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Prince crowned in St Simon

Aegean Prince put in a royal display to secure the biggest success of his career when taking a step up in class in his stride in the rearranged St Simon Stakes. 

The Charlie Appleby-trained gelding showed just what he is capable of when conditions are in his favour with a tenacious victory in the Group Three feature, which was switched from the Newbury card that fell victim to the weather last Saturday. 

After running out a wide margin winner of the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup Handicap at Haydock Park on his previous start last month, the son of Dubawi was sent off 10/11 to make his first outing at pattern race level a winning one. 

Hitting the front over two furlongs out, the odds-on market leader was not to have things his own way once assuming command of matters with Royal Playwright going toe-to-toe with the Godolphin-owned runner in the final climb to the line. 

However, after rolling up his sleeves, Aegean Prince found extra when required close to the line before prevailing by three lengths to give winning rider Kieran Shoemark his third winner on the afternoon. 

Appleby, speaking from America, said: “I was pleased with Aegean Prince. He has got that nice progressive profile. We will put him away for the winter now and look at stepping him up in class again next spring. I’ve not got any long term targets for him to be brutally honest, but he is just a nice horse that is progressing with age. 

“He has done very little wrong to date and I look forward to seeing him next year.”

Equally pleased with the winning display was the triumphant rider - completing a treble - who believes the manner of victory can be upgraded having hit the front sooner than he liked on the four year old. 

Shoemark said: “He is a lovely horse. He is a lightly-raced four-year-old that has got class. I think a mile and a half feels like his trip. 

“Al Qareem fell away sooner than ideal really, and he was left alone in front for a long way. I thought he would take me a lot further into the race. As he is still lightly raced he is potentially a little bit green, but I was never in doubt really. 

“He can step up in grade I’m sure.”

Whipping up a Storm

Siena Storm made her class count when blitzing her rivals in taking fashion to get back to winning ways in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Bosra Sham’ Fillies’ Stakes. 

Thirty years on from Bosra Sham winning the 1000 Guineas at the track, the daughter of Night Of Thunder produced a display that was befitting of Sir Henry Cecil’s Classic heroine.

Having come up short at Group Three level in both the Virgin Bet Prestige Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood, and over course and distance in the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh Sharp Stakes, the TBT Racing-owned filly proved a class above her rivals returned to Listed level. 

Although travelling powerfully, the 11/8 favourite, who was sporting a first time hood, still needed the right gaps to appear in the six furlong contest in order to add to her sole success in a mile novice contest down at Salisbury on her second start.

However, once seeing clear daylight, victory was never in doubt for the Ed Walker-trained filly, who quickly put the race to bed under Shoemark with the pair crossing the line six lengths clear of Nicely, to supply both the winning trainer, and rider, with their second victory on the card. 

Walker said: “I was really disappointed in the Oh So Sharp as she was keen and she dragged Kieran to the front too soon. It was just a bit of a mess as we had great belief in her. We popped the hood on her just to try and get her to relax a bit more, sometimes that can blunt their finish, but it was good to know that it didn’t today.

“The hood, and coming back in trip, was a bit of a gamble, but fair play to Kieran he worked her in the hood and he said she was plenty generous enough.”

And while Walker was lukewarm on Siena Storm seeing out a mile next year he admitted she is likely to step back up to seven furlongs. 

He added: “I think we will go back up to seven furlongs, but I wouldn’t be super confident of her staying a mile. She just about lasted it in a novice at Salisbury, but again we were disappointed with that victory, which sounds odd, as we thought she would run really, but she didn’t as she just about hung on. 

“Hopefully she will have learnt a lot today and it will help her settle going forward. It is hard for sprinting fillies at three as there is not a wonderful programme. We are forced to have another go at seven and see.”

Solo to embark on Classic quest

Siena Storm was completing a double for Walker who will look at Classic trials in the spring for Solo Quest, who struck gold with a striking front-running success in division one of the German G1 Racecourses Thank World Pool British EBF Novice Stakes at Newmarket. 

