather and things we had, I had to be careful of my training of her.
“I would have liked to have got a prep race before today. She only had two runs as a two-year-old.
“The ideal plan was to give her a run in Classic trial a couple of weeks ago. The ground has been very heavy and I didn’t want to pull the guts out of her.
“So we came into the race slightly undercooked. We had her 95 per cent and we didn’t have her 100 per cent and we have got beaten half a length.”
When asked about the possibility of running in the Irish equivalent in two weeks’ time, Weld added: “We’ll see how she comes out of the race. She has had a tough, hard race. I have another Aga Khan filly called Tarawa that ran a very nice prep for the Irish Guineas at Leopardstown today – she was second (to Zarinsk). She is a very sweet filly and she was always on my mind for that, but let’s see.
“I’m very proud of her – she has run a great race. There’s lots of places we can go with her – she’s run big. I’m delighted with her. Full marks to the winner.”
Kieran Cotter will send Matilda Picotte to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after her third-place finish under Ronan Whelan.
Like the winner, she had a busy juvenile campaign, running six times, although she was trying a mile for the first time, having finished runner-up to Never Ending Story at Leopardstown on her three-year-old debut.
Cotter said: “We are all here and are absolutely over the moon. It was brilliant – she got some cheer in the stands, I can tell you. There are about 20 or 30 of us here.
“We said coming here that third was up for grabs and we knew we had a serious chance of third. We knew she’d be running on fresh air late on, but she is a marvellous filly.
“The track is tailor-made for her, because she has so much pace and she can trap down, cruise down into the dip for the climb home.
“I doubt she will run over the mile again. We’ll go back down to six (furlongs) for the Commonwealth Cup. I think she’ll go straight there to Royal Ascot. We’ll make sure we enjoy the celebrations!”
Joe Fanning, who rode Dance In The Grass to finish fifth at odds of 200-1, felt she would benefit for going up in distance after staying on well.
He said: “She ran a great race, I just got lost a bit halfway. She stayed on very well and is crying out for extra trip.”
Ryan Moore was a place behind aboard Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf winner, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Meditate.
“She ran respectably. The ground wouldn’t have been in her favour,” Moore said.
Olivia Maralda (125-1) was seventh under David Egan, who said: “I was pleased with the way she ran and I think she’ll be a better filly on top of the ground.
“I thought she was going to be fourth best the last two furlongs, but being on that tacky ground on the last couple of hundred yards up the hill caught her out. She’s a tough filly.”
Frankie Dettori, victorious aboard Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday, was eighth on his final 1000 Guineas ride.
His mount, Lezoo, was always up against it on ground that was too soft for her.
He said: “We tried but we’ll go back to sprinting.”
In contrast, 17-year-old sensation Billy Loughnane was having his first ride in a Classic and finished 14th aboard another 200-1 chance, Sweet Harmony.
He said: “It was a good run. Me and Spence (trainer Richard Spencer) thought we’d try something (and race on the near side) as it hadn’t been raced on for the last few days.
“It probably didn’t pay off in the end, but she’s run well and she’ll be putting her head in front soon.
“That was a class experience. It’s amazing the speed they go in those races! She’s run a cracker.”
Bin Suroor and Murphy thrilled to be back at the top table
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMSaeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy were thrust back into the spotlight, with Mawj emerging triumphant in an epic renewal of the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
While neither is any stranger to big-race success, for differing reasons victories at the top table have been harder to come by in recent times.
Murphy was champion jockey for three seasons on the trot between 2019 and 2021, but last year was a troubling one for the rider as alcohol and Covid breaches led to him serving a 14-month suspension imposed by the British Horseracing Authority.
But having made his comeback in mid-February, a man of Murphy’s talents was never going to be left sitting in the weighing room when the top prizes are up for grabs and the 27-year-old proved why with a masterful ride aboard Mawj, for a first success in the Rowley Mile Classic having won the 2000 Guineas with Kameko in 2020.
“All the Group Ones are important and it’s a relief as well. The Guineas are such important races,” he said afterwards.
“I was on a long losing run here at Newmarket. I had four full racedays with no winner here and lots of chances and I couldn’t get on the scoresheet, but Teumessias Fox won yesterday and Running Lion was so impressive earlier, so I went out on Mawj full of confidence.”
