York 1.45 – 5½F Maiden Stakes (Class 3) Good
CELEBRATION was a non runner (pulled shoe off) leaving a field of six colts. Half of the runners were newcomers.
William Haggas’ colt, AJAYA, was sent off the 4/9 favourite. He had been made favourite at Nottingham on his debut in a Class 5 maiden but finished in second, beaten ¾ length. On his next outing, he finished seventh in the Norfolk Stakes (Group 3) beaten about three lengths, having been slowly away.
He fully justified his short price as he was always prominent and took the lead over half way out. He was then pushed clear with a furlong to go and ran out a comfortable winner by 4½ lengths.
TOP OF THE BANK (Richard Fahey) had been the early leader and finished in second place, three lengths clear of the rest of the field. He had also been sent off favourite at Doncaster on his debut but could only finish in second place. He then finished third of seven at Haydock, the second horse in that race has since won a Class 5 maiden.
Ascot 1.55 – 6F Maiden Stakes (Class 3) Good to Firm
All eight declared runners went to post but DAWAA was withdrawn at the start leaving six colts and one filly. Two of the runners were having their first races. Richard Hannon supplied two of the runners, the favourite NISSER (11/10) and MADRINHO (12/1).
NISSER had been made favourite at Newmarket on his debut but finished third, 3½ lengths behind SHALAA (winner of a Group 2 race yesterday). There was a bit of support for David Menuisier’s outsider BIGMOUTH STRIKES (50/1 to 33/1).
It was a victory for the Hannon stable but it was MADRINHO who took the honours rather than the favourite. MADRINHO went on from the start on the stands side rail and was accompanied by RACE DAY (Saeed Bin Suroor). These two maintained their positions throughout and none of the other runners got into the race. In the end, MADRINHO managed to hold on by a neck.
MADRINHO had finished fourth at Newbury on debut over 6½ F; the winner of that race won next time out in a Class 3 stakes race. Purchased as a foal for 25000 euros, he was then resold as a yearling for £55000. He is from a mare who won in USA and has produced winning foals worldwide from 7F to 15F.
RACE DAY had finished seventh at Newmarket on debut over 7F. Darley bred, he is from a mare who won a Group 1 in France over 10F. She has produced winning foals between 5F and 10F (highest winning OR of 95), including a place in a Listed race at 8F.
NISSER finished in fourth place.
The Starter reported that DAWAA, trained by Mark Johnston, was unruly in the stalls and was withdrawn. The trainer’s attention was drawn to the restriction incurred under Rule (B)44 and informed that the filly could not run until the day after passing a stalls test.
Ted Durcan, the rider of BIGMOUTH STRIKES, which was pulled up, reported that the colt was reluctant to leave the stalls.
York 2.20 – 5F Nursery (Class 3) Good
Eight runners contested this nursery handicap, ALIZOOM was the non runner (bruised foot). Five of the runners had been previous winners and three of these carried 6lb penalties for wins in the last eight days.
LYDIA’S PLACE (Richard Guest) was sent off the 5/2 favourite. She was one of the runners carrying a penalty after her win in a novice stakes at Beverley last week. There was support for Geoff Oldroyd’s MAJESTIC BOND from 12/1 to 8/1. She had not been seen out since May when she finished eighth in the Class 2 Hilary Needler, having previously been sent off favourite for her first two races where she finished third on both occasions.
LYDIA’S PLACE set out the early pace and although the stalls were on the far side, the field came down the centre of the track. However, the saddle slipped before halfway and she came right over to the stands rail but Rob Hornby gave her a great run and managed to hold on to win by a head.
FASHIONABLE SPIRIT led home the chasing runners down the centre of the track and finished in second place. She had won her maiden at Ripon on her fourth start and most recently had finished second in a Class 2 stakes race at Windsor.
MAJESTIC BOND was keeping on close home and finished a further neck away in third.
The Stewards noted that approximately two furlongs out the saddle of winner, LYDIA’S PLACE, had slipped, resulting in the filly drifting right and causing slight interference to RAVENHOE, placed fourth, but after viewing a recording of the incident they were satisfied that it neither involved a riding offence nor improved LYDIA’S PLACE’s placing.
