News From The Tracks
June News
First on the scoresheet this month was Eastern Hills. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Dubai Destination colt was one of only two maidens engaged in Sandown’s Charles Russell Handicap on 5th June. Greg Fairley stuck to the inside rail throughout this seven furlong handicap, only pulling out to pass the front-running Non Sucre when he had to. The colt kept on well to score by two lengths from favourite Topazes. Running off a mark of 72, the colt was scoring at the fifth time of asking after failing to make the racecourse as a juvenile.
 Rcord Breaker |
Peter Savill’s Peintre Celebre horse, Peppertree Lane, was next to land the spoils with a Listed success at Goodwood, and he is featured separately elsewhere in this month’s issue. Here he benefited from a typically astute Joe Fanning ride to land the second Listed success of his career.
Record Breaker is an interesting gelding. By In The Wings out of the Last Tycoon mare Overruled, the four-year-old is a half-brother to Vintage Tipple. Racing off a mark of 88 at Musselburgh in the totesport betXtra Handicap on 7th June, he was making his seasonal debut over a mile and three-quarters, having run poorly over a similar trip last September. With Joe Fanning in the saddle this time, Record Breaker ran well, keeping on strongly to defy Sir Duke, to whom he was conceding thirteen pounds, by a neck. Raised four pounds for this win, Record Breaker attempted to follow up at Ayr a fortnight later. The gelding was unable to resist the challenge of the consistent Birkside but finished two lengths clear of the remainder in a thirteen furlong handicap.
The Roodeye at Chester is one of England’s more idiosyncratic tracks and, like Epsom, not every horse will act on its sharp, left-handed circuit. Jockeyship is important there too and when Always Certain scored for the Always Trying Partnership VI on 10th June he had the considerable assistance of Darryll Holland in the saddle.
 Always Certain |
The Giant’s Causeway gelding was having just his second start in handicap company when he lined up for the Daniel Stewart Handicap over an extended ten furlongs. This was a marked step up in trip for Always Certain. Racing prominently throughout, he was ridden by Darryll Holland to challenge in the final quarter of a mile. Darryll dropped his reins momentarily but quickly recovered, sending Always Certain into the lead inside the final furlong. The gelding kept on well to score from Maximus Aurelius by a length, with the favourite, Sinbad The Sailor, a further length and a quarter back in third.
 Step This Way |
The stable is not noted for having runners in amateur races, so when we not only have a runner in but actually win one of the most prestigious races for amateurs in the calendar it’s a real cause for celebration. Step This Way’s owner, Stuart Counsell, was determined to have a runner at York on Timeform Charity Day, Saturday June 14th. A plan was hatched to enter the three-year-old Giant’s Causeway filly in the Queen Mother’s Cup. Leading amateur Lorraine Ellison was approached to ride, but as she was unavailable she recommended Alyson Deniel. The rest, as they say, is history.
 Hawaass - stripped cap |
Racing over a mile and a half, Step This Way turned in an excellent performance. Kelly Burke and Bazart set off into a clear lead with Alyson Deniel happy to follow in second on Step This Way. Travelling well, the partnership made smooth progress to take the lead with just over a quarter of a mile to travel. Soon clear, Step This Way kept on strongly to win by four and a half lengths from the ex-MJR trained Philanthropy, with Bazart plugging on well for third.
From Chantilly to Middleham, Ecurie Fabre to MJR. That’s the change recently made by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Maori, winner of a mile and a half maiden at Doncaster on 15th June. The Singspiel colt is the first foal of the Machiavellian mare Nawadi who is a sister to the useful No Excuse Needed. Andre Fabre ran him in early season maidens at Saint Cloud and Longchamp this spring, but having cut little ice on heavy going, it seems he was one of the few not to love Paris in the Springtime!
Switched to the rarified surroundings of Middleham Moor, Maori immediately repaid connections by scoring at the first time of asking in Doncaster’s Ann Hughes Heartbeat Maiden Stakes over a mile and a half. Joe Fanning was in the saddle and Maori fairly caught the eye. Asked to improve from midfield three furlongs out, the colt made smooth progress on the outside of the field to lead fully two furlongs from home. Thereafter he bounded home, defeating Herrera by four lengths with the well-bred Erdeli a head away in third.
Yamal won his second race in four starts when landing the CC Handicap at Thirsk on 17th June. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Green Desert gelding, who had won on his debut at Lingfield in March, had undergone the gelding operation since his previous run at Thirsk.
Having dwelt in the stalls on his previous start, Joe Fanning had Yamal away on terms this time and the gelding produced a strong run from the two furlong pole to prevail. He won by a length and a half from joint-favourite Esoterica with Heureux a length and a quarter back in third. Yamal tried to follow up under a penalty at Newcastle on 28th June, finishing a creditable second of twelve in another seven furlong handicap.
Musselburgh is proving something of a happy hunting ground for the stable this year, with Tourism, Tajweed, Always A Rock and Record Breaker all scoring in recent months. Dnata Flyer became the latest MJR inmate to benefit from the sea air at the East Lothian track when landing the Buck Consultants Handicap over seven furlongs on 20th June.
Royston Ffrench had the ride on Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Mr Greeley colt and he certainly earned his riding fee. Linda Perratt’s Forrest Star looked set to score having led round the sharp right-handed home bend and through most of the straight. However, Royston kept plugging away on Dnata Flyer and his efforts were rewarded when the colt stayed on strongly after being switched right entering the final furlong. Getting up in the last fifty yards, Flyer won by three-quarters of a length with the favourite, Ride A White Swan, three and a half lengths back in third.
