Monday 22 June
Wolverhampton 3.55 – 6F Maiden Stakes (Class 5) Standard
With APASIONA a non runner (temperature), this left seven runners, six colts and one gelding. Two of the colts were having their first runs.
ROULEAU started as the odds on favourite at 1/4. The Godolphin/Charlie Appleby colt had finished fourth on his only appearance to date, at Nottingham.
Always tracking the leader, he was brought to challenge over a furlong out and ran on to win by 2¼ lengths. Darley bred, he is out of a mare who won in Italy. She has produced winning foals from 6F to 10F, the best of which won Group 1 and 2 races at 6F.
RASHEEQ (Ismail Mohammed) followed the leader when he made his move but was one paced thereafter. He was unsold as a yearling and is the first foal from an unraced mare (a half sister won Listed races at 8F and 10F and was placed at Group 1 level).
Wetherby 6.10 – 7F Median Auction Maiden Stakes (Class 6) Good to Firm
All eight runners went to post for this maiden. There was one filly in the field and two newcomers.
The market suggested that this could be a match between Mark Johnston’s KING’S PAVILION (11/10) and RIOCA (2/1). The favourite had finished second on debut but then was disappointing when finishing third at Ayr as an odds on favourite. On her only previous run at Beverley, RIOCA (Sir Mark Prescott) was last with two furlongs to go but she made late progress to finish third.
On this occasion the market was spot on as KING’S PAVILION made all and was pushed clear to win by 2¾ lengths.
RIOCA chased the leaders but was one paced inside the final furlong and finished in second place.
ROCKLIFFE had finished over ten lengths behind KING’S PAVILION at Leicester, having previously finished third in a decent Newbury maiden. Today he finished in third again but a further five lengths back.
Emma Sayer, the rider of MY VALENTINO, reported that the gelding hung right. Ryan Powell, the rider of RIOCA, reported that the filly hung right.
Windsor 6.30 – 6F Median Auction Maiden Stakes (Class 5) Good
Nine colts and six fillies made up the field for this maiden and there were five newcomers.
There was support on course for several of the runners, namely STORMY ANTARCTIC (5/1 to 3/1), FLYING EMPRESS (7/1 to 5/1) and WILLSY (11/1 to 8/1).
Three of the newcomers made the frame as FLYING EMPRESS made a winning start for Ralph Beckett. She had taken the lead over two furlongs out and with the benefit of the rail, was driven out to win by ½ length. Purchased as a yearling for 9000 guineas, she was then resold at a Breeze Up sale for £60000. Her dam won a maiden in Ireland at 7F (on debut) and her only other foal to run remains a maiden after 25 starts.
CLEVER BOB (Joe Tuite) finished in second place and was staying on towards the finish. He cost 12500 euros as a foal and then 20000 euros as a yearling. His dam won a maiden in Ireland at 7F and she has produced winners between 7F and 11F (highest winning OR of 82).
A further ½ length back in third was STORMY ANTARCTIC for Ed Walker. He was slowly away and was still in the last pair around halfway. However brought widest of all to make his challenge, he was still going on at the finish. Purchased as a foal for 68000 guineas, he was then resold at a Breeze Up sale for 200000 guineas. He is the first foal from a mare won between 8F and 10F (highest winning OR of 93) and was placed in a Listed race in Sweden.
George Baker, the rider of STORMY ANTARCTIC, reported that the colt ran green. Sean Levey, the rider of HERRIDGE, reported that the filly hung left throughout. Adam Kirby, the rider of GIANT SHADOW, reported that the colt ran green.
Before the race a couple of trainers had commented on their horses’ chances:
JINKO’S APPROVAL (Ed de Giles): ‘He took a big step forward last time, lets hope that we can build on that run.’ – finished fifth.
BUSTA NELLIE (Simon Dow): ‘This Pastoral Pursuits filly made her racecourse debut towards the end of May, at Kempton. She was green that day and was slowly way at the stalls. She was always towards the rear of the field but was able to make up enough ground to travel with the main group. When the rest of them quickened she was unable to pick up with any real intent and faded quickly. She has come out of that race fine and she would have learnt a lot for the experience. She will continue to learn her trade tonight in what looks to be a very competitive maiden.’ – finished eleventh.
News Update
Following CHIRINGUITA’s win at Pontefract yesterday, James Bethell said: ‘She’s a very nice filly and we’ve always thought quite a lot of her at home. You never quite know until you get them to the track, but she’d been pleasing us and I hoped she’d run well. Hopefully she can go onto better things and I think we’ll probably try and get some black type and go for a Listed race with her next time. She is quite big and gangly, so I don’t think we’ll be in any great rush.’
She may have only beaten one rival in two starts but Julia Fielden is upbeat about the future for GO ON GAL: ‘She has got two runs under her belt now and has improved with each run so I’ll give her another at Windsor on Sunday. She will be in her element when the juvenile handicaps start in August and we will get a handicap mark after this run so then she will be in business.’
DRUID’S DIAMOND made his debut at Redcar, on Saturday, finishing fifth. Mark Walford: ‘He ran a really pleasing race, a bit green but will come on a lot for the run. With an immature two year old like him we don’t try and get them too tuned up at for their first run as he is a long term prospect and will get better with age and experience.’
EASTON ANGEL, second in the Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2), is set to race next at Newmarket on 10 July. Ritchie Fiddes, joint owner with Al Shaqab Racing said: ‘We’ve discussed her options and it will be the Duchess of Cambridge next. We were all delighted with how she ran, she just bumped into a freak. I always felt she’d get six furlongs and Paul [Mulrennan] and Michael [Dods] are confident six will suit her. It’s a stiff five at Ascot and she was closing all the way to the line, she should have no problems with it. She’s not ground dependent and her attitude is fantastic, you can take her anywhere. We all discussed it with Harry Herbert [Al Shaqab advisor] and even though you get more for coming second in the Super Sprint than winning the Group Two, we’re more interested in trying to win a Group race and get her more black type, we’re all singing off the same hymn sheet. It doesn’t look like she has any ground preference and she looks like she’ll stay further so there are lots of options later in the season.
Timeform have published a ratings update following Royal Ascot. The specific section on 2yos:
ACAPULCO was the star two-year-old of the week, winning the Queen Mary in the manner of a horse that’s arrived both willing and able to take on top sprinters. She’s rated 116p and, when her various allowances are factored in, would be among the top-rated should she go for the Nunthorpe. Most precocious two-year-olds aren’t taken down that bold route, though with such a game trainer (Wesley Ward) and owners (Coolmore) here’s hoping Acapulco might prove an exception.
That a filly put up the best juvenile performance of the week speaks highly of her more than it denigrates the other winners, who were largely around standard. The winners of the Coventry (BURATINO, 114) Windsor Castle (WASHINGTON DC, 106p) and Albany (ILLUMINATE, 109p) were all very close to five-year standards. The Norfolk (WATERLOO BRIDGE, 103) and Chesham (SUITS YOU, 106p) varied a little more, 3 lb below and above the standard respectively. BALLYDOYLE, the well-touted runner-up to SUITS YOU, is on 101p.
Two Year Old Racing 2015 