Epsom Oaks day review and replays

Bobsleigh shows downhill speed

Bobsleigh (5/1) rattled down the Epsom hill to win the British EBF 40th Anniversary Woodcote Stakes.

Relatively slowly into stride, Eve Johnson Houghton's charge came home strongly to pick up the always prominent Balon d'Or inside the final furlong to win a shade cosily.

There was an awful start for backers of Haatem with the favourite rearing in the stalls and losing several lengths at the start, he made up ground when switched to the inside rail two from home and ran a fine race to finish third without every laying a glove on the first two.

Balon d'Or edged across to the rail in the early stages and was soon left in front as the early pacesetters wider on the track wilted. He stuck to his task but was no match for the late finish of Bobsleigh and Charlie Bishop.

The winning time was 1.08.99.

Speaking to Racing TV, Johnson Houghton said: "I think we’ve got a Royal Ascot candidate on our hands - it’s very exciting, isn’t it?

"He was doing exactly what we planned. We knew they'd go really fast, just get him balanced and wait until he comes to you and then, I knew he had a good turn of foot but whether he could make up that much ground I wasn't sure but he was pretty impressive I thought.

"He's got plenty of boot so he could drop back to five (at Royal Ascot), the Coventry is obviously going to be the hottest race so I don't know but for this group of 20 people in the syndicate it's a fantastic day out for them. They don't pay much money and Ant Bromley and I do a pretty good job buying them for not much money and they're having the times of their lives.

"The whole idea is that they're sold at the end of their two-year-old career so we're here to have fun with them.

"When I bought him he was really small but he's just grown and grown and thrived - since gelding him actually, it was the best thing I ever did for him - and he's really done well."

Bishop added: "He surprised me how well he.....once I got him out and he levelled up on the rising ground, he came good very quickly and I was anxious I didn't want to be there (too soon), it's a long way home here, especially on an inexperienced two-year-old. So I was able to stick a target on James (Doyle, rider of Balon d'Or) from a furlong down and was always quite confident I had the beating of his horse.

"It's lovely fast ground. They've done an amazing job as they always do.

"I think the Coventry takes a lot more winning than the Windsor Castle. We'll see how he comes out of this, I imagine he will sharpen up again for having a bit of a rougher race round here. If he comes home and we think he's sharpened up and he's got more speed, the Windsor Castle might be the easier option but if he improves and we think it's worth having a go at the Coventry we will.

"Eve's not normally too far wrong when she places them so I'll leave that to her."

Richard Hannon, trainer of Haatem, said: “He was the moral winner and I’ll look to take him now to the Coventry or the Superlative, maybe both.

“He just reared up when the gates opened, but that’s two-year-olds for you. He was full of running all the way through the race and made up a lot of ground. Still, getting beat because you’re not good enough would have been a lot worse.”

Austrian collects Value Lotto win

Austrian Theory (7/1) led home stablemate Dutch Decoy in the Racehorse Lotto Handicap to the delight of followers of Value Bet who advised the winner at 9/1.

Sent out in front by Joe Fanning, Austrian Theory was shadowed throughout the early stages by the well-backed favourite Fantastic Fox but he had seen off that rival inside the final two furlongs.

Dutch Decoy joined the battle before the furlong marker but Austrian Theory wasn't wilting in front having set steady fractions and the challenger couldn't get past his rival and was half a length adrift at the line.

Dutch Decoy was almost caught for second by All The King's Men and Orbaan who finished strongly to claim minor honours, relegating Fantastic Fox to fifth.

The delighted trainer, Charlie Johnston said: "There's always that moment when they're battling it out a furlong and a half out that you're thinking they'll soften each other up and something will come swooping down the outside like they can at Epsom but I think from the half furlong marker I knew it was going to be one of the two of them.

"Amazing really, I would have sworn between the three and the two that Dutch Decoy had Austrian Theory covered, he is quite a strong travelling horse but, as we'll have said a thousand times before, that Joe has dictated things to a nicety and clearly had more left than even we watching it could realise and he found more in the final furlong.

