Haydock Saturday review: Kinross lands thriller
Dettori shines on Kinross
Frankie Dettori treated the Haydock crowd to his trademark flying dismount after steering Kinross to an impressive victory in the Betway John Of Gaunt Stakes.
Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old was considered a potential top-notcher in his younger days but having disappointed on a couple of occasions at the Dubai Carnival at Meydan earlier in the year, the jockey admitted he was more hopeful than confident about his chances in the Group Three feature on Merseyside.
However, the 5/1 co-favourite of three bounced back to his best – powering clear of his rivals and passing the post with a length and a quarter in hand over Irish raider Njord to land one of two winners on the day for Simon Holt.
Dettori said: “He had some good form as a two-year-old. Marc (Chan, owner) bought him with the thought of having a good Carnival in Dubai, but things didn’t go his way – he wasn’t ready for it. Ralph decided to geld him and we didn’t know what to expect today, to be honest. His first two runs this year were really bad, so I rode him to run well.
“He got the splits when I wanted them and in fairness he picked up and put the race to bed straight away. Prior to the race we were a little bit puzzled, but he showed he’s still got ability and we can make a plan.”
The popular Italian returned to the winner’s enclosure to warm applause from racegoers.
He added: “It was quite weird when I was cantering down to the start for the second race – people on the rail were shouting my name. It’s something that I wasn’t accustomed to for the last 18 months. It’s good to have an atmosphere back.”
15:30 Haydock Full Result and FREE video replay
1 4 Kinross 5/1 j
2 5 Njord (IRE) 11/1
3 3 Glorious Journey 11/2
Winning trainer: R M Beckett. Winning jockey: L Dettori
Lune strikes in Pinnacle
La Lune graduated to Group Three company in style with a clear-cut victory in the Betway Pinnacle Stakes.
Henry Candy’s five-year-old has been lightly raced so far, with this 12-furlong heat just her ninth start, but she had been making strides – securing a Listed win in the Nottinghamshire Oaks on her seasonal bow last month.
Connections duly opted to move up again in class, and the decision paid dividends as she saw off Cabaletta by a length and three-quarters in the hands of David Probert.
Candy expects to tackle even bigger things in due course, but has no definite target in his sights. He said said: “She’s so genuine and straightforward. She’s just wants to please and you don’t get many like that. She’s absolutely tiny, but she’s got a huge stride and a huge heart.
“I was worried about the ground, but (clerk of the course) Kirkland Tellwright was brilliant and said it would be good to soft. It wasn’t ideal, but she’s coped with it. When they want to do it, it makes a big difference. I haven’t got anything in mind at all – I’m taking it very much step by step.
“I’m delighted she’s been able to win a Group race. Now she’s won a Group Three we might step up – it’s the logical thing to do.”
14:55 Haydock Full Result and FREE video replay
1 3 La Lune 5/2
2 2 Cabaletta 10/3
Winning Trainer: H Candy. Winning Jockey: David Probert
Royal winner for Weekend View
King's Lynn got the better of a sustained duel with Moss Vale to win the Betway Achilles Stakes.
Tipped at 9/1 by Chris Day in his Weekend View column, the well-backed 3/1 favourite travelled sweetly throughout.
However at the furlong pole it was clear he had a fight on his hooves as the runner-up came with his challenge.
It was only in the dying strides that Oisin Murphy, completing a double after the earlier victory of Quickthorn, got King's Lynn to the front for a neck success.
Winning trainer Andrew Balding said: “He’s done very little wrong in all his starts and he’s still reasonably lightly raced for a horse of his age. He’s entitled to keep on improving, I hope. I’m very pleased with him.
“He’s still in the King’s Stand and the Wokingham (at Royal Ascot). He’ll have a penalty in the Wokingham, but those are the two objectives – it will be one or the other.
“It’s impossible to say which one he’ll go for at this stage. We’ll have to see what his official rating does.”
14:20 Haydock Full result and FREE video replay
1 6 King's Lynn 3/1 f
2 7 Moss Gill (IRE) 6/1
3 3 Count D'Orsay (IRE) 6/1
Winning Trainer: A M Balding. Winning Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Timely tonic for champion jockey
Murphy, battling a bout of toothache, guided Quickthorn to a clear-cut success in the opening Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap.
The champion jockey missed his final three rides at Yarmouth on Friday, but returned to the saddle aboard Hughie Morrison’s 3/1 market leader in the opener on Merseyside.
Quickthorn travelled strongly for much of the mile-and-a-half contest before being driven eight and a half lengths clear, with Master The Stars beating Labeebb to the runner-up spot.
Morrison decided not to make the long journey north, but was delighted with Quickthorn’s performance.
“It’s great when owners are patient enough to give a horse time to mature and strengthen up. Hopefully that patience is being rewarded with this horse now,” said the Summerdown-based trainer.
“He got jarred up on the very fast ground last spring, so we’ve given him time and he’s potentially a very nice horse. He’s homebred for Lord and Lady Blyth, which is great. We’ll see where we go, but I’d imagine we’d want a bit of juice in the ground.”
The sponsors make the winner a 12/1 chance for the Sky Bet Ebor.
13:15 Haydock Full Result and FREE video replay
1 4 Quickthorn 3/1 f
2 1 Master The Stars (GER) 4/1
Winning Trainer: H Morrison. Winning Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Famous five for Celita
Adrian Nicholls was thrilled to see Mo Celita win her fifth race on the spin in the Read Andrew Balding On Betway Insider Handicap.
Unplaced in two starts for Irish trainer Willie McCreery, the three-year-old completed a hat-trick in selling races on her first three starts for Nicholls, before making a winning handicap debut at Haydock a week ago.
Ridden by 5lb claimer Laura Coughlan, the 100/30 joint-favourite continued her remarkable progression with a two-and-a-quarter-length verdict over Night Narcissus.
“It’s unbelievable really. She’s stepping up in grade and winning with the same ease as the time before,” said Nicholls. “She’s been a superstar. She’s a filly in form who takes her racing well. I’m chuffed to bits.
“We were able to win three sellers without losing her because there was no crowds because of Covid. I was being a bit cheeky really, but you’ve got to take a chance in life else you’ll get nothing.
“There’s a race at York in June that she could run in and I might put her in the Jersey at Royal Ascot. There’s a few options with her.”
16:05 Haydock Full Result and FREE video replay
1 7 Mo Celita (IRE) 10/3 j
2 8 Night Narcissus (IRE) 7/1
3 9 Sir Benedict (IRE) 11/1
Winning Trainer: Adrian Nicholls. Winning Jockey:Laura Coughlan
Flyer edges thriller
Punchbowl Flyer came out on top in a thrilling finish to the Betway Handicap.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s 18/1 shot was almost joined on the line by 4-1 favourite Bielsa on the line, but the judge confirmed Punchbowl Flyer had held on by a nose.
Winning jockey Charles Bishop said: “I was a bit worried going over the line that Silvestre (de Sousa, on Bielsa) might have got his head down before me, but thankfully we got there.
“The ground is good to soft. He’s not as happy on that as he is on heavy ground, but hopefully he’s improving.
“The owners talked about not running him, but with the ground drying up in the next couple of weeks they decided to take their chance. It’s a good job they did.”
13:45 Haydock Full Result and FREE video replay
1 3 Punchbowl Flyer (IRE) 18/1
2 2 Bielsa (IRE) 4/1 f
3 10Bernardo O'Reilly 12/1
4 16 True Mason 251
Winning Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton. Winning Jockey: Charles Bishop
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