Craven Meeting 2008
Gosden in amazing Home of Racing four-timer
Day One - Craven Meeting
JOHN GOSDEN enjoyed the sort of day trainers dream of as he registered a 1785-1 four-timer on the opening day of the Craven meeting at Newmarket today.
Pampas Rock (Federation of Bloodstock Agents Maiden Stakes), Virtual (Alex Scott Maiden Stakes) and Prohibit all recorded wins. But the highlight of an extraordinary afternoon for Gosden was the thrilling triumph by Infallible in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes.
The Pivotal filly returned to the scene of a course and distance debut win last November to land the seven-furlong Group 3 in stunning style.
She came from last to first under jockey Jimmy Fortune to score by three-and-a-half lengths at odds of 7-2. It was visually very impressive and it came as no surprise that the sponsors instantly cut her from 16s to 5s for the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas back here on Sunday May 4. That price soon went as she was further clipped to 4/1 joint-favourite alongside Natagora.
Gosden said: said: “You’d have to be damn good to take on that grey French filly but Infallible will be give her a race, although having had only two runs is not very experienced to go to a Guineas.”
Gosden was determined to enjoy his marvellous afternoon because he, as much as anyone, realised that they come along only marginally more often than World Cup wins for the England football team.
He said: “You don’t get many days where you turn up and get four winners from four runners. Yes, you’ve got to savour days like these.”
The Making Betting Better On Newmarket High Street produced the closest finish of the day with Stimulation getting up in the last stride to nail long-time leader Fat Boy by a nose.
Stimulation’s trainer Hughie Morrison pointed the way to the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas after this narrowest of narrow wins by his charge who remained a 33/1 shot for the colt’s Classic on May 3.
He said: “It may be a trifle optimistic going for the Guineas but I’m confident that a fast-run mile will suit him better than a slowly-run seven furlongs.”
Campanologist proved a game winner of the Tuddenham Mill Feilden Stakes, while we may have seen a very talented two-year-old in the shape of Art Connisseur, successful in the Call Geoff Huffer Racing On 0871 246925 Conditions Stakes.
Racing resumes with the second day of the fixture tomorrow, Thursday April 17
Day 2 - Craven Meeting
Cecil in Group 3 double-strike
HENRY CECIL was roared to the rafters as Twice Over and Phoenix Tower recorded a 28-1 double for the Warren Place trainer at Newmarket today.
Twice Over gave a performance that smacked of class and durability as he clinched the banshahousestables.com Craven Stakes.
After being briefly headed, he wore down the favourite Raven’s Pass to score by a short head in the Group 3 with a further six lengths back to the third The Bogberry.
The Observatory colt was cut to 9/2 by the sponsors for the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas, which will be staged on Saturday May 3 back at The NatWest Rowley Mile.
However, Cecil was at pains to outline that Twice Over was not guaranteed to line up in the 200th running of the famous Classic, hinting that the Dante may be his next port of call.
He said: “He is not a definite runner in the Guineas as I’m not sure that he doesn’t want a little bit further. I think he outstayed the other horse here.
“He is a lovely horse who does everything right. If you take the second away he won easily. I am very pleased with him.”
Just over half-an-hour later and Cecil was back in the winner’s circle thanks to Phoenix Tower, a narrow scorer over Traffic Guard in the Group 3 Weatherbys Earl Of Sefton Stakes.
Cecil said: “He fractured a pelvis last year and it was a good performance to come back and win like that. He has never been beaten in his four runs and I am very happy with him.”
Zidane provided James Fanshawe with his first winner of the season, taking the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes in a bobbing finish from Assertive and Dark Missile.
Tri Nations and Fanjura won the respective divisions of the Irish Throughbred Marketing Wood Ditton Stakes, while the day’s other winners were Danehill Destiny (Wyck Hall Stud Maiden Fillies’ Stakes), Danae (Rossdales Maiden Fillies’ Stakes) and Bronze Cannon (Curragh ‘Home Of The Irish Classics’ Handicap).