It’s always great to have a winner on Newmarket’s July course and Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum’s Hawaass provided us with our first winner there this year with a promising run on Friday 27th June. The Seeking The Gold colt was making his seasonal debut in the Sign-Up Bonus at betinternet.com Handicap over ten furlongs, racing off a mark of 83.
Partnered by Greg Fairley, Hawaass jumped out well, was able to cross to the rail and thereafter turned the race into a procession. Galloping strongly up the hill, Hawaass scored by three and three-quarter lengths from Taken, with Ross Moor a length away in third. Winner of a Sandown maiden last September, when he beat Yaddree by a short head, Hawaass has now won two of his three starts and he looks a horse to follow in the months to come.
May News
The stable’s May campaign got off to a flying start on May Day when Tajweed, Keep Discovering and Mazaaya all won, the latter pair being our first winners at the new Great Leighs racecourse.
 Tajweed - centre |
Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum’s Tajweed was first on the scoresheet. The Pivotal gelding was making his handicap debut having landed a nine furlong Musselburgh maiden in April. The Tees Valley Handicap over a mile and a quarter at Redcar attracted a field of only six runners, and with two non-runners on account of the soft conditions, only four went to post,
Once the field had turned for home, Greg asked Tajweed to make gradual progress and the partnership hit the front with a quarter of a mile still to race. Alan Swinbank’s Full Speed looked the danger, but although Tajweed idled slightly when in front, he was always doing enough to hold that rival and at the post he won by a length, with Latterly keeping on to finish a further two lengths back in third.
 Keep Discovering |
Robert Winston had three rides for the yard on Great Leighs’ early evening card. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Keep Discovering, a well-related Oasis Dream colt, had impressed at Newbury on his last run finishing third over seven furlongs. Stepped up to a mile in the Port Handicap, his main rival seemed to be Luca Cumani’s Sky Dive.
Prince Desire led the way here until Winston asked Keep Discovering to go on with around two furlongs to race. Jamie Spencer brought Sky Dive with a challenge in the final furlong but Keep Discovering found more to hold him off, the pair finishing five lengths clear of their field. At the line, Keep Discovering’s winning margin was one and a quarter lengths.
 Tawzea - left |
Saif Ali’s Mazaaya had won on her debut at Redcar last year and was making her seasonal debut in the Claret Handicap. She was also stepped up in trip to ten furlongs from a mile. Winston was at his strongest here, urging the filly to get the better of Sheer Bluff in the closing stages. To her credit, Mazaaya kept on well, and recorded a win by a length from David Elsworth’s horse, with Henry Cecil’s Winter Bloom a further length and a quarter back in third. Robert Winston’s third ride of the evening saw him partner Isobel Bird’s Tartan Gigha to a creditable third in the mile maiden.
There was plenty to like about Tawzeea’s performance at Hamilton Park on 9th May, when the Cadeaux Genereux colt readily accounted for ten rivals in the Racing UK Maiden Stakes over six furlongs.
Drawn on the wide outside in box 12, Tawzeea was always travelling well on the outside of the field. He made gradual and smooth progress under Fanning to hit the front in the final furlong under hands and heels riding only. Keeping on well, he scored by two and a quarter lengths from Strawberry Moon with Johnston’s Glory beaten a further length and a quarter into third.
This was a creditable performance by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum’s colt, all the more so as it was to prove the yard’s only winner of a fairly barren fortnight. Tawzeea has a lot of speed, but may yet step up in trip. His dam, Kismah, was unbeaten on the track, winning twice over a mile for Sheikh Hamdan in 1998 and held an entry for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at one stage.
 Luberon |
A superb performance by Brian Yeardley’s Luberon lifted the gloom which had threatened to envelop the yard when the Fantastic Light gelding made almost every yard of the running to land York’s valuable Reland Jorvik Stakes, a Heritage Handicap, on Friday 16th May at the Dante meeting.
The race witnessed another magnificent example of Joe Fanning’s front-running skills. Drawn 9, he nonetheless was able to bring Luberon to the lead on the rail and thereafter dictated the pace of the race, setting only a steady pace which inconvenienced some of the runners travelling in midfield. He had Luberon travelling sweetly on the rail and pinched a length or two on the field turning for home. Two furlongs out, the race looked in the bag, but Pevensey did run on against the far rail to get within a length of Luberon at the line, with Sugar Ray a length and a quarter back in third. This was Luberon’s sixth career win and the five-year-old’s earnings now top £100,000.
 Opus Maximus |
Hard on the heels of Luberon’s win came a treble for the yard at Hamilton Park’s Braveheart Meeting, later that evening. And just for good measure, two of the wins came in Listed events.
Part-owner Jim McGrath hitched a lift in Neil Callan’s plane from York to Hamilton to see Opus Maximus run in the Brandon Homes William Wallace Handicap. The Titus Livius gelding was one of two runners for the yard in the race, the other being Yankee Storm. Drawn seven of nine, Opus Maximus travelled well towards the outside of his field, always just behind Mick Channon’s Leading Edge who looked set to score. However, the gelding really dug deep in the closing stages, nosing ahead of the Channon filly perhaps twenty metres out, and went on to score by a neck, with the same distance separating Leading Edge and the fast finishing Great Charm.
Details of Captain Webb’s win can be found elsewhere in this edition.
