Thursday 13th May 2010
Quadrille scores for The Queen
HM The Queen’s Quadrille (pictured above) booked his ticket to Royal Ascot with a taking performance to land the feature Orbital Foods Machinery Conditions Stakes.
The son of Danehill Dancer, trained by Richard Hannon, looked a picture of health in the paddock and demolished a good-looking field with Richard Hughes aboard.
Hughes got a good tow into the 1m race and his mount always travelled sweetly. He took over the running with just over a furlong to go and showed an impressive turn of foot to bound clear and win by five lengths.
A thrilled Richard Hannon jnr, representing his father said of their 9/4 scorer: “He’s done it really well and we’re very pleased.
“He’ll go to Royal Ascot for the Hampton Court Stakes which he doesn’t have a penalty in.”
John Warren, racing manager to The Queen, added: “We ran him in the Free Handicap over seven furlongs just to see if he was up to the Guineas. He ran a good race to be second but the step up in trip definitely suited.”
The Simon Gibson handicap went the way of 16/1 chance Follow The Flag for trainer Alan McCabe under a strong ride by jockey Declan Cannon.
Cannon was forced to switch his mount to the outside in the closing stages but the son of Traditionally responded well to his urgings to get up by three-quarters of a length.
Cannon said: “He’s a lovely old horse to have. He’s won over seven furlongs and a mile and a half and there’s definitely more races to be won with him.”
Sour Mash was a standout in the paddock before the taxfreemoney.com maiden and duly obliged in the hands of Jean-Pierre Guillambert.
Despite holding a Derby entry his victory came as a bit of a surprise to trainer Luca Cumani and he returned at a price of 25/1.
Guillambert settled the son of Danehill Dancer in the midfield and he picked up well when asked to, getting up close home by half a length.
Cumani said: “He ran on really well and J-P gave him a good ride. We knew he’d stay the trip and he used his long stride to grind them down.
“We didn’t think he’d win so we don’t have any plans but we’ll see what the handicapper does and go from there.”
There were only three runners in the Guardian Direct Marketing Print Pack And Post median auction maiden but the Jeremy Noseda-trained Twist of Silver could not have been more impressive.
She provided freshman US stallion Silver Train with his first ever winner and looked at home on the quick ground here on the Rowley Mile.
Jockey Ryan Moore made all on-board the 1/3 shot and victory never looked in doubt as his mount travelled smoothly before quickening away from her rivals to score by 13 lengths.
Noseda said: “She did everything we asked of her but I don’t feel like we learnt very much.
“I’m happy to get a win with her and would definitely settle for a few more like that.”
The Homestore and Safepac handicap looked competitive on paper but in the end was won in good style by the John Hills–trained Gobama.
The daughter of Dr Fong was settled in the pack by jockey Seb Sanders and travelled like the likely winner throughout.
When asked a serious question by Sanders, Gobama showed a smart turn of foot to blast clear of the field and land the spoils by three and a half lengths.
There was a tremendous finish to the St Nicholas Hospice Care handicap which saw the Andrew Reid-trained Tom Folan get the better of The Strig by a short head.
Day two of the Spring Meeting kicks off at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon.
By Jackie Jarvis
