Newcastle All-Weather Championships Finals Day review and free video replays
By Sporting Life
17:59 · FRI March 29, 2024
A review of the action from All-Weather Championships Final Day from Newcastle where Elegant Man won the feature.
Man for the job
David Egan gave Elegant Man (11/4 favourite) an aggressive ride in the BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap and the top-weight answered every call.
Drawn wide, Elegant Man was lit-up as Egan looked to get across to the rail but once he had won the battle for the lead with Blanchland, the son of Arrogate dropped the bit. The pair bossed the race front the front, lengthening his stride in the straight and opening up a lead of two or three lengths.
Just as it looked as though the chasing pack might swallow him up, Elegant Man, having just his fourth start, dug deep and extended again, keeping on resolutely to win by a length and a quarter.
Penzance won a protracted battle with Hooking for minor honours with Star Harbour fourth and Sir Busker fifth.
It's been a fine start for Egan since joining AMO Racing with last Saturday's Lincoln already under their belts and he couldn't hide his delight with the performance of the Adrian Murray-trained winner.
"It's not the spring double but it's close!" he joked.
"He's a horse who always breaks a little bit slowly and from his wide draw with his inexperience I didn't want to have a mountain to climb with the way races have been unfolding on the round track especially. They tend to be run at sedate paces, as that was. I got a very easy lead I felt and had to commit him early enough because I felt I went almost too slow and he might get pounced at and outsprinted because I do feel he's a horse that might get a mile and a half.
"Although I went steady for the first three quarters of the race, I tried to make it a test up the straight and when they came to me he picked up again. He's a horse having his fourth start and carrying top-weight in a two hundred grand handicap and he's won like that, he's a very classy horse.
"Whether he is (a group horse) one or not I don't know but he definitely looks one; he's an absolute picture. I've never ridden a horse that had so many compliments at the start by other jockeys; that's always a good sign."
Murray said: “That was brilliant, he’s a class horse. He came with a high reputation and from the first day we ran him in Dundalk, he was very exciting. We were actually planning on going to Dubai with him but he didn’t get in. We expected a big run from him today as he was doing everything well at home. He’s a very, very nice horse.
“From that wide draw, we had no option but to let him go on and it would have suited us to go on too, because he’ll stay further. He settled down pretty quick and I was very happy. I saw them getting a bit closer to him and then he kicked again and I said ‘we have it in the bag here’.
“He’s still very unexposed and is improving all the time.”
Considering future plans, the trainer added: “I don’t honestly know where we’ll go next, we’ll be looking for a Group Two or a Group Three and options are open to him. We came here with high expectations, we think he’s a very good horse and going forward, I think there’s even more improvement in him.”
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Tiger wears down target
Three became two in the closing stages as Cuban Tiger (3/1) and Sayedaty Sadaty left 5/2 favourite Orne trailing in their wake in the Listed BetMGM Burradon Stakes.
Sayedaty Sadaty had the rail to help as the two foes traded blows inside the last of the eight furlongs but Cuban Tiger and Clifford Lee gradually gained the upper hand with the judge calling the Havana Grey colt the winner by a neck after recourse to a photo.
The pair pulled three lengths clear of the field, headed home by Orne.
Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, trainer Karl Burke said: ""That was the plan! He's a lovely horse, Andrew Balding bought him for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. I knew he was better than his rating of 87 but you're never quite sure with two-year-olds going into three what you're taking on. He's not an exuberant horse, he only does what you ask him and I think there's a little bit more in the tank.
“We knew he’d stay seven but equally there weren’t many seven-furlong races around, which is why we ran him over six to start with. Then I think we were beaten by a really good horse (Notable Speech) of Charlie Appleby’s at Kempton – I know William Buick really likes him.
"I'm pleased for the second horse as that finished behind another one of mine (Golden West) at Epsom last year, he's got an entry in the Derby and is more of a staying horse. I don't know where we'll go with this fellow but I wouldn't imagine he'd want it too soft on the turf which is why we were very happy to come here."
Lee added: "He's still a bit green, a big baby but he was always doing enough; he battled back nicely and will improve off that again. I think a mile is his trip although it wouldn't surprise me if he got a mile and a quarter in time."
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Marathon delight for Scott
Prydwen (10/1) was always well positioned by Danny Tudhope in the BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap and quickened clear in the straight to win by a comfortable three and a half lengths.
Duke Of Oxford chased the winner home, finishing a head and a neck ahead of Spartan Army and Howth.
There were stamina doubts about Prydwen despite a success over two miles at Lingfield and he had too much toe for his rivals, taking his all-weather record to five wins from 12 starts despite a career high mark.
"I was in a nice position early," said Tudhope, a late replacement for Benoit De La Sayette who was stuck in traffic on his way north.
"He was happy where he was. We controlled the pace and I was always going well.
"I don't know too much about his form, he won last time over two miles but George (Scott, trainer) said the track might not play to his strengths but I was happy where he was with the pace and we controlled it from the front; he travelled sweetly, gave me a lovely ride and did all the hard work."
Scott, who was at Lingfield, said: “It wasn’t poor Benoit’s fault at all, there was a crash right in front of him and he couldn’t help it, but we were delighted when Danny was available and took the ride. He’s an outstanding jockey and his decision at the start of the race to make up ground easily played a huge part in the way he was able to dictate the race.
“It was a really good performance. He’s been a light-framed horse, so we’ve given him a bit of time and he’s filled into his frame. He’s a bit older and wiser and that performance opens a few doors, I think he deserves a go at Royal Ascot in something like the Copper Horse Handicap.”
