Honiton wins at Newmarket
Mostabshir impress’s at York
The Antarctic Freezes out rivals at Naas
Al Husn lands Rothesay stakes
Report
We start at Newmarket on Friday in the 1m 2f handicap where Honiton ( Peej), went to post, Led, headed after 2f, led again over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, ran on final furlong, went clear towards finish winning by 1 ¼ l. He gets 33 points.
At York in the 1m novice stakes Mostabshir ( Neil), took his chance, Made all, set steady pace, shaken up and quickened clear 2f out, kept on pushed out, winning easily by 5l. He gets 28 points.
On Sunday at Naas in the 6f group 3 The Antarctic (Neil), went to post, Raced far side, made all, pushed along from under 2f out, ridden when faced challenge 1f out, edged right but kept on well inside final furlong, just did enough, winning b y a head. He gets 34.6 points.
On Wednesday at Ayr in the 1m 2f listed stakes Al Husn (Cliff), took her chance, In touch with leaders, shaken up 2f out, smooth headway to lead over 1f out, ridden briefly inside final furlong, pushed out towards finish, wining comfortably by ½ l. She gets 27.68 points.
The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
May Total
Cliff 153.124 153.12
Neil 126.1 126.1
Martin 105.85 105.85
Peej 88.95 88.95
Bob 65.94 65.94
Steve 55.95 55.95
Cod 27.46 27.46
News
Mawj, who put Saeed bin Suroor back in the big time when landing the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket this month, is to miss a rematch with runner-up Tahiyra in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on Sunday week.
Bin Suroor will instead target Royal Ascot with the diminutive filly as he feels his new stable star needs more time between her races.
Michael Dods spoke to the Punter about plans for Azure Blue, She's not entered at Royal Ascot and Dods doesn't sound tempted to supplement her. "I've discussed it with one of the owners. Listen, if it was a wet week, we'd consider it. But we're not that bothered.
"Possibly the next race, ground permitting, could be the July Cup. It wouldn't bother me if we waited six weeks. There's a Group 3 fillies at York at around that time. I would guess it'd be one of those. If the ground was right, we'd seriously think about the Nunthorpe / Abbaye route. We'd like to see her over five before, obviously. There's so many options.
Vadeni is likely to be a star addition to the €450,000 Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday after Georges Rimaud, the Aga Khan's racing and breeding manager in France, confirmed the intention to supplement last season's champion three-year-old colt.
Emily Upjohn could make her seasonal reappearance in the Coronation Cup on Friday week. John Gosden told the Punter, “We’ll leave Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and she worked nicely over the weekend. Obviously she was just a short head shy in the Oaks last year, she’s in good form and we’ll definitely leave her in that race.
Aidan O'Brien has trained winners at 13 British tracks, including 103 at Ascot, but Haydock is not one of them and Little Big Bear will try to tear up that statistic on Saturday when he returns to sprinting in the Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane Stakes.
Connections of White Birch are preparing to roll the dice in the Betfred Derby with their Dante runner-up and think the mile-and-a-half trip could be just what he wants. White Birch is a general 14-1 for the Epsom Classic on June 3, and assistant trainer George Murphy said: "It was a super run [at York]. We were very pleased with him. You don't get ground as quick as what it was in the Dante over here [in Ireland] too often, but he seemed to have no issue with it. He seems to be very versatile."
Weekend Entries
Friday
Goodwood
3.00 Bluestocking
Saturday
Curragh
1.55 Bucanero Furete, Noche Magica
2.30 Garrus, Mount Athos, Tenebrism
3.40 Chaldean, Little Big Bear, , Nostrum, Charyn, Greenland, Haydock
3.00 Little Big Bear, Charyn,
Goodwood
1.30 Notre Belle Bete
Chester
2.30 Orchid Bloom
4.40 First of May
Salisbury
7.10 Diligent Harry
Sunday
Curragh
2.45 Luxembourg, Vadeni
3.50 Tahirya, Mawj, Meditate,
Grand Slam
Leg 1 Neil
Leg 2 Tony
Leg 3 Tony
Leg 4 Cliff
Leg 5 Neil
Leg 6 Peej
Leg 7 Tony
Leg 8 Steve
Leg 9 Steve
Leg 10 Steve
Leg 11 Steve
Leg 12 Cliff
Leg 13 Neil
Leg 14 Cliff
First winner bonus available, In the UK - Brighton, Cartmel, Perth, Southwell, , Worcester
In Ireland - Ballinrobe, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Bellewstown, Laytown, Downpatrick, Listowel, Kilbeggan