On securing a Classic winner so soon after his return, Murphy added: “It’s beyond my wildest dreams. I had a really good start back thanks to lots of different trainers supporting me. Just to get back in the big races with a crowd here, it’s a great feeling.
“All the Group One winners mean a lot, even my first winner back meant a lot. I just realise, particularly as I’ve got older, these top-class horses are super hard to find.
“There were 20 horses in the race today who thought they had a chance of winning the 1000 Guineas and there’s only one winner, so you’ve got to savour the moment when you can get those victories.”
Bin Suroor has saddled close to 200 Group One winners around the world during his long and illustrious training career, with names such as Dubai Millennium, Daylami, Sakhee, Swain and Lammtarra adoring his CV. But it had been 14 years since Mastery provided him with the most recent of his 12 previous Classic triumphs in the 2009 St Leger.
The hugely popular trainer has had to watch on as his fellow Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby has become the sport’s dominant force, and Bin Suroor was delighted to show that when given the ammunition he can still get the job done.
He said: ““I think this my 195th Group One winner around the world.
“It means a lot as it has been a long time since we won a Classic race in England. It means a lot to myself, Godolphin and the sport also. It has taken us a long time to win another 1000 Guineas.
“Charlie and myself are a good team. He worked for me for a long time and he has become one of the best trainers now. We are good friends.
“When we started we had very good horses in those days but recently things have been slow with the quality of horses but luckily when I saw this filly start to work, despite her being tiny, she showed her class.
“We ran her in Group races last year and she managed to win one in England then we stepped her up to a mile in Dubai and she won the Jumeirah Fillies Guineas well.
“We talked to Sheikh Mohammed and he let her run in the Guineas today and Oisin gave her a good ride. She has a big heart and I thought she was going to win when they were close.
“I thought she would do well as her last two pieces of work here in Newmarket were brilliant.
“It is a great boost for the stable and everybody at the yard will be really happy.”
Zarinsk and Power Under Me at the double for Lyons
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMZarinsk dictated affairs to run out a convincing winner the Cornelscourt Stakes as Ger Lyons and Colin Keane enjoyed a big-race double at Leopardstown.
The daughter of Kodiac was a classy operator at two and was not disgraced on her return here when third behind Aidan O’Brien’s Classic contender Never Ending Story over seven furlongs in the “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes – form significantly boosted by the effort of runner-up Matilda Picotte in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Upped to a mile for this Group Three event, the Juddmonte-owned filly was quickly to the fore under and once Keane kicked for home rounding the home bend the 11-2 shot soon drew clear of the chasing pack who were unable to reel her in close home.
“She’s honest and is surprisingly light compared to what she looks like. I don’t think ground is any issue to her. That ground is horrible, good ground would be no problem to her,” said Lyons.
“It’s pure heart that keeps her doing that. I’d love her to relax more and help him get it a bit easier.
“It’s been all about black type for her and we’ll go Group Two with the hope that she matures into a horse for here on (Irish) Champions Weekend.
“As Colin says if she is going to be at the very top table it might be over in America.”
In the very next race the trainer and jockey combined to land the Group Three Amethyst Stakes with Power Under Me (9-1).
A Listed winner over course and distance last October, the five-year-old came home with a late rattle to down Fozzy Stack’s You Send Me by half a length.
“That’s more like it, but Colin said it turned into a bit of a sprint which probably suited him and maybe gives a false reading on the horse,” Lyons continued.
“He’s probably between trips, not an out-an-out miler and not quick enough for the proper sprints anymore.
“He loves the ground and you can see that with his confirmation and his action. I thought that type of race was within his remit but his last two runs didn’t fill me with any confidence.
“Seven furlongs to a mile and Listed or Group Three is his thing. You will never see him on anything quicker than good to soft.
“The only negative is that Vincent (Gaul, owner) is not here today as he’s at home at a house party. He loves his racing and it’s a pity he’s not here to see him.”
The victory brought up a 107-1 treble on the card for Keane having also won aboard Dermot Weld’s Azazat earlier on the card.
Sprewell powers into Derby reckoning with Leopardstown win
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMJessica Harrington could have a Betfred Derby contender on her hands after Sprewell recorded an imperious victory in the Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.