"He didn't come through the spring great and it was a little case of some of our horses.....cold weather, soft ground, April wasn't a great month for us and he just seemed to have turned the corner, ran a lot better at Chester at the weekend and I felt that the conditions of today's race - a mile on a turning track on fast ground - and I didn't think it was the deepest field for the money on offer. My exact words to Dr Jim (Walker, owner) on Saturday, because he's actually in the July Sales, were 'let's be aggressive now, campaign him hard and see if he can prove his worth and he might just have earned himself an exit out of the July Sales.

"A fantastic result for me personally but there's a little bit of heartache for Dutch Decoy because he's such an honest horse who has been running well all spring. He ran a great race in a handicap at the Guineas meeting and I just said to his owners 'his turn is coming'.

"Austrian Theory, the one thing we have learnt - he can clearly be a bit in and out - but we'd like to avoid straight track, big field handicaps as he quite likes to be dominating a field on a turning track and that's difficult to replicate in those conditions. It was my plan last year and it didn't come off at all but if he is staying I would work back from the Golden Mile (at Glorious Goodwood) with him, it's sort of tailor made for him.

"Dutch Decoy will probably be out on Thursday. He'll run week in, week out and is the perfect horse for a syndicate like that; he'll dance every dance and hopefully his turn will come soon."

Fanning, who was partnering his fourth winner from his last six rides, added: “He jumped and travelled good and two out I was still going quite well. Although it looked as if our other horse might go by me, I had a little bit left, so it worked out.

“He’s been disappointing, because we thought quite a bit of him as a two-year-old ,then he went off the boil a little bit. When he won at Hamilton last year we thought he was back, but then he started disappointing again. But his last run at Chester last week was quite promising, so we were quite hopeful.”

George Boughey, trainer of third-placed All The King’s Men, said: “He stayed the extended mile well but I’m not totally sure he loved the track. Once they levelled off in the final furlong he stayed on strongly.

“William (Buick) said he was generous enough in the first time blinkers though they might have cost him a little bit late on. He is a horse that is progressive. The plan has always been to run him in the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot as I think a strongly run seven furlongs with a stiff finish will suit him but I think he might just fall short of getting in. However, he will be entered in it and we might try and find somewhere to run him before that to try to ensure he gets in as it has been the target since he came over from France.”

Cadillac motors home for Value Bet

The day got even better for Value Bet and Matt Brocklebank's followers were left revelling in the summer sunshine as Cadillac (12/1) swept past his rivals in the Betfred Handicap to win impressively.

A Group Two winner in his heyday in Ireland, Cadillac clearly retains plenty of ability as he turned what appeared to be a well-contested handicap into a procession when coming from the last two positions.

Outsider The City Phantom made a bold bid from the front while Majestic ran a typically game race but neither was a match for the winner.

Majestic won the race for second with The City Phantom holding on for third ahead of Toshizou.

Victory may have looked simple but trainer George Boughey admitted he wasn't happy in the early stages, saying: "Not really (happy), no. I thought we were a little bit too far back but I said to Kevin (Stott, jockey) just ride him for luck; he wasn't drawn perfectly and fast ground is key to him. I didn't want to run him on Guineas weekend but we were there.

"Back into a handicap for the first time I thought he'd run well, it was good, it was quite satisfying that!"

Cadillac was wearing cheekpieces for the first time but Boughey didn't feel they were integral to his chance.

"He's a horse that when he came to me he used to wear blinkers and he's a very honest horse but I think left-handed is quite key to him, Sam Haggas - who obviously I work very closely with - would be a big advocate for that and at the furlong marker I got a text from him saying 'left-handed!' so well done to Sam.

"I'm delighted for Sheikh Abdullah (owner). He's a big supporter of the yard. His horse was beautifully prepared by Jessie (Harrington) and then to Kevin (Phillipart De Foy) and we're just lucky to be the recipient of him now and he's a fun horse. The Wolferton has always been the plan for him at Royal Ascot; that's right-handed but we'll certainly be going."