Alison Guest, trainer’s wife: ‘LYDIA’S PLACE is very quick, and we may go for a Listed race with her next.’
Ascot 2.30 – 6F Nursery (Class 4) Good to Firm
LOLLA FINCESS was a non runner (lame) which left a field of eleven. Nine of the runners were previous winners. SHOW ME AGAIN (David Dennis) was returned as the 3/1 favourite. There was some support for James Tate’s DREAM ISLAND (8/1 to 7/1). These were the only two unbeaten runners in the field.
ROULEAU (Charlie Appleby) was up with the early pace and took over in front two furlongs out. He had the benefit of the stands side rail but kept on well to win by ½ length. At Nottingham on debut, he had been beaten nearly two lengths when finishing fourth in a race won by SHOW ME AGAIN. He met today’s favourite on 8lb worse terms but still prevailed. More recently ROULEAU had won his maiden at Wolverhampton when an odds on 1/4 favourite.
Marco Botti’s GERRARD’S QUEST raced more towards the centre of the track and chased the winner home but was always held. On his most recent outing, he had won his maiden at Chelmsford.
The leading pair finished 2¼ lengths clear of FAST GOLD in third. Marcus Tregoning’s colt started at 20/1 today and had not been seen out since winning his maiden at Brighton in May.
SHOW ME AGAIN finished seventh and DREAM ISLAND was in ninth place.
James Ferguson, Godolphin spokesman: ‘That was a fact-finding mission today. ROULEAU loved the fast ground and James [McDonald] have him a good ride. There are no plans.’
Newmarket 2.40 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes 6F (Group 2 – Fillies) Good to Firm
A preview of this race can be read here. All nine declared runners took part in this Group 2 race.
ILLUMINATE and EASTON ANGEL were sent off the joint 7/4 favourites. RAH RAH opened up on course at 12/1 and was backed in to 9/1.
RAH RAH went off quickly in an attempt to make all but when ridden over a furlong out, she edged right and effectively ended any chance for the runners on her right.
The first three home all ran towards the far side and there was a three way photo to decide the placings.
ILLUMINATE took over in front from RAH RAH and was all out to gain the victory by a nose.
BESHARAH finished in second. Despite a strong late challenge, she was just held by the winner.
BLUE BAYOU had come from the furthest back but didn’t quite get to the front pair and finished a short head away in third.
The Stewards held an enquiry under Rule (B)11.6 into possible interference inside the final furlong. Having heard their evidence and viewed recordings of the race they found that RAH RAH, ridden by William Buick, placed fourth, shifted right-handed away from the whip causing EASTON ANGEL, ridden by Paul Mulrennan, placed fifth, to be taken off its line, thereby shifting KURLAND, unplaced, ridden by Fergus Sweeney, on to GLENROWAN ROSE, placed sixth, ridden by Frankie Dettori, and that the interference had improved RAH RAH’s placing as EASTERN ANGEL was beginning to improve its run at the time of the interference and lost momentum and ground which it made up on the run to the line to be beaten by a diminishing head. They placed EASTON ANGEL, fourth and RAH RAH fifth. The Stewards found Buick in breach of Rule (B)54.1 and guilty of careless riding in that he used his whip on the filly despite her having already begun to shift sharply right-handed. They suspended him for 2 days as follows: Friday 24 and Sunday 26 July 2015.
Richard Hannon: ‘I thought ILLUMINATE travelled very well and thought she would go and win a length. Obviously the other filly [BESHARAH] stayed on and it was closer than I thought it would be. She’s always been a very good filly, really sweet to look at, a pleasure to deal with – a very, very good filly. I think she’s as good a filly as we’ve ever had. We will have a look at the Prix Morny at Deauville and obviously the Cheveley Park has to be an option. She’s right up there with Tiggy Wiggy and she has a lot of scope as well. Definitely I think a mile next year won’t be a problem.’