Following two respectable runs in maidens last term, the son of Churchill broke his duck when winning a heavy ground four-runner event at Naas in March.
That win came over a mile, but he thrived for the move up to 10 furlong here – quickening clear from Proud And Regal and Londoner shortly after a furlong out and he was still lengthening away from the running-on second Up And Under in the closing stages to finish three lengths to the good.
He was cut from 20-1 from 50-1 for the Epsom Classic on June 3 by Betfair, but the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly a day later also appears an option for the upwardly mobile colt.
“We’re very, very happy. We kind of let him down after he won in Naas and he got a bit fat on us so we had to be quite hard on him the last 10 days and he’s come good today,” said Kate Harrington, assistant trainer to her mother.
“He’s got fancy entries everywhere. I know it would be the owner’s dream to go to the English Derby, but we’ll see how he comes out of this. France could be an option as he is very good on soft going.
“Mum and Khalid (Abdul Rahaim) will have a chat and see where we go from here. I think he’s a proper horse and as good as we’ve ever had at that distance.
“I’d say the further he goes the better he’s going to get. He’s a really exciting horse and personally I think he’s only 80 per cent there and there is a good bit more improvement.”
The 6-4 favourite Proud And Regal kept on well for third and trainer Donnacha O’Brien was pleased to see his Group One-winning juvenile blow away the cobwebs.
He said: “I thought he ran well and the first run of the year he might have got a bit tired. The last furlong he got a bit of a bump and he might have just had a blow.
“I thought it was a satisfactory run and we’ll make a plan from here.
“He was just a little bit rusty for his first run of the year.”
Mawj digs deep to land epic Guineas for Bin Suroor and Murphy
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMMawj gained a scintillating success in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, getting the better of favourite Tahiyra after an epic duel up the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the Exceed And Excel filly showed guts aplenty under a superb ride from Oisin Murphy to score by half a length.
The 9-1 winner had to do the hard work on the near side as the 20-strong field split into two groups – and it always looked like being a two-horse battle from the dip.
Tahiyra fell out of the stalls, but made silky-smooth headway under Chris Hayes and the Dermot Weld-trained filly looked the most likely winner a furlong out.
However, on her first start of the season, the Moyglare winner – sent off the 6-4 market leader – just lost out to the battle-hardened Mawj, who had twice won in Meydan over the winter.
The pair were seven and a half lengths clear of Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte, who had helped the set the pace on the far-side group and stuck to her guns gallantly. Caernarfon was fourth at 50-1 for Jack Channonn.
It was a welcome return to the big-race winner’s enclosure for Bin Suroor and his third success in the race following Cape Verdi (1998) and Kazzia (2002), while it was Murphy’s second Classic after Kameko’s 2000 Guineas win in 2020.
Bin Suroor said: “I think this is Group One number 195 around the world.
“The filly was doing well before the race. If you saw her last year she was really tough and strong. She is a tiny filly, but she has a big heart. She is a Group Two winner here and unbeaten in Dubai.
“I spoke to Sheikh Mohammed before we ran her in Dubai over a mile. We tried her over a mile and she did well out in Dubai. I talked to Sheikh Mohammed before we declared her and it was a great decision from him, and the filly won well – we’re happy with her.
“Me and Charlie (Appleby) are a good team and he was with me for a long time before becoming the best trainer now. We’re good friends and have the best horses in the country, maybe even the world in our stables. We will sometimes have luck like with Mawj today, she’s a nice filly.
“We will keep options open and see how she comes out of the race. She’s entered in French Guineas but that is probably too close to this race, but she is also in the Irish Guineas so we will take to Sheikh Mohammed and will make a decision after a week.”
Former champion Murphy – who this season has returned to the saddle following a 14-month riding ban – said: “The sun is beating down, there are lots of people here and she walked round like she was half asleep. When I got on her back I started to believe it could happen.
“I was worried there wasn’t a lot of pace in the race and I rode her a bit like Frankie (Dettori) rode Chaldean yesterday – I set my own fractions on the wing with no cover.
“It really was a very good training performance, she hasn’t run in nearly three months and I got a huge buzz out of that. These are such important races.”
Via Sistina oozes class in Dahlia Stakes cruise
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMVia Sistina was a runaway winner in a strong renewal of the Howden Dahlia Stakes for jockey Jamie Spencer and trainer George Boughey.