The winning jockey Kevin Stott added: "He had really good two-year-old form. Didn't like the ground at Newmarket, it was really soft that day. George was saying his homework was really good, he'd love the fast ground and just to get into a nice rhythm. We were a little bit slow away to be fair but we went pretty quick, the gap appeared when I wanted and I just had to push the button and he took off and I was actually in front a little bit too early but he stayed the trip well and pleased for the horse.

"George was adamant that the cheekpieces would help and they obviously have but I think it was the fast ground that he really enjoyed. Pleased for George, he's been very good to me for a number of winners now and it's always a pleasure to ride winners for him so pleased for him and for the owners as well."

Stott at the double

Stott went on to complete a double when partnering Olivia Maralda (3/1) to victory in the Listed Nyetimber Surrey Stakes.

Dropping back in trip after failing to see out a mile when seventh in the 1000 Guineas, Olivia Maralda finished strongly on her second start for trainer Roger Varian, beating 7/4 favourite Holguin by two and a half lengths. Streets Of Gold was third.

In between those two wins, Stott had partnered Maman Joon to finish fourth in the Betfred Oaks at a big price and he was delighted with his fillies' run in the Classic, saying: "It was a really good run on just her second start. She will be going places and we like her a lot. I was riding for luck more than anything and it turned out the way I wanted. They just quickened up a bit quicker than I did but that is probably down to her inexperience but it was a good run. I think there is a nice prize in her.”

Of Olivia Maralda, Stott added: “We all agreed to kind of tuck her in a little bit; we knew we were going to go quick, and it was just to get her into a nice rhythm more than anything. I got her into a nice rhythm and, to be fair, all I had to do was push the button.

“She actually handled this track very well. She ran well in the Guineas; she just prefers quick ground, which she got today, and everything just went right. And when it all goes right, it just feels a lot nicer!

“I think seven furlongs is her ideal trip. It would have to be a very stiff six furlongs to drop her back, but we’ll go to Ascot now and the seven furlongs there will suit. I was very impressed with her today.”

Winning trainer Roger Varian said: “She ran well in the 1000 Guineas but she loves fast ground and seven is probably her trp.

“We thought they would go quick, but I don’t think they went very quick as there was a few keen in behind. We know she has got a good turn of foot and I quite like that slightly outer draw around this track as you get a clear run. I think bar the second race the winners have been coming from just off the pace.

“It was always the plan to give her a chance early and let her class come through. It was a race we looked at for her quite soon after the Guineas. She is very balanced and we always thought she would be comfortable on the track.

“I’d like to consider the Jersey (at Royal Ascot). Seven furlongs is her trip and hopefully you would get a fast pace there. If they get fast ground she could be a danger.”

Spanish a star for Clutterbuck and Chamings

Darkness looked to have the closing Winners Wear Cavani Handicap in safe-keeping when kicking clear before the furlong marker but Hollie Doyle was soon putting out distress signals as Marlay Park and Spanish Star (12/1) hit their stride.

It was the latter who picked up the better of the pair, benefitting from a lovely split between the inside rail and Darkness, cutting down the leader in the shadow of the post despite the burden of top-weight.

Jockey Rhys Clutterbuck said: "He's a funny horse, you have to deliver him late. Looking up when I saw Hollie kick early, I thought she'd got away from us but credit to him, he's dug in deep and he's hit the line strong.

"He's not a quick ground horse, he's won most of his races on soft ground, and to go and run like he did at Windsor (last time) I thought he had a nice enough chance coming into this race.

"It's very quick out there, I think he just generally loves racing and he tries so hard, he gives you everything."

The winner was trained by Patrick Chamings whose wife and assistant trainer Phillippa said: "It was just amazing. We thought the ground was way too firm for him, he'd gone up in the weights, he's just the most amazing horse.

"He loves coming from behind, weaving through, the harder he has to work, the better he does - just incredible."

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