After finding just one too strong on his debut at Yarmouth 18 days ago, the son of Space Blues put that experience to good use to go one better in the seven furlong contest under Shoemark. 

Sharp away from the get go, the 5/4 favourite poured on the pressure from the front before strolling home four lengths clear of High Summer to leave Walker excited about what the TBT Racing-owned colt could achieve next year. 

Walker said: “For one of our ones to run so well on debut it gives you great hope that they will make a good step forward like he did as I don’t like to put much pressure on them first time out.

“We thought he would run really well at Yarmouth, but he was probably just a bit green and probably needed it a little bit. The winner that day though was quite smart.”

And following the race, Solo Quest was introduced at 50/1 for next year’s Betfred 2000 Guineas by William Hill, which Walker hopes he could make up into a contender for. 

He added: “I expect he will be running in some form of Guineas trial in the spring. I think he will do well as he will strengthen up, and he is a real straightforward horse.

"Simon (Sadler, of TBT) wants runners in those races, and he ticks the boxes.

“I think he will get a mile well. We could come back for a Craven, but Kieran said he didn’t like that ground, so maybe a Burradon Stakes at Newcastle could suit him.”

One to Covet

Covet was another to earn an opening quote for next year’s Betfred 2000 Guineas when looking like another fine prospect to emerge from the Juddmonte operation after justifying late market support when in division two of the seven furlong event. 

Although his job was made all the more easier following the late withdrawal of favourite Last Horizon, who was withdrawn after unshipping Shoemark at the start, victory never looked in doubt for the Harry Charlton-trained son of Kingman. 

Ranging up to join Native German shortly before hitting the furlong pole, the 4/1 chance, who was as big as 12/1 earlier in the day, swept past under Lewis Edmunds before striding to glory by three lengths and earning a 33/1 quote for the mile Classic with William Hill.

Matt Fielding, assistant trainer, said: “He is a gorgeous horse. He is a horse that we have always liked from day one. He is just a big, raw, immature type so we were not sure what we were going to see today, whether it was going to go missing or all fall into place. 

“I’m delighted what he did there, and he couldn’t have been any more impressive. He will improve massively next year, and when he goes up in trip. 

“We were looking to run him over a mile, but we were just wanting to find him some nice ground, and this race came along.

"We knew the trip would be sharp enough, but we knew his ability would get him far enough.”

Then there were four

The sight of Venetian Storm trailing home last on her debut at Nottingham was not one that was expected to be seen by her connections, however she fuelled Classic aspirations next season with a clear cut win in the Westminster-137 Grosser Preis Von Berlin Novice Stakes. 

Sent off a well-backed 6/5 favourite to hit the ground running, the daughter of Night Of Thunder, who cost 1.1 million guineas as a yearling was beaten 52 lengths much to the dismay of Walker. 

However, that defeat was swiftly forgotten when the Lady Bamford-owned filly floored short-priced favourite Carbine Country to get off the mark at the second attempt. 

Always to the fore of matters, the 7/2 chance was not for catching after passing the post with two and a quarter lengths to spare to complete a treble for Walker and a four-timer for Shoemark. 

Walker said: “Kieran phoned me as I was at the sales and he said they must have sent a different horse. Book One is a high pressure week, and we don’t need anymore stress and pressure. I wouldn’t have run a filly like that during Book One week if I wasn’t very confident she would run well, and she dropped out the back of the television. 

“Training racehorses takes a bit of bottle, and you have got to stick with what you believe so we just had to put it behind us. 

“Kieran has come back and ridden her since then, and he was delighted with her as it was not the same horse he rode at Nottingham. 

“That is job done, and she will be campaigned ambitiously next year. I think she will stay further as she got a good temperament. I think we can go seven at Newbury, or back here, in a Guineas trial and see where we are.”

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