The final part of the treble was landed when Joe Fanning partnered Eradicate to victory for owner Alan Spence in the Listed Braveheart Stakes (Handicap) over a mile and a half. Only third favourite in a field of five, the Montjeu gelding took full advantage of the nine pounds he was receiving from Turbo Linn to defeat the Group 2 winning mare by a head.
This was another super ride from Joe Fanning, again dictating matters from the front before getting Eradicate home up the Hamilton hill. At time of writing, Eradicate holds entries in a valuable Epsom handicap and in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Touchdown was the next of our horses to score, landing a Thirsk maiden under Joe Fanning on Saturday 17th May. Unfortunately, as Mark notes in his column this month, the Singspiel colt sustained an injury despite winning the Whitby Maiden Stakes.
An account of Harwalla’s win, our first juvenile winner of the year can be read elsewhere in this month’s edition and Sheikh Ahmed’s Laa Rayb completed the double at Ripon’s meeting on 18th May. Laa Rayb had unseated Robert Winston when an intended runner in Ascot’s Victoria Cup so this Class 2 handicap over a mile was some consolation for connections.
Pontefract’s evening meeting on Friday 23rd May saw Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Premier Danseur land his second career win, and his first in handicap company, in the Constant Security Services Handicap. The Noverre colt was stepping up to a mile here and needed almost every yard of it to peg back Ninefineirishmen. Back in third was Greenland Park Stud’s Bonny Rose.
Premier Danseur is a half-brother to the high class US filly Balletto and as his dam, Destiny Dance, won twice over twelve furlongs as a three-year-old it’s possible Premier Danseur will step up in trip still further as the season progresses.
 Premier Danseur |
Before he lined up for the Bingley TBS Maiden Stakes at Haydock on 23rd May, Missioner had run three times and had run well in defeat in all three. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Rahy colt was sent off favourite for the mile event for which Jeremy Noseda’s Liberation Spirit looked a big danger.
Liberation Spirit actually led around three furlongs out but Greg Fairley brought Missioner to challenge with a quarter of a mile to run and he kept on well, pushed out to land the spoils by a neck from his rival, the pair having come four lengths clear of Presvis in third.
Missioner’s dam is the Machiavellian mare, Magic Mission. She ran with credit both in France and the States, perhaps her best performance coming when beaten by just a head in the Prix Chloe at Chantilly when under the care of Andre Fabre for the late Maktoum al Maktoum.
After Effort had added to Mark’s excellent record with juveniles at Carlisle on 26th May, Yankee Storm became the yard’s third winner at Great Leighs, swooping late to land the w20.net Handicap over the minimum trip. Greenstead Hall Racing’s Yankee Gentleman colt was slowly into his stride and was being driven along by Greg Fairley at the rear of the field for a long way. But in the final two furlongs, Yankee Storm responded to Greg’s urgings in great style to get up to beat Orpen’s Art by three-quarters of a length with Replicator the same distance back in third.
 Shaweel |
Shaweel landed a smooth win at Ayr on Thursday 29th May, and the stable enjoyed further success north of the border when Always A Rock followed up his Wolverhampton win with a front-running success in the Bibby Financial Services Bicentennial Handicap at Musselburgh. Racing off a rating of 78 on his handicap debut, the Always Trying Partnership IV’s Rock of Gibraltar colt was steered from his outside draw onto the rail by Greg Fairley, and despite being briefly headed by Prince Hamlet two from home, Always A Rock strode out well to land the spoils by a length and three-quarters with six lengths back to the third horse, Casino Night.
It was to prove the final win of the month for the yard, a period in which
thirteen of our seventeen wins were chalked up in the second half of the month.
April News
Rock On A Roll?
The Always Trying Partnership iv were rewarded for their patience at Wolverhampton on Wednesday 16th April when Always A Rock ran out the winner of the Ringside Conference Suite Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs.
This son of Rock of Gibraltar, a half-brother to Amadeus Wolf, was prevented from running as a juvenile by a series of niggling problems, but since making his racecourse debut at Wolverhampton in February his profile is progressive, not least in the 321 form figures!
Partnered by Robert Winston, Always A Rock was sent off the 8/13 market leader, though there was plenty of late support for Gerard Butler’s Agente Romano (3/1), the mount of William Buick. In truth, the race went like clockwork for the favourite. Asked to make all by Winston, Always A Rock was always at the head of affairs and simply had to be shaken up in the final furlong to score by two lengths from Opera Prince, with Agente Romano a further length back in third.
Blake’s Hat-trick Landed
William Blake, the Rainbow Quest colt owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, completed a hat-trick of wins on his turf debut at Beverley on 16th April when running out the easy winner of the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Handicap, a Class 4 event over a mile and a quarter.
After landing wins at Southwell and Lingfield on the all-weather, William Blake was fancied to complete the hat-trick in a field of just six, being sent off the 5/6 favourite under jockey Robert Winston. Dubai Petal looked to be the main danger to him.
Tiger’s Rocket led through the early stages until Winston asked William Blake to take up the running after a furlong. Thereafter the pair enjoyed an easy lead. When Winston asked him to quicken at the end of the back straight he did so nicely, and clear in the straight at no stage did he look likely to be challenged. At the post he won by three and three quarter lengths from Dubai Petal with Flying Time beaten just a head in third.
William Blake raced off a mark of 80 here so it will be interesting to see how the handicapper reacts to this win.
Listed Success for Campanologist
Newmarket’s Feilden Stakes is a Listed race which the stable has won twice in recent years. Gold History won the race in 2004, while Atlantic Waves took the 2006 renewal, both under Joe Fanning. This year’s renewal fell to another MJR horse, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Campanologist, once again partnered by that man Fanning.
