Saturday 25 April – Leicester
Eight runners went to post for this Class 5 maiden race. The market got the result spot on as SOAPY AITKEN, Clive Cox’s first 2yo runner of the season, duly obliged by 1¼ lengths. He was available to back at 7/2 last night and was supported in to 8/11 favourite at the off. He tracked the leaders and ran on to lead inside the final furlong (traded at 4.4 in the run). Bought for 25000 guineas, his dame won three times at 5F (highest winning OR 65) and a half sister won a 5F maiden before finishing 5th in the Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2), earning an OR of 95.
Mark Johnston’s ROGUES’ GALLERY had the experience having already run twice, finishing second at Bath on his latest outing. He had to fill the same position again and traded as short as 1.31 in defeat.
TIKTHEBOX finished third for David Brown. He cost 12500 guineas as a yearling and his dam was placed in the USA. The only winner from her five offspring to have raced came in a 10F handicap in Ireland (winning OR 52).
BUKLE was behind ROGUES’ GALLERY at Bath and finished a similar distance behind him again in finishing fourth.
The Stewards noted that RIO GLAMOROUS had interfered with WILLAWAY approaching the furlong marker but after viewing a recording of the race, they were satisfied that it did not involve a riding offence.
Saturday 25 April – Ripon
A Class 4 maiden with eight runners and, again, the market pointed the way to the winner. Tim Easterby had previously run two 2yos this season, neither being placed. However, EXCESSABLE changed that with a 3½ length victory. Tracking the leader, he led 1 furlong out and was pushed clear to justify the market support from 14/1 last night to 100/30 joint second favourite. Purchased for £6,000 as a yearling, he is the first foal of a dam who won races at 5F and 6F (highest winning OR 68).
The second and third both came into the race having had previous runs. RISK ADJUSTED pleased Ann Duffield when finishing second on debut at Redcar and had to settle for second again today.
FIRST BOMBARDMENT had previously been included on our Featured Horses list, based on his second places in both the English and Scottish Brocklesby Stakes. He was sent off as 9/4 favourite but despite going three lengths clear and leading for most of the race, could only finish in third today.
News Update and Trainer Quotes
Hugo Palmer has been speaking on Stan James’ website about GIFTED MASTER who has an entry at Ascot on Wednesday:
‘I was very pleased with Gifted Master’s debut last week. It was very impressive and exactly what we’d hoped he would do, although we didn’t expect him to do it as well as he did. We were very pleased with that and he’s entered to run again at Ascot on Wednesday in the conditions race there. I haven’t seen another two-year-old in England yet that would worry me. I’d be a bit more worried about the unraced ones to be honest. It’s early days, but he’s been working with older horses at home and he’s come out of the race pretty well so we’ll probably go to Ascot. He’ll learn more and we’ll have the chance to learn more about him. If he’s to win at Ascot then we’ll look at going straight to the Royal meeting, or we might go to Sandown and take him to the National Stakes. He’s a lovely colt and we’d be wanting him to win at Ascot before we think about that.’
Corals, like many other media outlets recently, have featured Richard Hannon’s string. However, his 2yo’s haven’t been reported in as much detail as his older horses; here are his comments:
‘We haven’t done a lot with the youngsters yet, but GREAT PAGE (f Roderic O’Connor – Areeda) won well at Windsor on Monday and will be aimed at the Albany, and here are a few of the others who have already got me dreaming. There’s a nice filly called ILLUMINATE (Zoffany – Queen Of Stars) who will go to Salisbury on 1,000 Guineas day; RECEDING WAVES (Dick Turpin – Welanga) was the last to be sold but they often turn out to be really good and he has been working brilliantly since, so if anybody wants a nice horse for Royal Ascot, the trainer’s third-share is for sale; NISSER (c Dream Ahead – Poppy Seed) cost £130,000 at Doncaster and is turning out to be really decent; LOGOUT ISLAND (Dark Angel – White Daffodil) has done one piece of work and already we like him a lot; Julie Wood has a Zebedee colt called DYLLAN (ex Luvmedo) who could be useful; BAY OF ST MALO (f Canford Cliffs – Distant Skies), PAPA LUIGI (c Zoffany – Namaadhej) and BLACKOUT (c Dream Ahead – Belle Masquee) are others to have shown promise at this early stage.’
Two Year Old Racing 2015 