The grandstand provides a backdrop for a well sculptered bronze of the great cup horse Persian Punch in full speed.
The great Brigadier Gerard appears to be gazing imperiously over his prospective inheritors from his pre parade ring vantage point
The John Fairey maiden fillies' stakes for 2 year olds over five furlongs attracted a fair sized field and predictably Richard Hannon's filly Tea Cup (feb foal but pedigree suggests will be better over 7f as a juvenille and 10f when mature)started a well backed favourite but dwelt in the stalls and never got into contention coming through in her own time suggesting that indeed she is likely to need further. The race was won in fair style by the most experienced filly in the race Princess Banu (Mar foal sprint bred) who was always prominent and had to be pushed out quite vigorously to score. The runner up was the robust Royal Blush (Mar foal may stay mile with time). She is well connected to group winner Applaud (Cherry Hinton winner) and showed plently of promise when staying on well under a considerate Dettori ride to be second best on the day but one to keep an eye on in good class races as will not stay a maiden for long as very likely to emerge as the best on this bunch.Of the rest Dark Ages (Mar foal who will be best over the minimum trip based on pedigree)and Guru Girl (Feb foal pedigree suggests she needs further)had enough stamina to profit from their early pace and finished in the minor placings.
Can she repeat Applaud's Cherry Hinton win in time? The useful Royal Blush sure to break her maiden any time soon
The Wood Ditton(a historic and prestigious race worth a pittance in prize money at this meeting) over a mile is confined to unraced three year olds and there were 14 runners for the renewal today.It looked a strong race with some very nice types and many with interesting pedigrees. The race was won by Godalphin's Midsummer Fair who was in the van throughout and was punched through approaching final furlong to win well. The best thing to note from this run was the impression given by young jockey Michael Barzalona who appears to me to be a pretty good prospect. Henry Cecil (in general his horses ran quite well today) saddled a very interesting recruit today in Air Traffic (whilst pedigree suggests a mile she has Chesire Oaks winner as bottom line grand dam so who knows he could be a Derby prospect). He was very green in all aspects and slowly got into the groove staying on well without being given the hardest race he'll ever encounter. Is an entry for the Dante and he looks classy enough to be a group horse if he learns from this first experience. Also of considerable note is how well the Michael Stout trained Laashak (bred to be useful at up to a mile and a half) stayed on under what I would term an easy to finish third and is another that could well be group class. He looked very well in himself and keep an eye on his progress. The fourth home was England Rules who took a keen hold and in the circumstances and granted the quality around him ran with great credit. The favourite, Above Standard, was well backed and held every chance two out but failed to quicken and finished fifth. Not disgraced and may need a drop to seven furlongs. Of the rest Galloping Minister needed the run being a big bulkiy sort and having already been cut is surely destined for the jumps. Has plenty of scope to make a chaser one day.
May be the Dante next stop for the well bred and promising Air Traffic
The most valuable race of the day and worth over £100,000 to the winner was the Tattersalls Million confined to three year olds and run over a mile and a quarter. This attracted a useful Aiden O'Brien entry in the filly Together (multiple group 1 entries including the 1,000 guineas so clearly well thought of) who had won a group 3 over seven furlongs last year and had some good group 1 filly form as a juvenille. However despite being a well backed favourite and being prominent holding every chance two out she faded back in the field to finish fifth (to be fair to her she did get slightly hampered which wouldn't have helped). The conclusion to be drown is either she didn't stay, she was hampered out of any chance or she wasn't good enough. I would say she will struggle to win in group one company as if she was a miler she would have been held up and if she is a ten furlong horse she was comprehensively beaten. The winner was Richard Hannon's Auld Burns who was ridden in midfield for much but made headway and led inside the final furlong for a sound victory. He beat the useful Measuring Time who was always prominent but could only stay on at the one pace and could well be better served by a mile and a half. The third was Questioning who seemed to weaken at the distance but was far from disgraced and may be better over this the trip at a less demanding course. The colt to catch the eye most was the fourth home Namibian. The form suggested that he is better with cut but he ran very well on this fastish ground and was making smooth headway when had little room inside the final furlong. On good or softer ground he will prove hard to beat. He had a rough ride through today and was hampered final furlong, is well suited by further than this 10f trip and provided still on mark of 83 is worthwhile positioning in a decent handicap sometime soon and is entered in a valuable sales race back here in June.
Namibian was an unlucky fourth but as long as the handicapper isn't brutal he may be on a very lenient mark
The Abernant stakes is a listed sprint over six furlongs and is a good quality early season contest. It attratced the Ayr Gold Cup winner Jimmy Styles who had won a decent event at Doncaster a couple of weeks previous. However he was well beaten today and on the basis he seemed to run his race this gives an idea of the event's relative quality. First home was the Roger Charlton trained Genki who went off at surprisingly attractive odds despite having plenty of encouraging form. Was racing just off the pace untill bursting through with a good turn of foot before the final furlong to win without being too hard pressed. Has a good record at Newmarket and probably prefers a galloping track. Of the rest Iver Bridge Lad almost put his Dubai pipeopeners to good use when running up, Diamond Dinkum raced well off the pace but stayed on well under strong urging to finish third and has some fair group form and can win in listed company again. The mare Anne of Kiev ran well to be fourth but may be better over a less testing six or dropping back to race over five. Society Rock has some very good group one form but had missed most of last year so fitness was on trust. Was mid division throughout and was not given too hard a race. This would not have done him any harm and is one to watch. Inler looks a right one , acted up coming out the paddock, pulled hard to the post and was beaten around two out after being prominent early. The card said he's a gelding, the announcement from the course PA said he is an entire, I would say if he isn't now he may be soon. Finally of note is Himalya who completely missed the kick, struggled for room throughout, but once he did he stayed on steadily and without being placed under too much pressure to give the appearance that the finishing position is best forgotten but that this run is remembered. I think he will prove to be a useful handicap sprinter again this year once on a mark of around 105, has run well in Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot so keep an eye out for another shot.
