The Craven Meeting - Raceday Round Up
Wednesday 18th April
ESENTEPE (28/1) ran out a game winner of the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes for trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Pat Dobbs. The daughter of Oratorio, who runs in the colours of enthusiastic syndicate Middleham Park Racing, was always to the fore before taking over the running a furlong from home. She was challenged on all sides inside the final furlong but stayed on well to beat Nayarra by a neck.
Richard Hannon Jnr said: “She is fit from her race two weeks ago and is very, very tough. “She is not in the 1000 Guineas but I’ve entered her in the Musidora Stakes at York which could be an option.”
The most impressive winner of the afternoon was Stipulate (8/1) who took the Blue Square Feilden Stakes by four and a half lengths in the hands of Tom Queally. The son of Dansili, trained by Sir Henry Cecil, was short of room with two furlongs to run but once in the clear he showed a sparking turn of foot to surge clear.
Sir Henry Cecil said: “He has been working nicely and will come on for that. He was a bit fresh in the first couple of furlongs. He has plenty of speed and the Dee Stakes at Chester is in the back of my mind, he will get a mile and a quarter.”
Valbchek looked an exciting prospect when taking the £150,000 Tattersalls Millions 3YO Sprint for trainer Jeremy Noseda and jockey Ryan Moore. The son of Acclamation was sent off the 10/3 market leader on the back of his impressive debut win at Lingfield last month. He still showed greenness this afternoon, but he hit the front well inside the final furlong and showed a good attitude to repel the late challenge from Swiss Spirit by half a length.
Noseda said: “I’m delighted. It is always great when a plan comes into fruition. We went to Lingfield to get a run under his belt for this. “It was a good performance on only his second start and he is a horse with a lot of potential.”
Jockey William Buick gave Telwaar a confident ride to win the Bet at Bluesquare.com European Free Handicap at odds of 9/2. The Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained colt travelled strongly at the rear of the field with Buick still sat motionless coming into ‘The Dip’. He switched Telwaar to the middle of the track and he picked up well to pass all his rivals and win by half a length from Bannock.
A delighted Chapple-Hyam said: “He was pretty decent last year and has done well. He is not in the 2000 Guineas but he’s in the French version or he might be a type for the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.”
Baileys Jubilee (2/5F) made it two from two with an impressive success in the equestrianartuk.com Conditions Stakes under Silvestre De Sousa. The Mark Johnston-trained filly made a winning debut at Kempton 11 days ago and she stepped up again to score easily by eight lengths.
Johnston said: “She is very sharp and has won well. She may head to a five furlong Listed race at York next month.” Johnston and De Sousa secured a double on the day when Es Que Love won the concluding contest, the Bet at bluesquare.com On Your Mobile handicap at odds of 10/3.
Cogito (14/1) got his career off to the best possible start with a taking display to win the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes for trainer Brian Meehan. The son of Giant’s Causeway was always in a handy position under Martin Dwyer and stretched clear inside the final furlong to win by two and three quarter lengths.
The winning trainer said: “That was nice. He was bought at last year’s Breeze ups and we gave him the rest of the year off. His work had been good this spring and he is a nice prospect.”
There was a terrific finish to the Get Your Bets on at bluesquare.com Maiden Stakes with the Charlie Hills-trained Model Pupil (6/1) just getting the better of red-hot favourite, Shantaram, by a nose.
Thursday 19th April
THE afternoon was all about trainer Richard Hannon who secured a treble headed by Trumpet Major in the feature Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes in style.
The son of Arakan, a 9/2 shot, had to carry a penalty for his Group 2 win last year but showed a terrific turn of foot under Ryan Moore to bound clear and win by five lengths.
Hannon said: “I didn’t quite know if he would like the ground but Ryan got after him and he did it very well. “We will have to take our chance in the Guineas after that. He’s surprised me - I didn’t think he would win a Craven like that with a 3lb penalty.”
Earlier in the afternoon Hannon’s Rougement landed a big pot for owner Julie Wood when taking £250,000 Tattersalls Millions 3Y0 Trophy. The son of Montjeu was settled at the rear by jockey Pat Dobbs but got a clear run up the stands rail and made his challenge a furlong from home. He hit the front and was immediately tackled by Mickdaam. The pair were neck and neck but it was Rougement who came out on top by half a length.
A delighted Wood said of her 10/1 winner: “That is extra special as he’s our 100th winner as an owner. We have had 99 in England and the big Goffs sales race in Ireland and this is a nice horse who has been working well at home. “He has progressed nicely over the winter but isn't in the Derby. We'll have to find a nice race for him though!”
Moore was aboard Hannon’s first winner of the afternoon, Tassel who took the opening race on the card, the NGK Spark Plugs/British Stallion Studs EFB Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at odds of 6/5. The Highclere Thoroughbred-owned filly overcame greenness to win on her racecourse debut and was well on top at the finish, winning by a length and a quarter.
Richard Hannon Jnr said: “She has always been nice and looks to have lots of speed. Ryan (Moore) loved her.”
Questioning survived a stewards’ enquiry to win the Group 3 Weatherbys Earl of Sefton Stakes for trainer John Gosden and jockey William Buick.
The son of Elusive Quality drifted into the runner-up, favourite Twice Over inside the final furlong but the stewards ruled that the interference did not affect the final result.
Gosden said of the 10/1 chance: “He's been an unlucky horse. He was unlucky at Doncaster and he got chopped up in the Cambridgeshire here last year.”
Mayson was the most impressive winner of the afternoon when romping to victory in the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes. The Richard Fahey-trained colt made every yard of the running under Paul Hanagan and travelled well before surging clear inside the final furlong to win by three and a half lengths.
Fahey said: “He settled a little bit better today and we always thought he was capable of making his mark in a race like this. He'll now go to the Duke Of York Stakes at the Dante meeting.”
The Swan At Lavenham Wood Ditton Stakes went the way of the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained Mariner’s Cross at odds of 6/1. A strapping son of Dubawi, Mariner’s Cross raced handily throughout under Frankie Dettori and galloped strongly to the line to beat the promising Mukhadram by a length and three quarters.
A Zarooni said: “We always thought he was a good horse and he has proved it.”
Perfect Step (14/1) took the Rossdales Maiden Fillies’ Stakes for trainer Roger Varian and jockey Neil Callan. The daughter of Iffraaj showed a good attitude to out-battle Riot of Colour by half a length, the pair finishing five lengths clear of the third.
Main Sequence (2/1F) took his unbeaten record to three when narrowly taking the finale, the Turf TV handicap for trainer David Lanigan and jockey Ted Durcan. His performance earned him quotes of 25/1 for the Investec Derby at Epsom in June.
The QIPCO Guineas Festival will be the next meeting on the Rowley Mile, taking place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May.
