A sensational weekend for the team which started on Thursday with an across the card double, followed up on Friday with a double at HQ and then a four timer on Saturday including the winner of a Group 2. The final winner came in the shape of STAR TERMS taking out a Listed event at Longchamp on Sunday.
So nine winners in four days continues our good spell. HARD NUT won with a penalty on Thursday at Newbury in impressive fashion and looks a horse on the improve. ‘Winning with a penalty is never easy for a two year old and the ones that can tend to be decent. He continues to improve with every run and I feel we will have a lot of fun with him going forward.’ CORNCRAKE managed to win with plenty in hand again carrying a six pound penalty. ‘He has suddenly got the hang of things and has won three on the bounce. It will be interesting to see what the handicapper does with him on Tuesday and then we will make a plan going forward.’
Friday saw a tasty double at Newmarket with AL MADHAR taking out what was touted as the best Novice of the year so far. ‘He has always been a very nice horse. As you know with ours they tend to improve plenty for their first effort and when they win first time out they are decent animals. He did everything very professionally and I expect once we have spoken to all the team with Sheikh Hamdan we will be looking at some good races from now on.’ The double was seen out when WALKINTHESAND took the opener in fine style. The son of Footstepsinthesand was positioned perfectly by Ryan in midfield and he picked up going away at the line. ‘We dropped him back into handicaps for this effort and he proved his talent with ease. We have always liked him and I felt he didn’t get a lot of luck earlier on in the season. He will make up into a lovely Listed/Group 3 animal in time.’
Winners came from everywhere on Saturday with MOTAHAYYEL taking out a handicap impressively at the first time of asking. ‘He has done very well in Novice company this far and showed more progression winning with plenty in hand. He should have no trouble stepping into Listed company after this effort.’ The winning way continued at Newmarket bringing up the fourth winner of the week when MYSTERY POWER took the Group 2 Superlative Stakes under Oisin Murphy. ‘He won smartly first time out at Haydock and showed solid improvement to win this up in grade. He could be very special and I think we will be aiming him at some big targets later on in the year. He will make up into a lovely three year old and so we will mind him as best we can.’ The two other winners came when FLOATING ARTIST took out a Mile and a Half Handicap at Ascot under Pat Dobbs and OH PURPLE REIGN won again under Rossa Ryan at York.
The sole runner on Sunday at Longchamp saw victory head the way of STAR TERMS in the Listed Thiberville Stakes under Ryan Moore. The daughter of Sea The Stars managed to gain her first black type win in good fashion. ‘She was third last year in the Marcel Boussac and has come back to make amends. She travelled very nicely in running and she responded well to pressure. She can be aimed at some nice targets later on in the year.’
Todays action comes from Windsor with three runners heading to post.