Tuesday 30 June
Hamilton 2.15 – 6F Maiden Stakes (Class 5) Good
Nine runners went to post, THE KNAVE was a non runner (going). There were three newcomers which included both of the fillies.
The market couldn’t split James Bethell’s FAST AND FURIOUS and David Brown’s ST GEORGES CROSS and they were sent off the 15/8 joint favourites.
FAST AND FURIOUS had lived up to his name on debut at Redcar when finishing in fourth place. He then finished second in a Class 3 maiden at York, the third winning a Class 6 maiden next time out. ST GEORGES CROSS had finished second at Nottingham on debut, the fourth won a Class 5 maiden next time out.
HIGHLY SPRUNG (Mark Johnston) had been sixth on debut before finishing in third place in a Class 5 maiden at Redcar. Today he led on the rail but over a furlong from home he drifted towards the centre of the track. However, it still appeared that he would hold on to win but another late dash from FAST AND FURIOUS put paid to this notion. James Bethell’s colt, reported as coltish throughout the preliminaries, had been worked on from about half way and was still several lengths down at the furlong pole. However, he came through on the rail, with a surging late run to win by 1¼ lengths.
HIGHLY SPRUNG had traded at a low of 1.20 in running (FAST AND FURIOUS at a high of 24) and finished in second place, a further length in front of ST GEORGES CROSS who had tracked the leaders but was one paced in the final furlong.
Chepstow 6.10 – 6F Maiden Stakes (Class 5) Good to Firm
Seven colts contested this maiden, only one was making his racing debut.
TASLEET had finished fourth on his debut in a Class 3 maiden at York. FAST AND FURIOUS (see above) had been the second winner to come out of this race. William Haggas’ colt was sent off the 8/15 favourite.
All of the runners came down the centre of the track, with the exception of EASTER MATE who raced against the stands rail. TASLEET was always prominent and with just over a furlong to run he was pushed out, quickly going clear to win by three lengths. He cost £52000 as a yearling and is from a once raced mare (a half sister to a 7F Group 2 winner). She has produced winning foals at 7F (highest winning OR of 90).
BEAR FACED had finished last of fifteen on debut at Windsor. This evening, he was behind early on but came to challenge two furlongs out and, whilst posing no threat to the winner, he kept on to finish second. Sir Mark Prescott’s colt cost 40000 guineas as a yearling and is the first foal from a mare who won between 6F and 9F (highest winning OR of 79).
News Update
Robert Cowell’s reaction to his 2yo runners on Saturday: ‘COMEDY NIGHT got an unlucky draw and got squeezed out at a vital moment in his run at Lingfield Park on Saturday afternoon. He is a great horse and we believe it will not be long before he has his day. WASLAWI had an encouraging first run out finishing 6th at Windsor on Saturday. He will certainly have improved for this run and we will look for some nursery handicaps for him later in the year.’
TWIN SAILS, a winner at Newbury and Salisbury is being targeted at the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood meeting. Dean Ivory: ‘We are in no hurry with Twin Sails but we are planning to target him at the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood as I think he needs to be stepped up in trip now. Although it was reported that the maiden he won was not one of the strongest renewals of it, several of the jockeys riding in the race have said that it was as hot as it has been in previous years. He had three things against him at Salisbury in that we probably ran him a week too soon after his other run, while the slight drop back in trip worked against him as you can see that he wants further than six furlongs. It was also on a more undulating track which was a bit of a disadvantage, but if he goes to Goodwood he will have to learn how to handle them. All in all it was a good run, but I am not going to excited about things just yet.’
LADY MACAPA, a winner at Newmarket on Friday, may well be bound for the Lowther Stakes (Group 2) at York. William Knight: ‘She has always been a nice filly and she ran well first time out, but that race took a lot out of her that day. She is a big filly and there was no rush to get her back as she has plenty of size and scope to make a nice three-year-old who will be even better with a bit of juice in the ground. I think the July meeting back here will come too soon and maybe we could look at something like the Lowther for her.’
Marco Botti in his review for June: The two year olds are running well with a good win from GERRARDS QUEST (Captain Gerrard) and DHAHMAAN (Kodiac) both winning this month. Dhahmaan is following up from his début win and swerved Royal Ascot to win a novice race at Chelmsford. “He won well and is now ready to step up in class and looks to be a nice type,” commented delighted racing manager Peter Harper. “The next plan for him is a listed race.”
Two Year Old Racing 2015 