Ascot Friday review and replays including Time To Turn for Godolphin

Turn on the after-burners

Time To Turn secured the most significant success of his career to date after supplying trainer Charlie Appley with a record-extending fifth victory in the Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes.

Having been priced as big as 4/1 the night before, the son of Dark Angel was sent off the 13/8 favourite to follow up his facile victory at Wolverhampton in the Listed feature.

Unlike in his three previous starts, for which he had also started favourite, the Godolphin-owned colt was dropped in behind rivals opposed to being ridden up with the pace. As the previously unbeaten Reciprocated backed out of the picture having been keen, it left A Bit Of Spirit, who also arrived with an unblemished record, in command of matters.

It looked as though the Clive Cox-trained son of Palace Pier had mastered those rivals nearest to him, but he failed to account for Time To Turn on the far side of the field.

Once hitting the front it looked as though Time To Turn had matters sewn up, but favourite-backers were given a late fright as A Bit Of Spirit lived up to his name when fighting back. However, it was not to be with Time To Turn exacting revenge for his odds-on reversal at Newbury with William Buick, who was also winning the race for a record-extending fifth time, getting his mount home by a head.

Alex Merriam, assistant trainer, said: “He got chinned by Clive’s horse the last time they met so we just dropped him in and rode him to come home the right way and he has done it nicely.

"William said it slightly happened away from him, but he was happy enough. He is a pretty straightforward horse and Charlie felt giving him one run at them was the way forward and it has worked out well.

“William was happy to stick at seven furlongs. He showed a good turn of foot, but I think he settled away nicely so I think he is happy at seven. He has really strengthened up for his last couple of runs and they look like two nice horses.

“I don’t think there are any immediate plans as that was an early-season target for him. We will have a little re-group and see where he slots in with the rest of them as there are quite a few seven-furlong types."

As for the runner-up, Lambourn handler Cox was pleased with the effort the Paul & Clare Rooney-owned colt put up in defeat.

Cox added: “It was a massive run and I'm really proud of him. I think the potential was very obvious for everyone to see today and we have got big days ahead.

“He gets seven really well. We will just discuss tactics from here, but he has been very progressive. For me that is another pleasing effort and he is taking his racing really well.”

Pinhole blossoms for Beckett

One-time Classic contender Pinhole made the most of a drop back in class and trip to get his career back on track in the Royal Ascot Winning Breeders’ Handicap.

Last sighted finishing eighth in the Group Two Queen's Vase at the Royal meeting, the Ralph Beckett-trained son of Frankel proved a cut above his elders on his handicap debut in the mile and half test.

Sent off the even-money favourite to regain the winning thread, the Juddmonte-owned colt, who finished fourth on his return to action in the Group Three Boodles Chester Vase on his return to action, never really looked like getting beaten at any stage of the race.

Although taking a bit of driving along to get into top gear the short-priced favourite, who was sporting cheekpieces for the first time stayed on well to defeat Assail by five and a half lengths.

Max Nicholson, assistant trainer, said: "The step back in trip has obviously helped him and he got a weight allowance today, being the only three-year-old, helped him as well. The cheekpieces just sharpened him up as you saw him there he needs rallying. Once the motion gets going and he finds his rhythm he is very happy. I think that pace has probably suited him.

"As he got rolling he hit the line strong and it was a much more impressive performance than at the Royal meeting where he didn’t get in his rhythm. He is a big horse and he has taken a lot of time to develop. Rossa (Ryan) said after the race he will be a very nice four-year-old.

"We have got to give him time. He has grown this year and he is a different horse to what he looked like in the winter. Where we go from here is Ralph's decision."

There was further success for the Beckett and Ryan combination later on the card after Galaxy Zoo transferred her all-weather form to the turf in the Ascot Shop Fillies’ Handicap.

Although unbeaten in two starts on a synthetic surface this year the daughter of Zoustar was out of luck in both of her turf efforts in between those wins. However, the 7/1 chance changed that statistic when finding extra gears late on in the five furlong prize before going on to defeat Emerald Pride by a length.

