Tuesday 26 May – Lingfield
Seven runners for a Class 5 fillies maiden over 6F – DALALAH was a non runner (cast in box). Only two of these fillies had raced before, both BURNING LOVE and OLIVIA POPE finishing down the fields on their respective debuts. As a consequence, the market was dominated by newcomers, TUTU NGURU and LOLLA FINCESS and it was this pair who filled the first two positions.
TUTU NGURU was available at 7/4 yesterday evening and was quickly backed in to 5/4 (eventually sent off at 4/5). She was held up but upon reaching the straight, was pulled wide and quickened clear to win by 2¼ lengths, under a hands and heels ride from Pat Cosgrave. William Haggas’ filly cost 175000 dollars as a yearling and is from a mare who won in USA and has previously produced a winner, also in USA.
LOLLA FINCESS (Richard Hannon) was also held up in similar fashion but whilst she made her move down the inside, she was no match for the winner. She cost 40000 euros as a yearling and is the first foal from a mare who remained a maiden.
The first two finished a further four lengths clear of KASHTAN, Harry Dunlop’s first 2yo runner of the season, who finished in third.
Oisin Murphy, the rider of OLIVIA POPE, reported that the filly ran green.
Tuesday 26 May – Redcar
Eleven fillies went to post for a 6F Class 5 maiden of which six were newcomers.
KATIE’S DIAMOND wore a hood for her debut and was sent off at 9/2 (available at 6/1 last night). Karl Burke’s filly was always travelling smoothly behind the leaders and when pushed out over a furlong from home, quickened away from the field to win by 4½ lengths. She cost 18000 euros from a mare who won in Germany. She has produced winners in France between 9F and 11F.
SMART MOVER (John Quinn) had been promising on her debut in the Scottish Brocklesby but failed to build on that performance next time out at Ripon. Although she had no chance with the winner, she kept on to finish in second place. She cost 35000 euros and is the first foal from a mare who remained a maiden after four runs.
UNDERDRESSED, for Keith Dalgleish, had finished third on debut at Ripon and had to be content with the same position today, a further neck away.
The Stewards held an enquiry into possible interference approaching the final furlong. Having heard their evidence and viewed recordings of the race they found that SMART MOVER, ridden by Phillip Makin, had interfered with WHISPERING SOUL. The Stewards found Makin in breach of Rule (B)54.1 and guilty of careless riding in that he manoeuvred right causing interference. They suspended him for one day.
The Stewards also noted that inside the final furlong UNDERDRESSED, placed third, had hung left interfering with ANDALUSITE but after viewing a recording of the incident they were satisfied that it neither involved a riding offence nor improved UNDERDRESSED’s placing.
Tuesday 26 May – Leicester
Three 2yo races at Leicester today, the first of which was a 5F Class 4 fillies maiden with ten runners; the non runner was the overnight favourite, LITTLE VOICE (rash). Only three of the runners had raced previously and two of these, JERSEY BREEZE and STROKE OF MIDNIGHT (both started at 7/2), were the only two horses who really got into the race.
JERSEY BREEZE (Mick Channon) was doing her best work at the finish on her debut when finishing third at Salisbury. Today, she chased the leader and was ridden to take the lead just over a furlong out. Despite hanging left, she went on to win by 3½ lengths.
STROKE OF MIDNIGHT finished sixth on her first run at Windsor and was keeping on at the finish. Today, she led until passed over a furlong out. When beaten, Richard Hughes didn’t push Richard Hannon’s filly and by the end of the race she had crossed the entire width of the track to finish on the far side. She is probably better than the 3½ length defeat suggests. Having been purchased for 45000 euros as a yearling, she is the first foal from an unraced Darley mare.
MERMAID, the second string Hannon runner, finished a further length back in third. She cost £8,000 as a yearling from a mare who remained a maiden after six runs (highest OR attained 63). Two previous foals are both maidens, in Britain and abroad.
VERY HONEST, a Godolphin newcomer for Saeed Bin Suroor, was backed on course from 3/1 to 15/8 favourite but could only finish in fourth place.
