Sunday Series Chelmsford review: Venetian Lace could be bound for Royal Ascot

Johnston's juvenile luck turning

Charlie Johnston hopes the victory of debutant Venetian Lace at Chelmsford City is a sign of things to come at Epsom Downs on Saturday where he could have two runners in this year’s Betfred Derby.

Victory for the daughter of Masar in the Sky Bet Club Restricted Maiden Stakes supplied the Middleham handler with his first two-year-old winner of the campaign to set up a potential trip to Royal Ascot next month.

However, before finalising his team for the Royal meeting Johnston is looking forward to the world’s most famous Classic at the Surrey venue at the weekend, in which both Chester Vase runner-up Lazy Griff and Green Storm hold entries.

Johnston said: “Lazy Griff will run if the ground is right for him. He is a big, heavy-topped horse and the undulations of the track scare me a little bit. I would be more comfortable with some ease in the ground around there for him.

“Green Storm will definitely run. His owner Ahmad Al Shaikh (of Green Team Racing) has got a great record of being in the shake-up with big-priced horses.

"He was too fresh and free in the Feilden Stakes, but hopefully that run has got the steam out of him. He is an outsider, but he deserves to be there."

As for Venetian Lace, Johnston hinted that an outing in the Listed Chesham Stakes could be her next port of call following her length-and- three-quarters success under Jason Hart.

Johnston said of the 12/1 winner: “I was probably too soft on them through March and we just took our time and then sure enough it didn’t rain for six weeks and we got caught a bit on the back foot.

“She is a nice filly. She is quite hot at home so I wasn’t sure how she would handle the first day at school, but touchwood it went very well.

“It was a restricted maiden and the chances are that three quarters of them weren’t much good, but the way she picked up off a slow gallop and went by a horse with experience I’d like to think she is above average. Every two-year-old that wins at this time of year you are thinking do we go to Royal Ascot, but we will see.

"I’d like to think she is nice enough to be at that level at some point, whether that is right to be going there we will have to think about. She will qualify for the Chesham and that might be better than the Albany, which is a bit of a cavalry charge. I wouldn’t rule out an entry in the Chesham."

Sprung tees up bonus bid

Group One-winning jockey Hart moved further clear in the race to claim the £25,000 up for grabs for the leading rider in the Sky Bet Sunday Series with victory aboard Spring Is Sprung, who set up his own bonus bid with victory in the Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap.

After getting off the mark in the last round of the series at Newmarket on his last start the Paul Midgley-trained six-year-old added to that success when prevailing by half-a-length in five-furlong dash. And as a result of his latest victory it means the gelded son of Oasis Dream moved a step closer to the £100,000 bonus put up by the series sponsor to any horse that can win three races in the series.

Hart said of the 7/2 winner: “He is used to running on a straight track and I thought when he turned in if I got him on his off lead he might stop, but it made it worse. It wasn’t easy, but Paul has got him in great form, and he won at Newmarket in the Sunday Series the last day.

“If I know John Blackburn (joint-owner) I’m sure he will have something mapped out for him. At this stage it doesn’t matter that I’m clear at the top of the standings in the series, I just want to continue to do the best for the people I’m riding for."

Hart completed a treble on the day when Mr Swivell (11/4 fav) took the concluding Sky Bet Proud To Support ROR Handicap by three-quarters of a length from Shamrock Bay.

Rest of the action

The Enter ITV7 For Free Apprentice Handicap is not a race that will be remembered by most, but that is not the case for trainer Ross Burdon after Mesaafi supplied him with a career first success.

Always to the fore in the six furlong contest, the 4/1 joint-favourite shot into a clear lead entering the home straight under Jack Doughty. Although fellow joint-favourite Musical Touch made good late headway, he could not quite get on terms with three-quarters of a length separating the pair at the line.

Burdon said: “When he went clear I was a bit worried I might be blowing his handicap mark to bits, but no it is brilliant to get that first winner.

“The horse travels so strongly and he is so keen. We ran him over five furlongs at Newmarket just because he travels so hard, but those proper five furlong horses just outpaced him. At Ascot the last day he just didn’t quite get home on the stiff track, but on the easier six here he has done it.”

And the Newmarket handler already has a target in mind that he would like to aim the gelded son of Exceed And Excel at later in the season.

He added: “Hopefully he can go up in the grades a little bit as I would love to aim him at the Portland at the end of the year. The five and a half furlongs over a straight track at Doncaster I think would suit him to the ground, but we might need to win another before we get in.”

Road To Wembley found the back of the net for Sir Alex Ferguson when opening his account for the year in the Sky Bet Extra Places Handicap.

Having finished second on a rare appearance on the turf at Doncaster last time out the gelded son of Postponed, who was bred by the former Manchester United manager, made his return to the all-weather a successful one in the one mile six furlong contest.

And following his three-quarters of a length verdict, Hughes stated he could return the four-year-old back to the Essex track on Thursday.

Hughes said of the 7/1 winner: “He was unlucky at Doncaster. Finley (Marsh) gave him a brilliant ride, but the winner just nabbed him after getting him up his inner. I had this race in mind for him though.

“He is in here again in the week and I will see about coming back as he is good around here. This is his trip as he doesn’t get two miles. We trained him for Good Friday at Lingfield and I thought he was a certainty. He was my banker, but he didn’t stay.

“He is a great fun horse, and he won plenty of prize money last year so he pays his way, and Sir Alex bred him as well.”

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