Richard Hughes: ‘I was lucky to hang on I suppose, but she’s very good and it was a very messy race. If you give Mark Johnston’s horses a soft lead they’re hard to beat, so I had to take her [RAH RAH] on three out. I fought her off and beat her, and then you’re left with the climb here in Newmarket in the middle of the track and she probably just got a bit lonely. I didn’t really want to get there too soon, but to her credit she ran very straight and that probably won her the race.’
Maureen Haggas: ‘BESHARAH ran a great race. They went slow in the first furlong which didn’t help but she finished the race well. That´s her best run to date and is difficult to be too disappointed.’
William Haggas: ‘That was a great effort, she ran very well and obviously overturned the form with the horse that beat her in the Queen Mary [EASTON ANGEL] and has improved for the step up to six furlongs. The obvious race is the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot, but we’ll see how she comes out of this.’
Brian Meehan on BLUE BAYOU: ‘I’m gutted for the filly as much as any anything as I know how good she is. She’s the best filly I’ve ever trained and she’ll improve again for going up to seven furlongs. There won’t be anything for her at Goodwood so races like the Rockfel and Cheveley Park are likely targets now.’
Newmarket 4.20 Maiden Stakes 7F (Class 4) Good to Firm
RIVERS OF ASIA was a non runner which left thirteen colts, of which only two had raced previously.
VON BLUCHER (John Gosden) had finished second at Sandown on his debut and was sent off the 5/4 favourite. He was fitted with a tongue tie for the first time today. There was support for Richard Hannon’s newcomer, MANAAFIDH, from 16/1 to 10/1.
There was plenty of incident in this race. The other runner with previous experience was HOUSE OF COMMONS and he took the field along. When he came under pressure a furlong out, Paul Cole’s colt dived left, interfering with MUNTAZAH. This effectively ended any chance HOUSE OF COMMONS had and probably cost MUNTAZAH the race.
In the meantime, MANAAFIDH came with a strong run to get up on the line to win by a head. This victory gave the Hannon stable a 2yo double at Newmarket. He cost 330000 euros as a yearling and is from a mare who remained a maiden after two starts. She has produced winning foals from 5F to 12F (also hurdles), including a win in a Listed race at 8F.
Despite the interference suffered by MUNTAZAH (Barry Hils), he still managed to get second place to give Hamdan Al Maktoum a 1-2 in the race. Shadwell bred, he is from a mare who won her first two starts, an 8F maiden and a 9F Listed race. She later finished runner up in a Group 2 race over 14½F.
FOLKSWOOD (Godolphin / Charlie Appleby) finished a further ½ length back in third. He cost 160000 guineas as a yearling and is the first foal from an unraced mare (sister to a 12F Listed race winner).
DAL HARRAILD came from a long way back to dead heat for fourth place with HOUSE OF COMMONS.
VON BLUCHER finished in sixth place.
The Stewards held an enquiry into two possible instances of interference from one furlong out. In the first incident inside the final furlong they found that HOUSE OF COMMONS, ridden by Jim Crowley, had ducked left-handed quickly away from the whip sending MUNTAZAH, ridden by Dane O’Neill, on to VON BLUCHER, ridden by Richard Hughes. In the second incident on the run to the line they found that the winner MANAAFIDH, ridden by Paul Hanagan, had shifted sharply left-handed away from the whip causing HOUSE OF COMMONS to have to be snatched up. In both instances they found the interference was accidental.
Richard Hannon: ‘That has surprised us a bit as we thought MANAAFIDH would need the run, but Paul Hanagan came down and sat on him a few times and liked him and he was right. He didn’t get going early on, but he’s always had a lovely temperament. He was a lovely yearling and very laid-back and won’t have a problem getting a mile. It was a good race, they went hard up front and he’s come from a long way back. He ended up doing it really well. He could be a very good horse. He might be one of those that hides it from you.’
Chepstow 6.30 – 5F Novice Stakes (Class 4) Good to Firm
With ZEEONEANDONLY declared a non runner (injured in box), this left a field of seven to contest this novice race. Five of the runners had previously won a race, there was one newcomer and RIO GLAMOROUS was wearing blinkers for the first time.
