NEWBURY hosted two Group 3 contests on Saturday as the flat season concluded at the Berkshire track.

Light Infantry (107) was a slightly wayward winner of the Horris Hill Stakes, and the St Simon Stakes went the way of Ilaraab (104). Although the pair both produced respectable time figures they were upstaged on the day by Jumbly and One Journey respectively.

Jumbly (108+) was a most impressive winner of the Radley Stakes, producing a smart turn of speed for very little persuasion from the saddle by Hollie Doyle.

The overall race time was faster than Light Infantry over the same course and distance and it matters not which section of the race you view in isolation as Roger Charlton’s filly was superior to the Horris Hill winner.

The daughter of Gleneagles could no doubt have covered the concluding three furlongs faster although she still stopped the clock at 37.93 seconds with Light Infantry’s comparable time was recorded at 38.09 seconds.

Dominance

Such was Jumbly’s dominance, none of the fillies in behind posted a closing sectional worth scrutiny although in comparison Gisburn (100), who won the opening race, looks to be above average.

Hollie Doyle was more animated in the saddle on this occasion as she initiated a double on the day aboard Richard Hannon’s colt who covered the final-three furlongs in 36.33 seconds.

The reason for the extra vigour from the saddle was because Wonderful World (96) (37.03) did not go down without a fight as the pair pulled well clear of their rivals.

One Journey (105) completed a double for Roger Charlton registering a time figure way beyond the BHA rating which he was allotted for Saturday.

It was a typical no-nonsense ride from Silvestre de Sousa in making pretty much every yard of the running to eclipse the overall time achieved by Ilaraab in the Group 3 when adjusted for distance.

Increased pace

The visual impression was the Brazilian rider increased the pace soon after the home turn and the clock supports this view as the Mastercraftsman filly posted three successive sub-13 second furlongs after passing the four furlong marker.

Ilaraab would not have been the equal through this section or the concluding three furlongs as One Journey’s finishing effort of 38.18 was 0.67 seconds faster than the William Haggas-trained colt.

Initially Long Tradition (93) quickened with the winner when the pace lifted. A similar analysis shows the Godolphin colt to have also matched Ilaraab through the early sections of the home straight although as his three-furlong closing sectional of 39.22 depicts the Shamardal gelding faded badly in the concluding furlong. A step down in trip to a mile will no doubt yield further success.