The strapping daughter of Fastnet Rock, reportedly the biggest horse in the Newmarket yard, had won a Group Three at Toulouse in November, having finished runner-up on her first start for the yard in a similar contest at Newmarket.
Formerly with Joseph Tuite, the five-year-old was back down in trip to nine furlongs for her seasonal debut and relished the soft ground, travelling sweetly throughout the Group Two contest.
As the field split into two groups early, Spencer sat motionless on the far side as last season’s Falmouth winner Prosperous Voyage set the pace, and he was still on the bridle when the pace quickened.
With two furlongs to race Via Sistina, sent off the 5-2 favourite, was asked to quicken and she strode clear in tremendous fashion to score eased down by six lengths from Al Husn, who got the better of Astral Beau by half a length for the minor honours.
Boughey said: “She’s done very well over the winter and Jamie said he had them covered all the way.
“The ground is so key to her – she’s got a hell of a turn of foot in soft ground. Her work is good on decent ground, but when it’s soft I haven’t got anything to go with her, so this hasn’t come as a huge surprise. When the rain started to fall we were pretty happy.
“She’s done it with consummate ease there. She’s not so free now, she’s able to relax and that’s going to enable her to get better and better.
“Even at the back end of last year we were talking about the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day as a realistic possibility. It’s been soft for the last however many years on Arc day and we’ll work back from that.
“The Pretty Polly on Irish Derby day is possibly the next step and she’s not sort of pace, so I think she’s pretty versatile trip-wise.
“I don’t really know what her trip is, but the softer the ground the better for her really.”
Running Lion could be bound for Chantilly rather than Epsom
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMJohn Gosden was hesitant to commit to a tilt at the Betfred Oaks with Running Lion following her dominant success in the Howden Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.
The three-year-old was sent off at 100-30 for the Listed contest following a hat-trick of all-weather wins and was always travelling strongly in the hands of Oisin Murphy.
Once given her head, Running Lion soon put clear daylight between herself and her rivals and passed the post with four and a half lengths in hand over the runner-up Sumo Sam.
Betfred immediately slashed the winner to 7-1 for 20-1 for Epsom – but having seen her sire Roaring Lion come up short in the stamina department when third in the 2018 Derby, Gosden raised the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, as a possible alternative.
“We’re delighted with her. We brought her down here for a piece of work and Oisin said we should go for the Pretty Polly rather than the 1000 Guineas as she’ll need the mile and a quarter, so we’ve made the right decision,” said the Clarehaven handler.
“Roaring Lion was a wonderful horse with all the Group Ones that he won. He won the Dante in tremendous style, we went to the Derby, he was the last one off the bridle and didn’t see out the mile and a half, so it will be very interesting with this filly whether she’s more Prix de Diane or a mile-and-a-half Oaks filly. We’ll have to give that a bit of thought.
“Anything’s possible and you’ve got more trials to come. There’s the Musidora at York and the Newbury trial and the filly of Sir Michael Stoute’s who won here on Friday (Infinite Cosmos) looked very classy, so we’ll see how it shapes up.”
He added: “The jockey’s first reaction was to possibly stay at a mile and a quarter and I’m always interested as to what they say when they come back straight away, not when they’ve had time to think.
“We made the mistake with Roaring Lion, who hit the line strongly in the Dante but didn’t see out the trip in the Derby, so we’ll give it a lot of thought.
“The idea would be to go to one of the Oaks, which one it is I don’t know. We won the Diane last year (with Nashwa) and it’s a wonderful race, you just don’t want a bad draw.”
HMS President finished with a flourish to secure top honours in the £100,000 Howden Handicap.
Torcello gave a bold sight in front for much of the one-mile-six-furlong contest, but was unable to resist the late charge of Alan King’s 7-1 shot, with a neck separating them at the line.
Adjuvant also came home strongly to dead-heat with Torcello for second.
King’s assistant, Robin Smith, said of the Rossa Ryan-ridden winner: “I thought he got a bump early on and that lit him up and Rossa did a good job of managing him from then on.
“I thought if he could keep the horse on his outside (Adjuvant) behind him he’d keep finding and these big fields probably suit him as they go a gallop and come back to him if they go hard in front, like they did today.