Prior to the race, most attention was directed on Henry Cecil’s Rock of Gibraltar colt Kandahar Run. As low as 20/1 for the Derby itself, Kandahar Run was a hot favourite for the Feilden on 5/4, while Aidan O’Brien’s Poet traded at 4/1, with Campanologist next best at 9/2. Clive Brittain’s Yahrab led the way for the first five furlongs or so of this Listed event, with Campanologist racing wider but more or less upsides for much of that time. With around three furlongs left of the nine furlong trip, Joe Fanning sent Campanologist into the lead.
Gradually, Ted Durcan brought Kandahar Run to challenge on Campanologist’s outside, but just as the Cecil horse looked set to get on top the Kingmambo colt found more for Fanning and in the end he ran out the winner by half a length, with Poet finishing third, beaten four and a half lengths.
Campanologist is now likely to be aimed at one of the Classic trials, with either Sandown or Lingfield a more likely venue for his next run than York. Whilst the Kingmambo colt holds an entry in the Dante, Mark expressed the view to the waiting press corps at Newmarket that he would prefer to see the horse race at Group 3 level next. “I can’t say we are thinking about the Derby, but he has won a Listed race today and has earned another shot at a Group race.”
Wherever he races next this was a good win for Campanologist who is improving all the time.
Wolverhampton Double for Fanning
The last two races on a Saturday night card at Wolverhampton tend to be for diehards only, either of the punting variety or for those who are especially enjoying the food and drink on offer at Dunstall Park. However, Joe Fanning may now have developed a soft spot for late night racing after partnering Pentathlon and Chanteuse de Rue to a remunerative double on Saturday 12th April.
 Chanteuse De Rue |
Pentathlon, a Storming Home gelding owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, was having his fourth career start at Woverhampton. Having finished second at Southwell over a mile at the beginning of March, he had been disappointing at Pontefract last time out when fading to fifth of seven over ten furlongs. Dropped in class and stepped back to nine and a half furlongs, he was rated a 9/4 chance with Top Ticket heading the betting on 6/5.
Joe Fanning made all on Pentathlon, kicking for home decisively three furlongs out. He was able to ease the gelding close home, still winning by five lengths from Top Ticket with Nikolaievich a length and a half back in third.
Pentathlon is out of a Zilzal dam and may prove equally at home over shorter trips.
Stuart Morrison’s Street Cry filly, Chanteuse de Rue, bred by Mark Johnston Racing,completed the double when landing the Dine in Horizons Handicap, a nine and a half furlong event at the attractive odds of 14/1. This was her fifth career start and she benefitted from a typically astute tactical ride from Joe, having been sent to the head of affairs after two furlongs and then finding plenty under pressure to defy Jeremy Noseda’s Art Exhibition by three quarters of a length.
Joe is riding in great form at the moment and is closing down fast on Greg Fairley’s early lead in our jockeys’ standings.
Tajweed Steps Up
After a promising run on his seasonal reappearance at Redcar recently, Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum’s Tajweed duly stepped up on that performance at Musselburgh on 11th April when landing the Core Champagne Charlie Maiden Stakes.
The Pivotal gelding was sent off the even money favourite for this nine furlong event for which a field of eight went to post. The market suggested his chief rival would be Geoff Swinbank’s Prince Kalamoun, and sure enough this pair were to draw ten lengths clear of the third horse in the straight.
Dandy Nicholls’ Flagstone led the way until taken on by Tajweed three furlongs from home. Prince Kalamoun then made ominous progress to join Tajweed and indeed Neil Callan’s horse appeared to have his head in front as the leading pair neared the furlong pole. However, Tajweed found plenty under Fairley’s driving in the final furlong to pull away for a three lengths’ win.
Tajweed is out of the Fairy King mare Mannakea. He raced at Musselburgh as though likely to be suited by a step up in trip, and it’s interesting to note that he is a half-brother to Revolving World, a winner over a mile and a half at Ripon last summer.
Webb Progressing Well
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Captain Webb, a three-year-old colt by Storming Home, is shaping up to be one of the stable’s stars of the season with a couple of useful performances to his credit this April.
Winner of a mile maiden at Brighton last October for his breeders, Gainsborough, on his only juvenile start, the colt began his three-year-old campaign in a Leicester handicap on 3rd April. A field of seven went to post for the ladbrokes.com Kibworth Handicap, a Class 3 event over ten furlongs on soft ground. Captain Webb was sent off the 7/4 market leader with Joe Fanning taking the ride.
Chris Catlin set out to make the running on Shannersburg, with Joe asking Captain Webb to follow the leader. About three furlongs from home, Fanning sent his mount into the lead as Shannersburg began to weaken. He was not to have things all his own way, however, as Barry Hills’ Ballochroy made good headway to join Captain Webb at the two furlong marker. Despite hanging left, Captain Webb ran on strongly to assert himself here and at the winning line he finished two and a quarter lengths clear of Ballochroy with a similar distance back to No To Trident in third.
Having raced off 78 at Leicester, the colt was raised 8lb to 86 by the handicapper before turning out at Brighton ten days later in the Kings Golden Disc Derby Handicap, again a ten furlong event, contested by just four runners. Captain Webb was sent off the 4/9 favourite on ground officially described as good to soft.
