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Pepper leaves it late

Jel Pepper showcased his credentials to potential buyers after securing his first success since making a winning debut when finishing best of all to win the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.

The Inns Of Court gelding made his first start over seven furlongs a triumphant one when staying on well under Colin Keane to pocket the valuable contest and complete a quick-fire double for Whatcombe-handler Oliver Cole.

Victory looked to be heading the way of five-timer seeking 3/1 favourite Half Sovereign who seemed to have slipped the field on the far side of the track just as her stablemate Boiling Point did last Saturday in the bet365 Cambridgeshire.

However, unlike the son of Too Darn Hot, she could not hold on with the Valmont-owned gelding, who finished third behind Zavateri in the Group Two Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes on his second start, flashing home late on the stands side rail to prevail by a length and three quarters.

Cole said: “Thanks to Anthony Ramsden for supplying the horse as first and foremost I’m very lucky to have him. The horse has done very well and he is a very tough horse. He has got his confidence now and I feel he is back to his best.

“We kept it simple today and gave him lots of daylight. At Doncaster he had too much of a wall of horses in front of him and he is not used to being covered up. He is a good horse and you have seen him at his best there.”

Although a date at the Autumn Horses In Training Sale beckons for Jel Pepper, Cole hinted that he could turn up in the Group Three BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury on October 25th before going under the hammer.

He added: “We will probably go to the Horris Hill, it is worth a punt and he is full of confidence. He is in the Horses In Training sale, but I’ve to try and ask if we can keep the horse."

And a step up to Group race company also awaits for Half Sovereign according to her trainer Karl Burke.

He said: “She is a very honest filly and there are no excuses really. Sam (James) knows the filly better, but Andrew (Elliott) did nothing wrong. If we were going to get beaten by one that was it. It was a good performance.

“There is a Group Three over in France at the end of this month and we will probably go for that and that will be it for the year.”

Cole ready to step Rascal up in class

Princess Rascal is likely to have her sights raised significantly after returning to winning ways with a decisive success in the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap at Newmarket.

Having suffered successive defeats since opening her account on her second start at Salisbury back in May the daughter of Pinatubo finally added to that win when seeing it out best in tricky conditions in the mile-and-a-quarter test.

Hitting the front inside the final two furlongs the Cole-trained 7-2 chance stuck to the task well under Ray Dawson before passing the post two and a quarter lengths clear of runner-up, and early leader North Star.

Cole said: “I’d like to keep her at this trip and try her at a mile and a half again next year. We tried it once, but she probably didn’t like Kempton. She has got a lot of speed and she has done it very well. She is very straightforward at home.

“She is a lovely filly and there is a Group Three we might supplement her for in France at the end of the month. She will improve as she gets older.”

Beckett another to double up

There were congratulatory slaps on the back between trainer Ralph Beckett and joint-owner Kia Joorabchian after Lyneham struck gold at the second time of asking in the BetMGM Maiden Stakes.

Having finished second on his debut at Doncaster 21 days ago the son of Wootton Bassett, who Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation owns in partnership with Al Shaqab Racing, went one better in the mile prize under Rossa Ryan.

Although the 8/11 favourite was made to keep up to his work by eventual runner-up Echo Of Stars, the odds-on market leader did more than enough close home to prevail by a length.

Beckett said: “He is a very leggy horse and physically he has done very well since Doncaster as I thought he might go the other way just because he is tall and weak, but he has actually strengthened up for that run.

“He is a stayer in the making and what he has achieved is beyond expectations as to where we felt he was six weeks ago. He should develop from two to three. We will see how he is working in the spring, but he has done well between now and Doncaster. He will be a lovely horse for next year.”

Perfect The Craft supplied Beckett and Ryan with another winner on the card when showing a tenacious attitude to land the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap.

Despite only finishing fifth on her last start at Doncaster the daughter of Mastercraftsman demonstrated what she is capable of when knuckling down well late on in the £50,000 mile and a half test. Although briefly headed by Orionis the 7/2 chance fought back before defeating the running on Miss Wong by a neck to provide winning owners Valmont with their second success at the meeting.

Anthony Ramsden, of Valmont, said: “She likes a bit of cut in the ground and hopefully she will stay a bit further. Today it was quite a trappy race, and it was probably good form. She has always been pretty tough. We will try and aim with some black type I suppose.

“The plan was to put her in the mares sale, but we will see how it goes between now and the end of the season.”

Rock off the mark

Castle Rock built on his encouraging debut fourth at Newbury when just getting the better of a late battle in the Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Maiden Stakes.

Sent off the 4/9 favourite to land the spoils in the seven furlong prize the 650,000 guineas breeze-up buy did just enough to land the odds.

Kept up to his work all the way to the line the Havana Grey colt managed to hold off the late charge of debutant We’re Goosers by a neck.

Charlie Appleby, winning trainer, said: “He is a handy little horse, but I would say coming back in trip will possibly suit him. The ground was slow enough for a Havana Grey horse. I would say he would be a nursery type.”

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