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Demon responds to pressure
Cross The Tracks stole a march on his rivals in the BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap but the petrol gauge turned to empty in the final few dozen yards and he was mowed down by Fire Demon.
The 9/4 favourite, racing towards the stands' side rail, responded well to a strong ride from Oisin Murphy, powering home to land the odds and make it three wins from his last four starts.
Cross The Tracks comfortably held on for second, finishing over a length clear of Blue Prince who flashed home but all too late in the day.
"He was in good form, looked great in his coat. Andrew (Balding, trainer) was very sweet on him," Murphy revealed.
"A stiff six probably does suit him, if the horse was on a different continent you'd imagine he'd get a mile going two turns in America; maybe one day. He is really straightforward to ride now. We ran him over seven a few times early on where he led and didn't quite finish but this sort of test suits him.
"He's all there now as a three-year-old."
Irish apprentice Sean Bowen said of the runner-up: “Cross The Tracks ran a cracker. He was well handicapped and travelled everywhere. The saddle did slip on him; I probably would not have liked to have been as prominent as I was, but I couldn’t fault him – he galloped all the way to the line.”
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Cloud has rivals covered
Leem successful aboard Cuban Tiger, completed a double with a fine ride aboard Cloud Cover (10/1) in the BetMGM Fillies' And Mares' Championships Handicap.
Settled in rear, Lee waited and waited aboard the James Tate-trained four-year-old before cutting through the field like the proverbial knife. Lee held onto Cloud Cover for another few strides before asking her to go and win her race, pushing her out with hands and heels to move past Just A Spark and keeping on well enough to hold that rival at bay by a length.
A further length and a half away in third was Shades Of Summer.
Philip Robinson, racing manager to owner Saeed Manana, said: "I think she was in form last time, it was just unfortunate last time; Rossa got too good a run up the inside and found himself there too early. She's got to come late and I think James told Clifford before when he rang before racing.
"When he came into the paddock I asked what his orders were and I said 'totally, ride as if you want to be placed and then you go and try and win the race but don't get there too soon because she likes to come late' and he absolutely got it perfect.
"I don't know (if she'll stay in training), we'll have to see. I wouldn't be in a rush (to retire her) because she's still progressing."
Lee added: "The first half of the race I was just trying to get her settled and I didn't really get a gap which has done me a favour as I held onto her a little bit more.
"It's a long (final) furlong and positions can change very quickly. It (the first time hood) does make a bit of a difference. Tracks like this, normally they go a little bit slow but they went an even gallop and it probably just helped her settle a bit."
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Fivethousandtoone winner
A good day for Murphy and Balding got better when Fivesthousandtoone (8/1) picked up stylishly a furlong from home in the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Handicap.
Having hit the front there was a moment when it appeared as though he might have pulled himself up as Misty Grey cut the deficit but the winner stuck to his guns well enough to cross the line with a length and a quarter to spare. Chipstead was third.
Fivethousandtoone was held-up in rear as race favourite Cover Up raced too freely in the front rank. As the market leader weakened, Murphy was looking to weave his way through the field but with his passage blocked the jockey switched his mount to the far side of the track and the Frankel gelding took off when in the clear.
"In the middle stages of the race there were people jostling for positions," Murphy revealed, "but I was just able to ride him quietly and when I asked him to go he picked up well albeit I had to manoeuvre out into the centre of the track which often isn't the place to be so credit to the horse.
"He's been expertly trained. He was very good at two but then lost his way a little bit and they've been patient. He's won his last two, that was a good performance and hopefully he'll built on it. When he's in this shape and this frame of mind maybe he doesn't need the visor but it's a winning formula at the moment."
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Hannon's Talis-man
Talis Evolvere (33/1) wore down Kingdom Come in the final yards of the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap.
Apprentice Joe Leavy was in front aboard the winner but was content to allow Dear My Friend go on and give him a lead and he, again, didn't panic when the second went about three quarters of a length up.
Kingdom Come looked to be holding off the Richard Hannon runner for most of the final furlong but Talis Evolvere kept finding, putting his head down where it mattered to gain the verdict by a short-head.
Fantastic Fox finished a never nearer third.
It was a 22nd career success for Leavy who said: "He was very game. He's a horse that only lengthens, he won't quicken for you, he's a big rangy sort of horse.
"I had an easy lead for the first quarter of the race and he settled very nicely. Joe (Fanning, rider of Dear My Friend) said he was a bit keen and took it over from me and I just thought he's fancied and I know I get further so I thought if I rode with him I wouldn't be too far away.
"Once I got after him he picked off Joe really nicely and obviously came to win his race but he's ever so game. He gave me the feeling that I was always going to get there, he really tries hard and doesn't give up. It will take him a long way an attitude like that.
"He was just a bit dirty when he came back from Lingfield. He had a good couple of weeks after that and they freshened him up really nicely at home. We were really disappointed at Lingfield as he (Hannon) wanted to run him in the Lincoln; we skipped the Lincoln to give him a bit more time and let him get over what he had and to bring him here was almost like a prep run for the Spring Cup at Newbury but he'd have a bit more to do there now!"
Rossa Ryan said of Kingdom Come: “It was a good run. He is very consistent. I ended up landing there too early, if I’m being honest. He just took me into the race too well, too fast. From the feel he was giving me, I thought I would get there later on, but we didn’t.”
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