Ffos Las 2.00 – 7F Maiden Stakes (Class 4) Good
JIMINEZ was declared a non runner (lame) leaving twelve runners to contest this maiden. There were four fillies in the field and four of the runners were making their debuts.
TIME WARP (OR 75) was sent off the 10/11 favourite. Sir Mark Prescott’s colt was the only runner in the field to have been given an official rating. Of his three runs to date, his best placing had come at Chelmsford second time out, where he finished as runner up. On his most recent appearance, he had finished third of seven at Lingfield in a 6F Class 5 maiden.
There was support for STRATHEARN from 10/1 to 7/1. Michael Bell’s colt had finished ninth at Newmarket on debut, in a 7F Class 4 maiden. The third horse from that race won a Class 5 maiden next time out.
PEAK HILL led from the start and despite being ridden two furlongs out, he kept on to make all and win by ½ length at odds of 50/1. He had run once previously finishing last at Salisbury (the first and second from that race both won on their next starts). He has been gelded since his debut run. Purchased as a foal for 10000 guineas, he was resold as a yearling for 9000 guineas before being put up for sale at a Breeze Up where he made 36000 guineas. He is the first foal to race from a mare who was well beaten on both of her starts but is a half sister to a Listed race winner at 10F.
Three runners chased him home and finished a couple of lengths clear of the remainder of the field. STRATHEARN was the runner up. Purchased as a foal for 38000 euros, he was then resold at a Breeze Up sale for 65000 guineas. He is from a mare who won a 6F maiden and she has produced numerous winners, including a full sister who won at 7F, including a Listed race and was placed in an 8F Group 2 race in France.
MISS PIMPERNEL (Charlie Hills) finished a further ½ length back in third place. She had previously finished fourth on both of her starts at Haydock over 6F and Doncaster over 7F. She had cost 60000 guineas as a yearling and is from a mare who was a winner in Italy. She has produced winning foals between 7F and 15F, including the winner of a Listed race in France at 12F.
The Stewards noted that TIME WARP, placed fourth, had hung right handed approaching the two furlong marker causing THIEF OF HEARTS, unplaced, to be taken off its line of running, but after viewing a recording of the incident they were satisfied that it neither involved a riding offence nor improved TIME WARP’s placing.
The Stewards considered the apparent improvement in form of PEAK HILL, ridden by Steve Drowne, and trained by David Evans, compared with its previous run at Salisbury on 14 June 2015, where the gelding finished last of the ten runners, beaten 18 ½ lengths over six furlongs. They noted the trainer’s explanation that PEAK HILL had been gelded and benefited from the experience of its first run. They ordered the gelding to be routine tested.
Steve Drowne: ‘PEAK HILL was a bit colty first time out, but he seems like a lovely horse. He’s not just a two-year-old and should progress from here.’
Musselburgh 2.45 – 7F Maiden Auction Stakes (Class 5) Good
All five declared runners stood their ground for this maiden. The field consisted of two geldings, two fillies and a colt making his debut. The two fillies had both received official ratings.
LIVELLA FELLA (OR 69) was sent off the 7/4 favourite. Keith Dalgleish’s runner had been placed on the last three of her four runs, most recently finishing second receiving 7lb, beaten just over two lengths, in a 7F Class 5 maiden over course and distance. The winner of that race went on to win a nursery handicap with an OR of 80.
The second favourite was POPLAR CLOSE (OR 73) at 2/1. David O’Meara’s filly had been a beaten favourite last time out at Beverley in a 7½F Class 5 Maiden Auction Stakes when finishing as runner up. She had had two previous runs, runner up on her penultimate start and on debut had finished sixth at Haydock in a race which included three of the declared runners for a Listed race at Sandown later this week.
Both of the market leaders tracked the leader, BAY MIRAGE, who had led from the start until well inside the final furlong when POPLAR CLOSE hit the front and went on to win by a short head from LIVELLA FELLA who was running on and just failed to get up.
Sam James: ‘Last time the winner probably got a bit of an easy lead and it´s always hard to get past one of Johnston´s. Today POPLAR CLOSE wasn’t quick enough to get away from them but fortunately it all worked out okay in the end.’
Chelmsford 6.40 – 6F Maiden Stakes (Class 4) Standard
All nine declared colts contested this maiden and four of these were newcomers. Four of the remainder had raced just the once and Mark Johnston’s SECRET AMBITION had run four times previously and earned an OR of 75.