Perhaps in an effort to educate the colt, Joe Fanning was content to hold Captain Webb up in third as John Dunlop’s Benhavis made the running here. The partnership made smooth headway to take up the running half a mile from home, and by the time the field approached the two furlong pole Captain Webb was well clear. Despite being eased throughout the final furlong, Captain Webb went on to score by no less than twenty lengths from Maximus Aurelius with Kayflaa a head back in third.
Given such a small field at Brighton it’s hard to get a clear indication of the value of this form, but with the colt’s dam, the Shirley Heights mare Criquette, being a half-sister to top-class miler Markofdistinction it’s entirely possible that Captain Webb is heading for the top.
Catterick Win for Saga
The yard’s first win in April came at Catterick on the second of the month when Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Forsyte Saga ran out the winner of the Yarm Handicap, a race won by Always Best for the yard in 2007.
The Machiavellian filly, who is out of a Darshaan mare, was fit from a busy all-weather campaign but was taking a massive step up in trip for this mile and a half handicap, having last raced over nine and a half furlongs. Pat Haslam’s Sheer Fantastic was installed 3/1 favourite in a competitive field of seven, with Forsyte Saga sent off the joint third favourite at 5/1.
Greg Fairley set out to make all the running and was allowed to lead the field into Catterick’s undulating straight. The filly was ridden along three furlongs from home and driven by Fairley approaching the final furlong. She responded gamely to his driving, staying on strongly in the closing stages to win by two lengths from Kirbati King, with a further two and three-quarter lengths back to Pepper’s Ghost in third.
The step up in trip clearly suited Forsyte Saga whose dam, First of Many, is a sister to a triple winner over eleven to twelve furlongs as a three-year-old. She was winning here off a mark of 70.
February News
February’s campaign began on a high note when Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Leamington landed Mark’s 2000th British win at Southwell on 4th February. The Pleasant Tap filly followed up her recent Wolverhampton success to land the Race Ahead with Zena @ Pontin’s Handicap, an eleven furlong event for three-years-old rated 0-75.
There then was a frustrating period of over a week before the next win was achieved. During that time Trimaran and Thebes recorded second places, while Traitor’s Gate and West Lorne both finished third at Southwell.
Greg Fairley has been in great form and he rode a long-priced double at Southwell on February 12th. William Blake is a well-bred Rainbow Quest colt, and making his racecourse debut, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s colt defied greenness to land the Make A Date With Pontin’s Maiden Stakes over a mile. Syndicate 2005’s Denbera Dancer then seemed to improve for the switch to fibresand, as the Danehill gelding powered to a smooth success in the I Love, Yoy Love, We Love Pontin’s Handicap over a mile.
Love Empire, Silent Master and Smooth Sovereign all then filled the runners-up berth before Thebes provided his owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with yet another win when running away with the Treat Your Family to Pontin’s Maiden Stakes at Southwell on 19th February. The Cadeaux Genereux colt scorched to a six length success over Flying Sommelier in the six furlong event.
Oberlin is a particularly well-bred colt, being by Gone West out of the Irish Derby winning mare, Balanchine. Having had five runs already, connections were keen to see him perform better at Southwell on 22nd February. The colt made most of the running, and simply had to be ridden out to land the eleven furlong maiden from Coral Shores.
At Lingfield on 23rd February, Always Bold ran a decent race for the Always Trying Partnership v, finishing second in the mile and a half maiden to Red Linnet, before Dubai’s Touch ran a cracking race in defeat over ten furlongs in the Listed Winter Derby Trial. Making his seasonal debut, Salem Suhail’s Dr Fong colt beat all home bar the in-form Dansant, to whom he went down by just a head.
As we have reported elsewhere, Yes Mr President then made it a happy return for Joe Fanning at Wolverhampton, landing the yard’s sixth win of the month on 25th February.
2000 Landed!
The stable passed another notable landmark at Southwell on 4th February when Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Leamington followed up her recent Wolverhampton success to land the Race Ahead with Zena @ Pontin’s Handicap, an eleven furlong event for three-years-old rated 0-75. The Pleasant Tap filly’s win was the 2000th British flat race win notched up by Mark in his career dating from 1987.
Leamington was one of just four runners for this race. Sent off at 15/8, she was rejected by punters in favour of Michael Jarvis’ Ski Sunday, a King’s Best colt owned by Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum. Making up the field of four was our own Shaftesbury and Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Alcimedes. Greg Fairley took the ride.
Fairley asked the filly to make all and she soon had her field struggling. Clear a furlong from home, she ran on well to stretch out to a winning distance of nine lengths, Shaftesbury just losing out to Ski Sunday by a neck for second place. This seems a progressive run and it may be that the filly will now go the Sales.
Mark was delighted that the landmark win had been notched. “I’m very pleased, obviously,” he told the Racing Post. “I’m not sure who else has trained 2000 winners. I remember John Dunlop doing it, and I assume Richard Hannon has, but to some extent there is more racing now and there are more opportunities. But on the other hand we started twenty years ago with one winner in the first year and five in the second, so the last 1000 in particular has come very quickly indeed,” quipped Mark.
This win was Mark’s ninth winner of 2008, already a fair way towards
notching a fifteenth consecutive century of British flat wins.
January 2008
The Dubai Destination filly Bookish, now running in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed al Maktoum, became the yard’s first winner of the year when she landed the Captain Croc Makes Pontins’ Rock Handicap at Wolverhampton on 9th January.
The three-year-old had opened her account on her previous run at Kempton in December, when accounting for What’s For Tea by half a length in a seven furlong nursery. Here she faced five opponents for this Class 5 event over an extended seven furlongs, and was sent off the 9/4 favourite.