“He’s a very talented horse and we’re very pleased to have him. The plan for some time has been to come here today and we’ll see where we go from here.”
Charlie Appleby followed up his earlier success with Adayar when newcomer On Point (8-11 favourite) dug deep to win the Howden British EBF Maiden Stakes.
The son of Blue Point is now likely to head to Sandown’s National Stakes before a Royal Ascot tilt.
“He’s been an honest little horse and a straightforward horse. He’s been very professional and we know the family on both sides so we were very keen to have a Blue Point winner.
“It’s fantastic and what you love to see is that he’s shown all the characteristics that his dad showed as a two-year-old, with showing up early and having natural speed. He was a bit fresh in the paddock when saddling beforehand, but you don’t mind that. You’d rather them get a feel for it all before the jockey gets on.
“As William (Buick) said, It’s hard to really assess as it was a bit of a two and a half furlong burn up, but he’s done it and knuckled down and we’ll hopefully get another run into him before we start making Ascot assessments. I’d say we’ll probably take a look (at the National Stakes), I’m always keen to try to get two runs in before Ascot.
“It’s a big day and a big occasion and sometimes you can lose a horse there (if you have only had one run previously). It takes a while to get them back and at least if they’ve cut their teeth a couple of times they’ve a bit better understanding of it all.”
Adayar makes the perfect return to action at Newmarket
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMFormer Derby and King George winner Adayar showed a clean pair of heels to his four rivals in the rescheduled bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket.
Charlie Appleby’s Frankel entire had been sidelined for 11 months before winning a conditions event at Doncaster in September and followed that with a half-length defeat to Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Making his seasonal bow as a five-year-old, William Buick’s mount was sent off the 5-6 favourite for the 10-furlong Group Three contest, which was saved after Sandown’s card was abandoned last weekend.
Despite the soft ground, his supporters never had any cause for concern, as the Godolphin-owned runner tracked stablemate Highland Avenue, himself making his return after 428 days off.
While James Doyle set out to make all, Adayar settled superbly in behind and taking it up on the bridle approaching a furlong out, William Buick’s mount lengthened with the minimum of fuss, striding clear to win by two and a half lengths.
Anmaat, who had a 5lb penalty for winning the Prix Dollar at ParisLongchamp in October, was a little keen early on, but stayed on well under Jim Crowley to overhaul Highland Avenue for second late on.
Adayar was subsequently cut to 7-2 (from 6-1) for the Coronation Cup and 16-1 (from 33-1) for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Coral, with Betfair going 7-2 from 9-2 for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Appleby is keen to head to the Royal meeting.
He said: “It’s tiring ground out there, he got tired and didn’t handle the dip, but good horses can overcome those negatives and still do what he’s done today.
“I’m very pleased to get him back on track, he’s had a nice experience out there today and he will definitely come forward for the run, so I’d imagine now it’s all systems go for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
“He and Hurricane Lane are two great racehorses and it’s great to get the pair of them back this week. We feel the mile and a half is going to be Hurricane Lane’s division this year and I’ve always wanted Adayar to try to win a Group One over a mile and a quarter as it will look very good on his CV.
“Better ground at Ascot would suit him, for sure. They went a sensible gallop today, but I think in a Prince of Wales’s where he’ll get a good, strong gallop to run at it will suit him really well, and we know he loves Ascot.
He added: “It was a frustrating time having to sit through the summer with him last year. We saw some great racehorses, but we had a horse that we were very excited about in the spring miss three-parts of the season. Hopefully we’ll make a bit of headway again this year.”
Owen Burrows was happy with Anmaat in defeat.
He said: “It was a solid run. I thought we were up against it giving 5lb to Adayar and he’s run his race. He needed to get his season started so I thought it was a good solid run. He battled away and it’s tough out there, it’s hard work.
“It was his first run of the year and we were giving away 5lb, so it’s solid. He’s in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in around three weeks’ time and the Prix d’Ispahan in France, so we’ll see how he comes out of this.
“We might try him over a little bit further at some stage. I don’t know when, but we’ll see.”
Royal Scotsman camp looking forward to another clash with Chaldean
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMRoyal Scotsman will be aimed at a rematch with Chaldean in the St James’s Palace Stakes following his third-place finish in the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, the son of Gleneagles went into the first Classic of the year having run Andrew Balding’s colt to a head in the Dewhurst in the autumn and was an 11-1 shot to turn the tables on Chaldean on his reappearance.
