Wednesday 1 July
Thirsk 2.00 – 6F Maiden Auction Stakes (Class 5) Good to Firm
All fifteen declared runners stood their ground for this maiden. The field included eight fillies and there were six newcomers.
MECCA’S MISSUS was sent off the 7/4 favourite. Michael Dod’s filly had finished second on both of her outings to date, most recently over course and distance, when she tried to make all from a draw against the stands rail. The sixth horse from that race won a Class 5 maiden next time out.
Drawn in stall 10 today, she was smartly away but tracked the early leader before taking the lead over two furlongs out. From then on she was always in control and was pushed out to win by 1½ lengths.
POPSIES JOY (Tim Easterby) kept on from out of the pack to take second place. She had also had two previous races and last time out finished sixth at Pontefract (both the fifth and ninth won maidens on their next starts). She is from a mare who won in Italy and has produced one winning foal between 8F and 10F, also in Italy.
BACK TO BOND had been supported on his last start, in a Class 3 maiden at York , but could only finish sixth. Today, he finished a further ½ length back in third. Richard Fahey’s colt cost £3000 as a yearling and is the first foal from a mare who remained a maiden after seventeen starts.
There was a break of five lengths to the remainder of the field.
Afterwards, Dods said: ‘She is improving with each run. We thought she might want further but she keeps showing plenty of speed, however there is a lot of speed in the family. The first three were well clear and she had a good draw, which is important at Thirsk. She is very straightforward and will go on any ground. We will probably try to find a fillies’ nursery with her now and hopefully she will improve again.’
The Stewards noted that inside the final furlong, DOUGAL MAGIC, unplaced, hung quickly left interfering with SHOW PALACE, unplaced, but after viewing a recording of the race they were satisfied that it did not involve a riding offence. The Stewards noted that approaching the two furlong marker, IMSHI’S LITTLE BRO, unplaced, edged marginally right, influencing BOND’S TRICKS, unplaced, which in turn interfered with VINNIES VIXEN, unplaced, but after viewing a recording of the race they were satisfied that it did not involve a riding offence.
Graham Gibbons, the rider of BOND’S TRICKS, unplaced, reported that the gelding ran green. Paul Mulrennan, the rider of DOUGAL MAGIC (IRE), unplaced, reported that the colt ran green.
Thirsk 2.30 – 7F Seller (Class 6) Good to Firm
With BALQEES declared a non runner (rash), this left six runners to contest the seller. All of the runners had raced before.
David Evans had two runners in the field and of these, DYLAN ALEXANDER started as the 8/15 favourite. She had three races under her belt and, most recently, had finished fourth at Chester in a Class 4 maiden. There was support for SKY FERRY (Stan Moore) from 22/1 to 14/1. He was wearing a hood for the first time in a race.
Today, DYLAN ALEXANDER went into the lead from the start and led until the final strides going down by a neck (trading at 1.01 in the process). She is the first foal to race from a mare who won at 8F and 9F (highest winning OR of 80).
The winner was her stablemate, EDGEOFTHEFOREST (25/1). Driven from over three furlongs out, she raced towards the centre of the track in the straight and just got up (trading at 100 in running). She also had raced three times previously (all at 5F) but had only finished in front of three of her rivals and had been beaten over forty lengths in total. Purchased for 9500 euros as a foal, she was resold as a yearling for 3000 euros. Her dam was placed in France and she has produced a winning foal in Italy at 5F and 10F.
SKY FERRY, finished last of the six runners.
The Stewards held an enquiry into the use of the whip by Royston Ffrench, the rider of the winner, EDGEOFTHEFOREST, from approaching the two furlong marker. Having heard his evidence and viewed recordings of the race, they found him in breach of Schedule (B)6 Part 2 in that he had used his whip above the permitted level. The Stewards suspended Ffrench for 2 days as follows: Wednesday 15 July and Thursday 16 July 2015.
B.A. Curtis, the rider of SKY FERRY, reported that the gelding hung left handed throughout.
Bath 6.05 – 5F Maiden Auction Stakes (Class 6) Firm
There were four runners for this maiden after COVER CHARGE was declared a non runner. Three fillies, all who raced before and unraced colt made up the field.
David Evans had run two horses in the same race at Thirsk earlier today and did the same here. They were the market leaders, the favourite being PITY CASH at 10/11. She had been a non runner at Windsor on Sunday, when declared to be lame. Prior to that, she had contested the Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) but the saddle slipped after a furlong. On her debut at Goodwood, she was reported to have run green, when finishing third (the second won a Class 5 maiden next time out). DAVID’S BEAUTY had already had four races, most recently finishing second over 5½F here. There was some support for both of the other runners, Joe Tuite’s WHITSTABLE PEARL (6/1 to 4/1) and Tony Carroll’s newcomer TARGET FIXATION (10/1 to 8/1).
PITY CASH jumped out smartly and led. Although, DAVID’S BEAUTY and WHITSTABLE PEARL came to challenge over a furlong out, they were easily repelled and the favourite went on to win by six lengths. She cost 4000 euros and is from a mare who remained a maiden after twenty four starts. She has produced winning foals here and in Italy between 5F and 8F (highest winning OR of 65).
DAVID’S BEAUTY finished as runner up, bringing about the second Evans 1-2 of the day.
Kempton 7.15 – 7F Maiden Fillies Stakes (Class 5) Standard/Slow
WINTER ROSE was declared a non runner (bad scope) leaving eleven fillies for this maiden. There were seven debutantes.
HAWKSMOOR (Hugo Palmer) and RIBBING (Marco Botti), both newcomers, were sent off the 3/1 joint favourites; RIBBING had been available at double figure prices earlier in the day.
With three furlongs to go, HAWKSMOOR was in the final pair but was brought widest to challenge, took over in front with over a furlong to go and was pushed out to win in an impressive style by 3½ lengths. She holds an entry for a 7F Group 1 race in Ireland in September. Purchased for 80000 euros as a yearling, she is from a mare who remained a maiden after five starts and had not previously produced a winning foal.
DUTCH HEIRESS, for Sir Mark Prescott, had been unplaced on her two starts so far. She set out to make the pace and led until about a furlong from home. Whilst having no chance with the winner, she kept on to finish second. Cheveley Park Stud owned and bred, she is the first foal from a mare who remained a maiden after four runs
MIRROR CITY on debut for Godolphin / Charlie Appleby got up close home to finish in third place, a further 1¼ lengths away. Darley bred, she is from a mare who was placed in France. She has produced winning foals at 6F and 9F.
RIBBING finished in fourth place.
News Update
Richard Hannon on LOG OUT ISLAND after his third place in Ireland over the weekend: ‘It was probably a little bit quick for him, and you can tell that because he pulled a bit with his mouth wide-open. He’s better than that and we’ll find a Listed race, go down again and then come up.’ Regarding KING OF ROOKS: ‘He’ll probably go to the Molecomb. He’s a very fast horse and lost nothing in defeat [at Ascot].’
Two Year Old Racing 2015 