Yattendon made the early running as Greg Fairley, drawn 5 of 6 on Bookish,
was content to chase the leader. Travelling well, Bookish went on before the
two-furlong pole chased by Ron Harris’ Rich Kid. To settle the result,
Fairley had to get serious with her before the furlong marker but she responded
well, running on well to hold the second horse by a length and a half with
the slow starting Bury Treasure a further three lengths back in third.
It was a case of tenth time lucky for Boomtown at Wolverhampton on 10th January,
when the Fantastic Light colt chalked up his first success in the Sponsor
A Race By Calling 0870 220 2442 Handicap. The horse was bought by MJR with
the intention of providing a suitable ride for the stable’s apprentice
jockeys.
Boomtown, partnered on his three previous all-weather starts by new stable apprentice Marie Lussiana, was ridden By Greg Fairley, and in a small field of five for this Class 5 event over eight and a half furlongs he was sent off the 7/4 favourite.
Moonlitesilhouette cut out the early pace, with Fairley content to track the leader. With just over a quarter of a mile to run, Boomtown took up the running with first Kryptonite and then My Mate Max giving chase. The colt was well clear with a furlong to run, and at the post he had forged six lengths clear of My Mate Max, who just edged out Kryptonite for second place.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Leamington was next to score for the yard, landing a nine and a half furlong Class 4 handicap at Wolverhampton on 11th January. In fact, Leamington had looked likely to be the yard’s first winner of the year when she finished second at Kempton on 2nd January. Despite kicking for home on the bend there, greenness robbed her of the prize as she jinked left away from Greg Fairley’s whip. The Pleasant Tap filly seemed to relish the step up in trip from a mile here and showed resolution in holding the recent winner Martyr at bay in the straight.
The same owner’s Fantastic Light filly Especially was on the mark at Southwell on 14th January, following up her December win at the course with a smooth success in the mile handicap. In her December win, she had had to battle hard, holding off challenges on either side of her to land the spoils. Here, she settled the issue much more easily, going on over a furlong out and holding on well to defeat Safebreaker by a length. Her dam was the champion two-year-old filly in Argentina, and she looks to be on the upgrade. Doug Livingston’s Terracos do Pinhal finished third in the same race.
One individual who has caught the eye is the Halling gelding, Age of Reason, who made it two wins from two starts when landing the Make A Break For Pontin’s Today Handicap at Wolverhampton on 18th January.
Age of Reason had been hugely impressive when landing a Lingfield maiden on 28th December, and the form of that race was franked when third placed Rankayo Hitam won at Lingfield on 12th January. Age of Reason, top-weighted after receiving a rating of 83 for his Lingfield efforts, was ridden by Greg Fairley and was sent off the even money favourite.
What looked to be a competitive affair on paper turned out to be a routine win for Age of Reason. Drawn on the inside, Fairley set out to make all and the outcome was rarely in doubt. After setting a punishing gallop, the gelding merely had to be ridden out to score by two and a half lengths from Pacifism, with three and a half lengths separating the second from the third, Elusive Lady.
Boomtown then notched his second win of the month with a smooth success in Lingfield’s Partypoker.com Handicap on Saturday 19th January.
After opening his account at Wolverhampton on 10th January, the Fantastic Light colt had narrowly failed to follow up that win when going under by a head to Sheer Fantastic at Lingfield on 16th January. However, Boomtown had been drawn on the outside on that occasion and also was hassled in the lead by Black Heart.
Back at Lingfield three days later, racing over the same distance, Boomtown was again all the rage for this Class 5 handicap over ten furlongs. Drawn nearer the fence on this occasion, Boomtown was able to secure the lead easily and jockey Greg Fairley set a fairly moderate pace at the head of affairs.
Having set sail for home on his previous outing on the descent into the straight only to be caught close home, Fairley waited until the field entered the straight before kicking on. Once he had done so, the result was never in doubt and at the post he had two and a half lengths in hand of Wannabe Grand and Seb Sanders. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Shaftesbury, making his handicap debut and partnered by Dean McKeown, ran well to finish third, beaten a further two lengths.
The Darley operation sent out another winner when Barons Court won a Kempton maiden over seven furlongs on his third start on 23rd January. The Pivotal colt had led a field of fourteen until the two furlong pole, at which stage he was headed by Jamie Osborne’s Tension Mounts. However, to his credit the colt buckled down well, surging ahead in the closing stages to win by a length.
A number of horses turned in solid efforts in defeat, notably Ace of Spies, Grand Fleet, Hieroglyph and Oberlin. The last-named, beautifully bred by Gone West out of the Irish Derby winner Balanchine, turned in a much improved effort at Lingfield in a mile maiden, beating all home save the four-year-old Garden Party, and looks one to follow in the near future. Credit is also due to West Lorne, another Gone West filly who finished a creditable second to a useful type on her debut in a Wolverhampton maiden on 28th December.
Generally, the month followed a fairly similar pattern to January 2007, when Darley were responsible for four of the eight winners posted.
December 2007
Bookish became the yard’s first winner in December when battling to success in the digibet Nursery at Kempton on the fifth of the month. Sheikh Mohammed’s Dubai Destination filly is the first foal of the unraced Daylami mare, Daybook and is well-related. Having her fifth outing, she raced here off a mark of 64. Greg Fairley tracked the leading pair, What’s For Tea and Imaginemysurprise in the early stages of this seven furlong event before asking the filly for her effort a quarter of a mile from home. Gradually, she got the better of Tom Dascombe’s consistent filly, taking the lead seventy five yards from the line and holding on to record a half-length success over What’s For Tea, with Sylvester Kirk’s Miss Phoebe a fast finishing third. Jockey Fairley acknowledged that the filly was progressing slowly and told the Racing Post he felt she would stay a mile.
