Thursday 16 April – Newmarket
A Class 4 maiden for fillies saw ten runners go to post, only one of which, LADY NAYEF (finished 4th today), had raced previously.
Last year Martyn Meade had 13 2yo winners from 51 runs (7/14 in October, with a LSP of 75.32) and he started this season where he left off. KURLAND, who cost 15000 euros was the first 2yo runner for the yard and she won by 3¾ lengths. Prominent throughout, she ran on well when shaken up to score at 8/1, having been available at 20/1 earlier in the morning. Her dam achieved her only win on debut and was subsequently placed in the National Stakes (Listed). She achieved a highest OR of 96. Other siblings have won at distances up to 9F (highest OR achieved 86). Immediately after the race, Meade said “She is a very exciting prospect, who had always worked really well at home. She was prepared for the moment and she has shown she was good enough. We will have a look at what time she did to see how good she is, then we can really get to work with her.”
SAKHEE’S JEM finished second for Gay Kelleway at 40/1. She was on the rail and up with the pace for most of the race but hung away from the rail in the final furlong. Having only cost 5000 guineas at the sales, she is related to several winners at distances up to 9F.
Ralph Beckett’s first 2yo runner of the season, MISS MONEYPENNY was in third. Available at 12/1 in the morning, she was returned at 11/2. She was held up in mid-division but was staying on towards the finish.. Purchased as a yearling for £42,000, she has siblings who have won at distances up to 1M (highest achieved OR of 96).
Of the other runners, HILLSIDE DREAM was the first runner for new sire Dream Ahead.
AWOHAAM for Richard Fahey was sent off 4/1 favourite. Before the race, Fahey told Sporting Life: ‘She’s quite a nice filly for all that she isn’t ideally drawn in three. She goes well, is sharp, and knows her job, so I’d hope she’ll go well.’ As it turned out, she was slow into stride and was never on terms.
NIDNOD, representing the in form Hugo Palmer stable, was with the leaders throughout but weakened over a furlong out and was beaten when hampered inside the last. She was available to back at 12/1 the night before the race and was sent off at 11/2. Presumably this support was because of Palmer’s successes yesterday and the fact that he said in his column on the Stan James website on 3 April: ‘We have a new colt called Gifted Master who will run in the first six weeks of the season, probably in April. We also have a colt by Cockney Rebel called Harry Champion. The filly who’s the most forward with a name is a filly from Myboycharlie called NIDNOD and she’s in the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. I think she ought to be running in about a month’s time.’
Sheikh Mohammed was present at Newmarket today to see Godolphin’s first 2yo runners of the season, SHOW DAY and SENSE OF FUN. However neither of these, both trained by Charlie Appleby, were ever in contention and finished in the last two places.
Thursday 16 April – Ripon
A Class 5 fillies maiden was won by Mel Brittain’s FRENCH. Whether it was her sale price of just £800 or the fact that her trainer had not had a 2yo winner since October 2013, she was available to back at 33/1 last night. However, she was obviously nibbled at throughout the morning as she opened on course (and started) at 14/1. On (the soon to be much missed) Timeform Radio, pundit Adam Brookes pointed out how much bigger she was than her rivals. Slowly into stride , she stayed on inside the final furlong to lead late on and win by 1½ lengths. Whether she can repeat this performance or if she was just physically stronger than her rivals remains to be seen.
Before the race, Richard Fahey suggested that ‘HYLAND HEATHER was a similar type to AWOHAAM (see above) and however the filly at Newmarket runs, she’ll do the same. I like her.’ She cost 85000 euros and by finishing second, it may be that she ran to her true potential and that AWOHAAM did not.
SMART MOVER finished fifth and this was probably a disappointing run as she failed to build on a promising first run behind TRIBESMAN in the Scottish Brocklesby.
NEWS UPDATE AND TRAINER QUOTES
Following yesterdays review, here are some more details of the quotes provided to Racing UK by Hugo Palmer after GIFTED MASTER’s victory at Newmarket: “When you win any maiden at this time of year, you have got to dream about things. All options are open for him – there is a valuable conditions race at Newbury on Lockinge day and that could time in quite nicely. Then we might look at the National Stakes as well. He was very babyish today and will be better over six, and by the end of the year will be better over seven furlongs. He is very full of himself and we have to keep working him to keep a lid on him . As long as he is busy, he is straightforward. He is an exciting horse going forward.”
Mick Appleby also gave his thoughts about the runner up, CITY OF STARS, “We had our first 2yo runner of the season at Newmarket today and he ran very well to finish second behind one who looks up to Group class so I was really happy. CITY OF STARS just got a bit unbalanced down the dip and was a bit green but he ran well enough to think he can win a maiden in a few weeks’ time and then we’ll assess what to do if that’s the case.”
Kevin Ryan has issued an update on his website regarding his two 2yos to have run so far. COMPANY ASSET ‘who ran a very promising third on debut’ (our review here) and more in depth comments following TAKING LIBERTYS victory yesterday at Beverley ‘TAKING LIBERTYS looks as though he wants 6f now and ran exactly how Kevin thought he might, outpaced early before making up ground in the second half of the race. In the end he was well on top at the finish and will improve for the run. Now he will have to be aimed for a novice race or conditions race but after seeing this performance there is plenty to look forward to for the coming months.’ The full comments and description of the race, including how Fergal Lynch was unshipped whilst mounting, can be seen at kevinryanracing.com
Two Year Old Racing 2015 