REST OF THE CARD
IT has undoubtedly been one of the stories of the flat season and Gordon Elliott’s decision to branch out with a team of juveniles for 2017 took another remarkable turn as Beckford struck gold in the Group 2 Gain Railway Stakes.
Just under two months ago Beckford landed a red hot auction maiden over this course and distance which resulted in Maurice Regan’s Newtown Anner Stud acquiring him from the Nick Bradley Racing Club.
This promised to be an altogether different test for the son of Bated Breath but he duly stayed unbeaten to fuel thoughts of a Group 1 assault next month.
The Declan McDonogh-ridden colt was returned a strongly supported 11/2 shot and was always well placed towards the head of the field. At one stage inside the last two furlongs five horses were doing battle up front but the runners soon thinned out to leave Beckford vying with the Coventry Stakes third Murillo and the hugely impressive maiden winner Verbal Dexterity.
Beckford was not for beating though and stayed on strongly throughout the last furlong to defeat Verbal Dexterity by a length and secure a famous win. Murillo was a further length and a quarter away in third.
“He’s a nice horse and I did think he’d improved for his first run,” stated a typically understated Elliott, who was recording the first pattern race success of his career from just his second runner at this level.
LOVELY START
“He was working well but I wouldn’t have enough two-year-olds to know. I’m thrilled for Declan, who has been a big part of this venture, and also the syndicate that did own him and his new owners, it’s a lovely start for them. The plan would be to come back here in about six weeks for the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.”
Of his two-year-old venture: “It’s something different and something fun and I’m really enjoying it. Hopefully we’ll be doing it again next year but National Hunt is my bread and butter and that’s what I’ll be sticking to.”
After beginning her season with a succession of good runs in defeat, Joe Murphy’s Only Mine notched up a deserved success in the Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Dash Stakes to record her first win in 13 months.
The Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez-owned daughter of Pour Moi was denied a Group 2 triumph by Gordon Lord Byron in the Greenlands Stakes here on Guineas weekend.
However, she was meeting that rival on 9lbs better terms and that tipped the scales in her favour in this six-furlong heat. Gary Carroll made the running on the evens favourite and she fought on willingly over the last furlong to deny her old foe by a neck.
“When we saw the entries we decided to come here instead of the Brownstown Stakes on Wednesday,” reported Joe Murphy. “She’s very honest and is building up a great page and she will be a very valuable broodmare prospect in time.
“She may head to Naas for the Sweet Mimosa Stakes at the end of the month and she is going to get an entry in the Haydock Sprint Cup which she ran in last year.”
The teak-tough True Valour turned out fresh and well on his return to domestic action under an inspired Shane Foley to bag the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration Stakes over a mile.
The Kodiac colt, who carries the colours of Qatar Racing Limited, was making his third appearance in four weeks – two of those had come in Britain – but he is clearly thriving on his busy schedule.
CHARMED PASSAGE
It looked as though True Valour (6/1) was going to need plenty of luck in running in the straight. However, Foley was rewarded for his decision to go for a run up the far rail as his mount enjoyed a charmed passage through on the inner to lead with a furlong to run.
He held on well to defeat Sea Wolf by half a length, while Alexios Komnenos ran a superb race to finish a further neck back in third. This was the latter’s first run since he was only just denied by Churchill in last season’s Tyros Stakes.
“It was a bit quick after Ascot (ran well in the Jersey Stakes) but Connor King rode him in his work during the week and said he was better than when he went to Ascot,” reflected Johnny Murtagh.
“He got the gaps and was good enough to take them. I think he’s good enough for group races and we might look towards something like the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury next month.”
The benefits of charting a course up the far rail were further emphasised by Tony The Gent (6/1) in the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Handicap.
Two months after showing up quite well in a Naas handicap, the Galway hopeful turned out better than ever under Colin Keane.
The Sean Jones-owned son of Kodiac was under pressure early in the straight but squeezed through a narrow opening on the inner to take charge heading into the last furlong. Ger Lyons’ four-year-old crossed the line with half a length to spare over Mizaah and with the reliable Aussie Valentine securing third.
“We had been keeping him for the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap at Galway but this was a nice prize to aim for,” commented the trainer’s brother, Shane.
“We’ll head to Galway now. We know he likes the track, a little ease in the ground and going right handed. In time a step up trip to 10 furlongs will be no problem for him.”
He may have struggled to make an impact on the Coventry Stakes the previous week but US Navy Flag was an impressive winner of the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Irish EBF Maiden.
The War Front own-brother to Roly Poly met with defeat on his first three outings but his efforts included a good third to Brother Bear in the Marble Hill Stakes and he was utterly dominant in this six furlongs affair.
The 13/2 shot blazed a trail under Seamie Heffernan and he had this race wrapped up from well over a furlong out. He finished with three and a half lengths to spare over Dawn Delivers.
“We always thought he was a good colt but we’d been a bit disappointed with his runs,” commented Aidan O’Brien. “We felt possibly he wasn’t concentrating in his race so we put the blinkers on him and he’s won very well there.
“Some times horses can take a while to get things together and if he keeps doing what he did there we could leave the blinkers off him.
“Seamie felt he won very well and he had them all in trouble a long way out.”
Aidan O’Brien then increased his tally for the day as Asking landed the valuable Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Summer Fillies Handicap.
The theme of horses bouncing of Ascot in great shape continued here as this filly was returning to action after a sixth in the Sandringham Stakes where she travelled notably well for much of the race.
CRUiSING
Over this slightly shorter trip, the Ana O’Brien-ridden Asking (8/1) once again cruised through the race and came between Duchess Of France and Honour Oak to take inside the distance.
At the line, Asking, who was due to step up to Group 3 level on Wednesday evening, had half a length to spare over Honour Oak.
“The drop back to seven furlongs suited her. She ran well at Ascot where Ana felt that she’d appreciate coming back from a mile,” declared the trainer.
The card concluded with a 33/1 shock as Three Kingdoms notched up his first success since rejoining Dermot Weld in the two-mile Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap.
A Galway maiden winner for the Rosewell House trainer in September 2012, the Dr Ronan Lambe-owned gelding then progressed into a decent jumper for John Ferguson and a return to fences could now be on the agenda for the eight-year-old.
Leigh Roche’s mount could be picked out travelling easily on the outside of the field early in the straight and he was in control through the last furlong on his way to a two and a quarter-length victory over Here For The Craic.
“He worked well the other day and got a lovely, confident ride from Leigh,” commented Weld. “He’d be the only chaser I have at the moment and the Galway Plate will be his target.”
ACTING STEWARDS
F. Clarke, L. McFerran, P.J.A. O’Connor, D. Pugh, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GROUNDFROST (J.J. Feane): For the second time in three starts this filly reached the frame in a premier handicap. She was beaten less than two lengths into fourth by Asking. She would have been closer with better luck in running and there is a good prize to be won with her.