Just three days later on 8th December, Call of Duty turned in an excellent debut performance to land a Lingfield maiden under Greg Fairley. Gainsborough’s Storming Home colt looked to have a tough assignment on his hands in the Lingfield Park for Weddings Median Auction Maiden Stakes over a mile. In a field of twelve, he was sent off at 8/1 against some experienced rivals. The colt, closely related to mile and a quarter winner Barbirolli and a half-brother to the useful Blythe Knight (Diomed Stakes), ran green in the early stages, racing towards the rear of the field and looking all at sea. Indeed, at one stage he was trading at 40 on the exchanges! However, Call of Duty gradually clawed his way into the race, racing towards the inside on the home turn and brought wider to launch his challenge straightening up for home. As soon as he found daylight he fairly took off in the closing stages, dashing home to win by three-quarters of a length from Alcimedes, with Fair Gale a head back in third.
This was an excellent ride by Fairley. Further back than he wanted to be for most of the race he didn’t panic, gave the colt time to find his feet, saved ground by bringing him to the inner approaching the final bend and set him alight at the business end of the race, timing his run to perfection. Rated a newcomer with a future, Call of Duty impressed Fairley. “He did that well. He was a bit green, but he picked up and went on nicely in the final furlong. He’ll be a nice horse next year when he strengthens up.” As his dam was a maiden half-sister to Irish St Leger winner Authaal, staying may well prove his game in the future.
The third December winner came courtesy of another Sheikh Mohammed-owned juvenile filly at Southwell on 18th December. Showing a good attitude, Especially ran out the game winner of the southwell-racecourse.co.uk Nursery, a Class 6 event over seven furlongs. The Fantastic Light filly was having her fifth career run, the pick of her previous efforts being when she finished third of sixteen in a Goodwood maiden in late September. The in-form Greg Fairley took the ride. A field of ten contested the race and the filly was sent off at 5/1, with Kevin Ryan’s Splash The Cash heading the market.
Especially chased the leaders early on before being asked for her effort with just over a quarter of a mile to race. It seemed she was able to produce her turf form tried on this easier surface. Going into the lead just after the two furlong marker, she battled on well, driven throughout the final furlong to score. At the post she had a length and a quarter in hand of the second horse, the fast finishing Natural Rhythm, with Ballycroy Boy a half a length back in third.
Interestingly, Especially is out of the Equalize mare, Esperada, who was the champion juvenile filly in Argentina and was a dual Group 1 winner over seven furlongs to a mile. Especially is not overly big, but her heart is clearly in the right place and she may seek to follow up in similar company.
The fourth win of the month came at Lingfield on 28th December, when Sheikh Mohammed’s Halling gelding Age of Reason made a winning debut in the Pontin’s Book Early and Save Median Auction Maiden Stakes over a mile. This race attracted a field of nine, headed by Rankayo Hitam the 11/4 favourite. Hughie Morrison’s Mrs Summersby was also well-supported at 3/1 with Age of Reason next best at 9/2. Greg Fairley was once again in the saddle.
Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Alcimedes, also a 9/2 shot, led through the first furlong as Age of Reason raced just off the pace. Sent to take the lead a quarter of a mile from home, Age of Reason was kicked clear easily off the final bend. Clear around the furlong pole the gelding only had to be ridden out by Fairley to score by three and a half lengths from Mcconnell, rated 74, with the favourite a further length and a quarter back in third.
This was an impressive debut from a well-bred gelding. His dam, Time Changes, won the Listed Prix Isola Bella over a mile at Saint Cloud for Sheikh Mohammed nine years ago when trained by Andre Fabre. Age of Reason is her second foal, her first, Deadline, having won a nine furlong maiden at Newcastle as a three-year-old.
As we were going to press, Sheikh Mohammed’s Glittering Prize became the 166th and final winner for the yard in 2007 when upsetting the odds-on favourite in Wolverhampton’s Play Backgammon@willhill.com Maiden Stakes on New Year’s Eve. The Cadeaux Genereux filly was sent off at 6/4, with punters preferring Tim Easterby’s Molly Ann, the 5/6 favourite.
Last time out, Glittering Prize lost all chance by rearing in the stalls. There was no such trouble this time, and Greg Fairley was to enjoy an armchair ride, as Glittering Prize burst clear in the straight to score by six lengths from the favourite, with Martin Crane’s Hollow Point turning in a better performance in third.
November 2007
After we went to press last month, Mr and Mrs Brookhouse’s three-year-old Star of Angels completed the list of October winners with a facile success in a Catterick handicap over a mile and a half. It was the Diktat gelding’s first career win, and he nearly followed up under a penalty at Wolverhampton on 4th November, going down by just a length.
The first win of November came at Lingfield on the first day of the month when Mr Ali Saeed’s Anabaa filly, Debonnaire, opened her account at the third time of asking. This half-sister to Dramatic Quest and Proceed With Care was a game winner of the EBF Scots Group Quaich Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over seven furlongs, always racing up with the pace before holding the determined challenge of John Gosden’s Anne of Kiev in the closing stages.