On the comeback trail and a moderate placing still leaves question marks against Society Rock but is one to keep an eye on
The Craven is a group 3 race over the Rowley Mile and in the past has been an indicator of 2,000 potential. The winner today was Ed Dunlop trained Native Kahn. A tidy grey who has already won at group 3 and run well in group 1. He started the odds on favourite and destroyed the field today with an easy victory. On the plus side was that he showed good pace clearly at home on fastish ground and this mile. On the downside was he seemed a bit awkward and still a bit green. On this run I do not see him as a classic horse but I am sure with time he will mature and when he does he is likley to be a very useful miler well above average as a Craven winner and will take more group races this year. Of the others Libranno ran as well as could be expect but at a respectable distance behind the classy winner, Casual Glipse will probably be seen to better advantage over seven furlongs, whilst Yaseer will be better over ten furlongs and looks to have ability to make listed.
Native Kahn may not win the guineas but is likely to take good rank in the 2011 classic generation's milers
The Earl of Sefton is group 3 race over the same Cambridgeshire course and distance where Royal Ascot winner Ransom Note was well beaten when fancied. Today he stepped up to group company, making most and staying on resolutly showing great attitude. He held by a length the fit and in form french raider Polytechnicien (who seemeed to be caught out by the game battle thrown down by the winner having been bought with what looked a well timed and winning run by Oliver Pesilier). Third home was 2010 Craven winner and 2010 2,000 guineas fifth Elusive Pimpernel. He had not been seen since May last year and ran a very encouraging seasonal reappearance running out of stamina and race sharpness at the furlong pole which indicates that a programme as a miler is most likley to bear fruit. He can gain listed success this season based on this effort. Of the rest Steel Tango plugged on for fourth in the way of a horse needing further whilst Forte Dei Marmi who had progressed well in handicaps last year looks short of listed quality. The saddest sight is of 2010 Lingfield Derby Trial winner and leading fancy for the Derby appearing out of sorts with racing. He acted up in the preliminaries looking mardy and showed little enthusiasm for the race being tailed off in the end.
Bullet Train; will we ever see him back to his best again?
The Rossdale Maiden Fillies' Stakes over seven furlongs looked an unpromising location to spot a potential three year old filly star for 2011. However I think the winner Diety (entered in Irish 1,000 guineas)has every chance of doing just that. First time on the racecourse she appeared green going down and was allowed a little time to settle before being produced from about two out for a smooth and impressive victory. I think she can step up in trip to a mile and look forward to seeing where she is aimed at next. There were several with experience against her and runner up Flashbang had the strongest form. Prominent throughout she appeared to be going strongly before Diety pushed past and eased clear. It may be that Flashbang met a classy filly today and as such other opportunities will come her way and I cannot see her ending the seqason as a maiden. Others with experience were Queens Troop (who pulled too hard, showed early pace but will not stay this trip until learning to settle better) and Heatherbird (prominent throughout but failure to quicken when every chance indicates that six furlongs for now is where more success may come). Of the debutantes potential was clear in To The Spring (moved nicely when needing run and without getting a hard time of it to finish third) Tanasseq(went down well, was outpaced early, however was getting the hang of things late on to stay on well) Elraabeya (appeared very green)
Very impressive debut by Diety and this could be a group filly
The meeting closed off with a typical pugnacious handicap win for Frankie (he must be the jockey who has developed the closest relationship with racegoers in my lifespan with his open connective manner) who was on board a Mark Johnson battler Art History (aren't they all from him) outstaying the field from the front. I think that the biggest interest for the future was the Henry Cecil trained Glencadam Gold. He looked a bit burley in the parade and beforehand you would have though he needed a run. This ten furlongs seems to suit him well and he battled on without being overly pressured. Given that his mark does not go much higher than this 84 I think he would be a good bet to win next run in handicap company. The favourite at 7/4 was Labarinto who went nicely down to post and looked very well and fit in the paddock. However he weakened from before the distance after holding every chance two out to finish fourth. Of the remainder Casual Mover was on his toes for the prelims and was never a factor probably still green but can improve on this run.
Frankie looks on as he punches home another game front runner
Notebook
Royal Blush down £42.50
1 (4/6) 0 0 0 0 0
Looked to have continued progress when winning next run, following two runs saddle slipped and was hampered so excuses. However three very poor runs culminating in a thrashing when I saw her run at Folkestne so will leave completely alone
Air Traffic
Not seen out since this promising run so assume something has gone amiss
Laashak down £30
2 0 0
tried over ten furlongs and probably doesn't really stay it. left now
Namibian up £75
2 4 3 1(7/2) 1(7/1)
Developed into a very good group 3 horse winning the Queens Vase. Tried too high and unfancied in Gt Voltigeur group 2 . Could be a useful cup horse but I would send him hurdling as looks the conformation and sty;e to excel
Society Rock up £210
2 1 (25/1) 2 0 0
Has been a very good sprinter this season genera;;y running well and topping the year with a group 1 ascot win
Diety down £40
0 3 0 0
Has been far better on flat or galloping tracks rather than tight and turning tracks is on a sound mark and could do well next season however this is the end of the road for my backing her Placed one when attractive each way option
To The Spring down £60
0 3 0 3 0 0
Bit of a disappointment nad hasn't loooked like winning this season
Glencadam Gold up £10
3 1 (2/1)
Followed up fair third with nice win at newmarket. The jacked up to 95, went group racing and at that stage I withdrew from backing as didn't look group class