SARABI (Scott Dixon) was available to back last night at 50/1 (before the favourite’s withdrawal) and had been backed down to 8/1 at one point before returning to 14/1. She had been entered (but not declared) for the National Stakes, a Listed race due to be run at Sandown on Thursday. Presumably she has been showing some promise at home but, if so, this was not reproduced on the racecourse as she was never on terms and finished in eighth place. She cost 17000 guineas as a yearling from an unraced mare. She has produced one winner in a 7F maiden.
The next two races were a divided 6F Class 4 maiden. The first of these (5.00), had nine runners which included one filly. Three of the field had run previously.
Having had a 2yo winner earlier at Lingfield, William Haggas made it an across the card double when WAR DEPARTMENT made an impressive winning debut. Despite slightly missing the break, Tom Queally brought the colt to the front a furlong out and he ran on well to score by 4½ lengths. Originally sold as a foal for 42000 guineas as a foal, he was then resold as a yearling for 70000 guineas and then again at a Breeze Up sale for 160000 guineas. He is out of a mare who won one race in Italy and has produced two winners, both in Italy and at 5F.
After the race, Haggas told At The Races: ‘I haven’t been training him, he’s a breeze-up horse. If I had been training him a long time he wouldn’t have run as straight as that! He’s a lovely looking horse and his work has been OK. He cost 160,000 (guineas), but he looks worth it. He has a nice head on him, which is important. He was great today and you couldn’t fail to be impressed, so we can dream a bit. It (Royal Ascot) is the greatest meeting in the world and Bill Gredley (part-owner) is 82. He wants to dream and if the horse is well, we will be there.’
KING’S PAVILION led for most of the race but once he had been passed, he couldn’t respond and was allowed to come home in his own time. He is Darley bred from a Godolphin mare who won Princess Margaret Stakes (Group 3), was runner up in the Lowther Stakes (Group 2) before winning the Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1), all at 6F. Amongst the winners she has produced, is a full sister who won at 6F and 7F (highest winning OR 79).
THAQAFFA had previously finished fifth at Newbury in a decent maiden. Although he finished 4½ lengths behind the runner up, he was not given a hard ride when whatever chance he had had disappeared. However, he still finished over three lengths clear of the remaining runners.
The second division at 5.30 saw a field of nine go to post, including six newcomers and one filly.
GOLD MEDALLION had been priced up at 7/1 the previous evening but Mark Johnston’s colt was sent off the 6/4 favourite for his debut. He duly obliged and when shaken up to lead a furlong out, he stayed on to win by ¾ length. He cost 70000 euros as a yearling and is the second foal out of a mare who won a maiden in Ireland at 6F and later was placed in the 10F Musidora Stakes (Group 3) – the first to race is a maiden after six runs (OR 80).
The winner was chased home by SHAHBAR, another newcomer and trained by Marco Botti. He was ridden a furlong out and was staying on at the finish. Sold for 160000 guineas as a foal, he was later resold as a yearling for 320000 guineas. His dam was a Darley bred mare who remained a maiden after five starts but she has already produced a winning foal at 6F and 7F, including the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes.
MUNIRA EYES had made his debut in a Class 3 maiden at York during the Dante meeting. on that occasion, he was never a factor but was keeping on at the finish. There was money for Roger Varian’s colt last night (4/1 from 6/1) and he was eventually sent off at 9/2. Today he led early but once headed could only stay on at the same pace to finish third, a further 2¼ lengths away, but still three lengths clear of the remainder. He cost 78000 guineas as a yearling and is out of a mare who won a Listed race in Ireland over 6F before also winning in USA. She has produced winners between 7F and 8F, including a Grade 2 race in USA.
News Update
It has been reported that Richard Fahey’s BIRCHWOOD has been sold to Godolphin. Following wins at Doncaster and Newbury, Fahey effectively ruled the colt out of a trip to Royal Ascot. It will be interesting to see if that is still the case.
Two Year Old Racing 2015 