However, having been lit up by a bump early into the one-mile showpiece, Royal Scotsman’s petrol gauge began to flash red inside the final furlong at the same time Frankie Detorri and Chaldean were hitting top gear, with the Group Two scorer having to settle for the bronze medal in the hands of Jim Crowley.
Just over two lengths separated the pair at the finish and Paul Cole is confident he will be able to get Royal Scotsman to settle better throughout his races before the duo lock horns again over a mile at Royal Ascot.
He said: “Being his first run back wasn’t a problem. He got a little nudge at the start and that got him on his toes a little bit and he did too much in the first half of the race.
“If I can get him to settle right, which I think I can do as he is not a silly horse, he will finish better.
“We will almost certainly have a go at the winner again at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes as timing wise it is about right.
“I don’t think the ground was the issue. He simply got a bit keen today and that didn’t help him finish.
“Last year when everything went well, another few yards against Chaldean in the Dewhurst and we would have won.
“He has got the better of us twice now but hopefully we can get the better of him at Royal Ascot as that is where it counts.”
Royal lives up to Hi hopes with Classic second
/in Horseracing News/by DaveMConnections of outsider Qipco 2000 Guineas runner-up Hi Royal were not surprised their colt outran his huge odds of 125-1 at Newmarket.
The Kevin Ryan-trained three-year-old only gave best to Chaldean inside the final furlong, despite veering across the track at one point, beaten a length and three-quarters at the line.
Royal Ascot may now beckon for the son of Kodiac, who was having just his fourth career start.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Jaber Abdullah, said: “That was no surprise as Kevin Ryan told us in the paddock that he thought the horse could run a big race and that he thought he would handle the ground.
“Kevin wants to get him home and see where we go next but he could be a Royal Ascot type.”
Oliver Cole, joint-trainer of third-placed Royal Scotsman along with his father Paul, is keen to take on the winner again at Royal Ascot.
“He’s run a massive race to be third, but he was a bit too keen in the early stages. He had no problem with the ground as he goes on anything,” said Cole.
“It was always the idea to come straight here and hopefully he can improve from this and we can have another crack at the winner at Royal Ascot.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin, the 13-8 favourite, disappointed and came home 12th under Ryan Moore after failing to land a blow.
Stablemate Little Big Bear also disappointed and trailed home last under Wayne Lordan.
O’Brien said: “It was a little bit of a non-event. It was a non-event for Ryan’s horse and then Wayne’s horse got badly bumped and just got lit up. The whole thing was a bit of a non-event really. The travelling over is what it is.”
Lordan added of his mount: “He jumped smart and felt like he wanted to show me his pace. We didn’t go mad for the first two furlongs, something caught my heel and it wasn’t ideal after I’d gone two furlongs or so.
“It was a little bit of everything, so we’ll see what comes out of it.”
Kieran Shoemark, rider of Galeron who finished fourth as a 150-1 shot, said: “He’s run a massive race and he was well overpriced. I was wheel spinning early on, so he’s run well despite the ground. He’s a good horse.”
While Daniel Muscutt, rider of the fifth-placed Dubai Mile, confirmed he stayed the trip very strongly and that the Derby now beckons for him.
He said: “It was a great run. I hit the gates nicely and travelled comfortably. The ground has helped, he hit a bit of a flat spot but saw out his race really well and hit the line great.”
James Doyle, rider of the sixth-placed Noble Style, said: “He ran super and I’m delighted with him. It probably just stretched him a bit in this ground but he travelled tremendously. I got a lovely position in the race just behind Frankie (Dettori, on Chaldean), but his stamina just didn’t last out.”
David Egan felt Mill Reef winner Sakheer would be better off dropping back in trip after finishing seventh.
“I was really pleased with the way he ran. There was a lot of hustle and bustle in front of me but I took him back and he settled into a lovely rhythm,” said Egan.
“The race unfolded on the other side, which I wasn’t really anticipating. Chaldean was a great winner and he was drawn low, but I was expecting it to unfold on my side early. When I asked him to quicken he seemed to handle the ground, but maybe a mile on soft ground is stretching him too far.”