There were joint favourites for this contest at 3/1. KADRIZZI had finished fourth at Kempton over 7F; the winner went on to finish fourth in the Superlative Stakes (Group 2) and the third horse had won a Class 5 maiden on their next appearances. SECRET AMBITION was the other joint favourite and was backed in from 9/2. On his most recent appearance, he had finished fifth of six in a nursery handicap at Pontefract.
RASHEEQ and BINZART had met previously at Wolverhampton when RASHEEQ had finished second, beaten just over two lengths. BINZART was in third, nearly three lengths back. Both colts were making their debuts in that race (although RASHEEEQ had previously been withdrawn before the start of a race at Ripon having unshipped his jockey) and the winner of that race had followed up next time out by winning a nursery handicap with an OR of 92. RASHEEQ was 3lbs better off this evening.
Today, the result was different. Very few of the runners got involved at the sharp end as RASHEEQ led early and held that position until close home when BINZART, who had tracked him throughout, got up to win by ½ length.
BINZART is owner bred and the first foal of a mare who won at 6F (OR 47).
Richard Hannon’s newcomer, HUMPHREY BOGART, plugged on to finish third, a further two lengths away. Purchased as a foal for 29000 euros, he was then resold as a yearling for £33000. His dam won a maiden over 13F in Ireland and amongst her winning foals, she has produced a full brother who won between 6F and 10F (highest winning OR of 81), also over hurdles.
SECRET AMBITION finished in fourth and KADRIZZI was back in fifth.
Andrea Atzeni: ‘Although RASHEEQ got first run on me I always thought I was going to pick him up. BINZART loved the surface and might improve over further.’
From Marco Botti’s website: ‘BINZART a smart son of Dandy Man has been added to our list of 2 year old winners. The diminutive Dandy Man colt maybe short of high but he was big in heart rallying well to win the class 4 maiden. He is a nice homebred of Mr Mubarak’s and it is very nice to have a winner here with him. He is a nice type ad I am sure he will go on and be progressive” commented winning jockey Andrea Atzeni.’
Wetherby 7.05 – 7F Maiden Fillies Auction Stakes (Class 5) Good
MARKET FRESH was a non runner (runny nose) leaving fifteen fillies to contest this maiden and there were three debutantes. Only MOONLIGHT GIRL (OR 60) had been given an official rating. Tom Queally put up 1lb overweight on David Evans’ newcomer RAYAA.
TIHANA was sent off the 3/1 favourite. Brian Meehan’s horse had had two starts, both at Newbury, where she had finished fourth and third. There was support for INVERMERE (7/1 to 11/2) and WITHOUT DOUBT (8/1 to 6/1). ANGEL OF THE NIGHT appeared friendless in the market, drifting from 7/1 to 12/1
With a furlong to go, JESS and INVERMERE were a couple of lengths up on the field and it looked as though these two would fight out the finish. However, this did not take into account a strong late run from RAYAA, who was still three lengths down with 100 yards to go and who got up on the line to win by a head. This gave David Evans a big priced across the card double with a 16/1 winner after his earlier 50/1 win at Ffos Las. In running, RAYAA traded at a high of 1000 and INVERMERE traded as low as 1.03.
RAYAA cost £13000 as a yearling and is from a mare who won a maiden at 12F and has produced winning foals between 5F and 12F (highest winning OR of 85), including being placed in Listed races at 8F.
INVERMERE (Richard Fahey) was also a debutante and finished in second place. She cost £25000 as a yearling and is from a mare who won between 7F and 8F, including three Listed races. She has produced one winning foal, an 8F maiden here and who later won in USA.
JESS finished in third place for Kevin Ryan, a further 2¼ lengths away On her most recent start, she had finished fifth at Doncaster, 2½ lengths behind a horse who was given an OR of 87. She cost £22000 as a yearling and is from a mare who won between 8F and 10F (highest winning OR of 80), although she has yet to produce a winning foal.
ANGEL OF THE NORTH finished fourth, WITHOUT DOUBT sixth and TIHANA was in eighth place.
The Stewards noted that INVERMERE hung left inside the final furlong causing slight interference to JESS but after viewing a recording of the incident they were satisfied that it neither involved a riding offence nor improved INVERMERE’s placing.
Royston Ffrench, the rider of NORTHERN BEAU, unplaced, reported that the filly lost a front right shoe and hung left.
Two Year Old Racing 2015 