ADHAM was sent off the 13/8 favourite. James Tate’s colt had made all last time out to win a Class 5 maiden at Lingfield. There was support for the most experienced runner in the field from 4/1 to 5/2. SILVER WINGS (David Evans) had won at Windsor on debut but had not won in five outings since, although these races included two at Listed level.
ADHAM employed similar tactics and tried to make all on the stands side rail, with SILVER WINGS close up. However at the furlong pole, as the leader came under pressure he drifted left off the rail, allowing RECEDING WAVES to come through with a strong run to lead close home and win by a head from ADHAM, to give Richard Hannon his fourth 2yo winner of the day. On his most recent outing, RECEDING WAVES had won at Redcar in a Class 5 maiden over 6F.
Steve Drowne, the rider of RIO GLAMOROUS, placed sixth, reported that the colt hung right from two furlongs out. The representative of Giles Bravery, the trainer of COBANA SAND, placed fourth, reported that the filly was unsuited by the good to firm going (although she had won on ground reported as good to firm at Leicester). Edward Greatrex, the rider of SILVER WINGS, placed third, reported that the colt hung right under pressure.
Chester 6.45 – 7F Nursery (Class 4) Good
Five runners contested this nursery, after HOLY GRAIL was declared a non runner (stiff). There were two previous winners in the field.
KING’S PAVILION, one of two Mark Johnston’s runners was made the 7/4 favourite. On his last appearance, he had won a Class 6 maiden at Wetherby.
ALSAADEN set out to make the running and led into the straight. However on reaching the cutaway, she edged right to give AUXILIARY (William Haggas) the opportunity to pass her on the inside and ran on to win by a length.
At Brighton over 6F on his most recent appearance, AUXILIARY was fitted with blinkers for the first time. He looked beaten well over a furlong out but stayed on close home to finish second. Both the winner and the third place horse won Class 4 races next time out. The blinkers were retained this evening and he stepped up to 7F for his handicap debut.
ALSAADEN had run at 7F on debut but had been dropped back to 6F when winning at Doncaster last time out.
KING’S PAVILION finished five lengths further back in third place.
Chester 7.15 – 5F Conditions Stakes (Class 2) Good
Just four runners had been declared for this Class 2 conditions race and all stood their ground. There were three previous winners in the field and two of these were made the market leaders.
ROGUES’ GALLERY for Mark Johnston was the most experienced runner in the field having already run six times. On his penultimate start, he had won a three runner race at Ayr before finishing fifth in the Norfolk Stakes (Group 2), beaten 2½ lengths. He was sent off the evens money favourite.
GUTAIFAN was his main market rival at 5/4. Richard Hannon’s colt had finished second on debut before winning a 6F Class 3 maiden at Salisbury.
GUTAIAFAN won by a short head from ROGUES’ GALLERY to give the Hannon stable a fifth 2yo winner of the day. The description below from the Stewards Enquiry describes the events in the home straight. ROGUES’ GALLERY could be described as an unlucky loser as he had to be switched to the outside and only just failed to get up.
The Stewards held an enquiry under Rule (B)11.6 into two possible incidents of interference, the first, one and a half furlongs out and the second incident approximately half a furlong out. Having heard their evidence and viewed recordings of the race they found that the first incident one and a half furlongs out was caused by PITY CASH, placed third, ridden by John Egan, hanging right off the rail. Then, as ROGUES GALLERY, placed second, ridden by Franny Norton, made his run up the inside rail, PITY CASH was corrected and shifted left back towards the rail, causing Norton to take back. They found that this incident was accidental.
In the second incident, half a furlong out, the Stewards found that the winner, GUTAIFAN, ridden by Sean Levey, had drifted left towards the rails causing interference to PITY CASH whose rider had to take back. They ordered the placings to remain unaltered as they were satisfied that GUTAIFAN appeared to be staying on the stronger and that the winning distance of a short head and one and a quarter lengths was more than the distance or momentum lost by PITY CASH. The Stewards found Levey in breach of Rule (B)54.1 and guilty of careless riding in that he had failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the gelding drifting left. They suspended him for 3 days as follows: Friday 24, Sunday 26 and Monday 27 July 2015.
Two Year Old Racing 2015 