Nicholson said: “I think the ground suited her more today than on her other two turf starts and Rossa said she could like it even softer, which is promising for later on in the season.

“I think the strong pace really suited her. She is not the quickest out of the stalls, but once Rossa started pushing her she really came into herself. She is owned by an owner-breeder and there is the option of looking at better handicaps at the end of the year, but she could pick up some black type in France later on as the ground at the end of the year would suit her."

Petrol has plenty in the tank

Ed Walker might have had to say farewell to one smart mare in Scenic earlier this week, but he looks to have another useful filly on his hands in Princess Petrol, who ran riot on her second start at Ascot.

After finishing fifth on her debut at Newbury 22 days ago, the daughter of St Mark’s Basilica built on that effort with an impressive display in the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes under Tom Marquand.

Tracking the early pace, the 2/1 chance threw down her challenge to long-time leader Love Alive and favourite Enamorus as the field approached the closing stages of the six-furlong contest.

Any hopes that pair had of making a race of it late on were dashed with Princess Petrol quickly putting matters to bed in a matter of strides before going on to score by three and a half lengths.

Walker said: “She had a lovely introduction down at Newbury and George Downing gave her a lovely introductory ride. She learnt a lot and enjoyed the experience and reaped the rewards here. That was really good.

“Apart from going in the stalls (everything went right) and it brought back some bad memories of the Tuesday of Royal Ascot. She does that in her own stables sometimes as she likes to think she is in charge. I think she stays well which is great and we will go seven furlongs next time.

“It was really sad Scenic had to be retired, but she owes us nothing, and thank God she is okay. Hopefully, in her we have got another nice one coming through."

And following the race Walker insisted that the Elb Bloodstock Ltd-owned filly would be stepped up in grade on her next start.

He added: “We will put her in the Rockfel and Oh So Sharp and races like that. I can’t immediately think where she would go next. I think the Sweet Solera would be a bit too soon and the Dick Poole is over six, which would be a bit sharp for her. She is well bred, and cost plenty, and she needs to get black-type to be able to breed from.”

Rest of the action...

Hours spent agonising over which race in which to run Many Men were rewarded with victory in the John Guest Racing Brown Jack Handicap.

The son of Study Of Man took full advantage of the weight he received from his older rivals to register a third win of the season and hand trainer Jim Boyle his first winner at the track in 15 years.

Anchored at the rear of the field for much of the two-mile contest, the 5/4 favourite saw the necessary gaps open in front of him as the race began to develop up the home straight.

Once in front there was no stopping the three-year-old gelding, who had more than enough up his sleeve to defeat rallying long-time leader Blindedbythelights by a length to supply Marquand with a second winner on the card.

Boyle said: “At the time (at York) we didn’t quite know how good Merchant and Rahiebb were going to turn out and, in hindsight, it was a cracking run.

"It is only Haydock Park where he has blotted his copy book a little bit. He ran well that day, but it was tacky ground and he didn’t stretch out quite as well as he can. Every horse can have an off day I guess, and that is the only off day he has had all season, so I can forgive him that.

"We had two or three options this week and we spent some agonising hours with James (Finch, owner) going through the three races and deciding which was going to be the best and who was going to run where. It is nice when you end up landing on the right one."

War Howl shouted loudest of them all when coming with a powerful late run to clinch victory in the Chapel Down Handicap.

The son of Bated Breath made it two wins from four starts since joining Mick Appleby when collecting the seven furlong contest under James Doyle. And following the win his trainer Mick Appleby expects the three-year-old to continue working his way through the ranks

Appleby said of the 7/2 winner: “He is a nice horse and I think he will keep progressing. I thought he had come on a lot for the Doncaster race and we were quite confident he would do the job again.

“There is no immediate plan for him, but I think we would look for a big handicap with him I would imagine. He is very easy to deal with. He just does as much as he needs to do and he won’t be one that goes and wins by ten lengths."

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