 Detonator winning a gallop on the High Moor |
Sheikh Ahmed has enjoyed a tremendous season with his Middleham-based horses and Ramatni added to his record of success with a smooth win in a Catterick nursery on 6th November. The six furlong trip suited the Green Desert filly who had finished second on her two previous starts; she made no mistake here, making all to defy The Real Guru by a length and a quarter. She may well race again this season.
Sheikh Mohammed’s Detonator, a Fantastic Light gelding, had created a great impression on his debut at Warwick at the beginning of October, finishing second at 33/1 in a maiden over seven furlongs. With a pedigree packed full of stamina, the step up to nine furlongs at Wolverhampton on 8th November was always likely to suit, and sent off the 2/1 on favourite, he duly obliged. The winning margin was no less than nine lengths, with the favourite by no means hard ridden to achieve such a margin.
In the following race on that Wolverhampton card, Baan stepped up on recent form to finish third over nine and a half furlongs, kindling hope that his turn to win might arrive soon.
On the eve of the flat finale at Doncaster on 10th November, Greg Fairley notched a brace of wins for the yard at Musselburgh on two juvenile maidens, Endless Luck and Hieroglyph.
First into action was Leung Kai Fai and Vincent Leung’s Giant’s Causeway colt, Endless Luck. This fellow had finished second on his debut at Leicester in October behind a useful sort and as a result he was sent off the 6/5 favourite for the EBF Maiden Stakes over a mile, a Class 5 event which had attracted a field of ten.
Endless Luck raced close up with Michael Jarvis’ Tighnabruaich as that Rainbow Quest colt made most of the running. Taking it up over two furlongs out, Greg Fairley’s mount came right away from his field in the closing stages, keeping on well despite edging right. At the post he had six lengths in hand of Tighnabruaich, with Azure Mist a further four lengths back in third. Our own Jim’s Boy finished ninth of the ten runners having shown some early pace.
Seven runners contested the EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes an hour later, including Gainsborough’s Hieroglyph, a Green Desert filly, and debutante Somerset Falls, Sheikh Mohammed’s Red Ransom filly. The former was sent off the 6/4 favourite, with Michael Jarvis’ Al Cobra looking the danger at 11/4. Somerset Falls started at 12/1.
Jean-Pierre Guillambert partnered Somerset Falls, and, despite being drawn seven out of seven, the partnership were able to get to the lead. The Red Ransom filly continued to make the running till two furlongs out, when Hieroglyph took it up. She responded well to Fairley’s urgings in the final furlong to score by two lengths from Somerset Falls, with Island Music three-quarters of a length back in third. This was also a highly satisfactory debut for Somerset Falls, a half-sister to Boscobel.
An excellent day for the yard, and one which saw the stable nudge ahead of its tally of 159 winners in 2006, was rounded off at Wolverhampton that evening, when title contender Jamie Spencer partnered Sheikh Mohammed’s Mafioso, a Red Ransom colt, to a three-lengths win over stablemate Jerry Hamilton, a Cherokee Run half-brother to Shamardal owned by Mrs Brookhouse, in the Hotel and Conferencing at Wolverhampton Racecourse Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs.
On the last day of the turf season at Doncaster, Darryll Holland partnered Sheikh Mohammed’s Noverre colt, Premier Danseur, to a neck success in the First Transforming Travel in Doncaster EBF Maiden Stakes, depriving Jamie Spencer on Minus Fifteen of what would have been a very important winner!
News From The Tracks : October 2007
It sounds a mite picky, looking down from a position of 152 winners in the calendar year, to carp about a bout of seconditis, but if ever there were to be good reason for doing so, MJR’s October campaign fits the bill. In addition to thirteen wins to date, the month has seen no fewer than nineteen MJR inmates fill the runners-up berth. Before we celebrate the successes of the winners, spare a thought for some of the connections of the beaten horses.
Dubai’s Touch ran a cracker at Dusseldorf on 7th October in the Grosser Preis Der Landeshaupstadt Dusseldorf, a Group 3 event, going down by just a head to Mharadono, the pair having pulled six lengths clear of their field. Indeed the month had started with some narrow squeaks - Detonator, Hieroglyph and Planetarium had all finished second within half an hour at Warwick and Bath on the first of the month - and Sheikh Mohammed’s Glittering Prize (by Cadeaux Genereux) and Gainsborough’s Safebreaker (by Key of Luck) were particularly unfortunate to finish second twice during the month.
Naomh Geleis ran with some credit in the Deloitte Autumn Stakes at Ascot, finishing a close fourth in this Group 3 race, while Lovelace is confidently expected to make a mockery of his Newmarket Group 2 form granted a better racing surface in the future. It’s hard to know what to make of McCartney’s Dewhurst run. In retrospect it’s tempting to say he may have been better waiting for the Racing Post Trophy, especially given the good ground at Doncaster, but the Dewhurst seemed a high class event and in the fullness of time his run might not look so disappointing. Soapy Danger returned to the track with a cracking run in Newmarket’s Godolphin Stakes, finishing a close up third to the classy Galactic Star in this Listed event.
And so to the winners. In a month dominated by juveniles, the three-year-old Plane Painter set the ball rolling with an all the way success at Bath on the first of the month for owners Favourites Racing.
Bonny Rose was a welcome scorer for Greenland Park Stud at Musselburgh on 5th October after having gone close on a number of previous occasions, and Sheikh Mohammed‘s Planetarium made up for his earlier second with a smooth success under Greg Fairley in a Pontefract maiden on the 8th of the month.