NEWBURY SATURDAY

IT had been an excellent week for Richard Hannon but the run ended at Newbury last Saturday when Charlie Hills’ Muhaarar sprang a 16/1 surprise in the Group 3 Aon Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Of the Hannon-trained pair Estidhkaar - beaten only a neck and owned, like the winner, by Hamdan Al Maktoum - fared better than 13/8 favourite Ivawood, who was four and a half lengths away in third.

Warm spring sunshine and a fast surface brought out the best in Muhaarar, who reached the front-running Estidhkaar with a furlong to travel.

Finding plenty for Frankie Dettori, who cannot have ridden all that many for Sheikh Hamdan, the son of Oasis Dream always looked like holding on after gaining a narrow advantage, cracking the seven-furlong course record in the process.

Ivawood moved up but was eased when clearly held by the first two. Although Hannon felt he might well come on for the run, some bookmakers eased Ivawood to 16/1 for the 2000 Guineas.

Muhaarar had finished behind him in the Middle Park as a juvenile but seems to have made more progress. However, Hills is not seriously considering the Newmarket Guineas.

“He’s so much more relaxed now,” he said. “When we tried him over seven last year it never really worked. Newmarket is still on the agenda but Frankie thought Longchamp would suit him well.”

If Estidhkaar is to stay another furlong he clearly has a much better chance of doing so in the French Guineas. The layers made him 14/1 for Newmarket, while Aidan O’Brien’s Gleneagles closed in to 7/4.

Hannon believes it was a very classy Greenham which will supply the 2000 Guineas winner. Always the optimist, he may well be underestimating Gleneagles but, in fairness, Night Of Thunder reversed Greenham form with Kingman last year. Therefore, Estidhkaar and Ivawood will both be at Newmarket on the day, with Hills almost certainly preferring Dutch Connection to Muhaarar.

The Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes will always be the Fred Darling to many but, however the race is titled, Ralph Beckett knows how to win it and Redstart gave him his fourth winner from 11 tries last Saturday.

Once again the layers were happy as the 12/1 chance proved just too good for Jellicle Ball with Tiggy Wiggy, poor value at 11/10, well held in third.

The winner of a Kempton maiden on the all-weather, Redstart stepped up considerably on that form, making all for Pat Dobbs and holding on by three-quarters of a length.

A daughter of Cockney Rebel, she should stay the extra furlong of the 1000 Guineas but 20/1 about either of the first two is not hard to find and Tiggy Wiggy out to 33/1 in places.

Beckett had been thinking in terms of the German version but owner-breeder David Oldrey persuaded him to include Newmarket in the list of options.

“She’ll have to go there now,” the trainer said. “She’s been well forward through the spring and worked very well a couple of weeks ago.”

Tiggy Wiggy showed such blinding pace in six victories as a youngster that seven furlongs always looked a problem. Under the circumstances the SP took some believing but that can be the way of it with well-touted horses on Saturdays.

Richard Hughes said she would not have won at any distance but Richard Hannon will probably attempt the Guineas, dropping her back in trip later on.

John Gosden was delighted with Jellicle Ball, but Aidan O’Brien’s Found, who looked like starting a very warm favourite for the first fillies’ classic, suffered an interruption to her preparation. Bookmakers eased her to 3/1.