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Tiger roars to victory in Horris Hill

Bengal Tiger showed he isable to handle a quick turn around after pouncing on his rivals late in the day to secure the biggest success of his career in the Hurlworth Bloodstock Horris Hill Stakes.

The son of No Nay Never had been on track to tackle the Group Three test at its original slot at Newbury before being switched to the Listed William Hill Remembering Sue Wright Prospect Stakes at Doncaster after racing at the Berkshire venue fell victim to the weather.

However, with the seven furlong contest salvaged from the card, it allowed the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt to back up his Listed success at Town Moor, which he duly did under Sean Levey.

Hitting the front inside the two furlong pole, the 6/4 favourite was swiftly joined by Lex Victoria, who was dropping back in both trip, and class, having contested the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at the track earlier this month.

For a fleeting moment it looked as though the Simon Crisford-trained filly was going to floor the hat-trick seeking favourite after drawing upsides in the final furlong, however as the line drew closer Bengal Tiger pulled out more to score by a neck.

Kevin Buckley, Coolmore representative, said: “He was originally being aimed the Horris Hill, but when that was called off we sent him to Doncaster, and he performed well there on heavy ground over six furlongs.

“He was up to seven furlongs here, but Sean was very pleased with him. He said he was very professional in his racing. We couldn’t be happier with that to be honest with you. It was a good way to end off the season. The penny has dropped now, and he was very professional, so you have to be pleased.”

Following the race Bengal Tiger was trimmed from 16/1 into 12/1 for the Commonwealth Cup by Paddy Power and Sky Bet while he was introduced at 20/1 for the Betfred 2000 Guineas by the same firms.

Buckley added: “We could potentially have both options. Let’s see how he is after that. He certainly wasn’t stopping. The sister, who was by Scat Daddy, got a little bit further than that.

“Sean said he was very professional and that he seemed happy at that trip, but he potentially could get a little bit further. He came up the hill nicely when you think it was a quick turn around. He is a horse to look forward to.”

There was further success for Levey later on the card following the victory of the Richard Hannon-trained High Calibre (7/2), who ran out a three-and-a-half length winner of the Idee 158. German Derby In Hamburg Nursery Handicap. 

Pier springs big surprise

Haldon Pier left her rivals all at sea when finishing with a flourish to maintain her unbeaten when springing an 80/1 surprise in the British Stallion Studs EBF Montrose Fillies’ Stakes.

With all eyes centred around recent bet365 Fillies’ Mile runner-up, and 4-5 favourite Haven, who was bidding to give Aidan O’Brien a first win in the Listed contest, bookmakers dismissed the chances of the daughter of Palace Pier.

Arriving on the back of a win in a five-runner maiden at Sandown Park 50 days ago, the Ralph Beckett-trained filly looked an unlikely winner at one stage after being hampered as the field entered the dip.

However, despite encountering traffic problems it failed to halt the momentum of Haldon Pier, who burst through deep inside the final furlong to defeat the O’Brien second-string So Lovely by a length and three quarters to give Beckett his second winner on the card.

Max Nicholson, assistant trainer, said: “She was very impressive. She had a lovely debut at Sandown Park, Rhys (Clutterbuck) gave a brilliant education that day. Everything went right for her that day, whereas today, to be hampered like that in a race, and finish off takes a lot of guts from a filly to do that. She has a fantastic mind.

“To go through the gap, to then be hampered, and to then come on, all in the dip is very unusual for a horse to do that, let along a filly. That shows physical and mental ability, which is a rare combination for any horse to have. That was a competitive Listed race, and I would say you grade it above a Listed performance to be hampered like that, and finish off.

“Rhys said she took a little time to get into a rhythm on that ground, but to then finish off a race like that it looks all very promising next year.”

Light shines brightest of all

Arabian Light (9/2) shone brightest of all when staying on to good effect upon his return from mid-summer break in the German Group One Racecourses James Seymour Stakes.

Despite having a 105-day absence to overcome, the Charlie Appleby-trained gelding shrugged that off when sticking to the task well to bag the first Listed success of his career.

As the field headed towards the final quarter of a mile in the ten furlong prize, it looked as though the strong traveling Nahraan was the most likely winner, with Sean Levey still appearing to have plenty of horse underneath him.

However, he had no answer to the son of Kingman, who, after receiving a dream run close to the stands' side rail, pulled away smartly late on before prevailing by two lengths to give Kieran Shoemark his second winner on the card.

And following the race the winning training admitted that Arabian Light is now likely to head back to Meydan once again over the winter for another tilt at Group race glory.

Appleby, speaking from America, said: “I was delighted with that performance from Arabian Light. He will head back out to Dubai now. We will probably look at something like the (Group Three) Dubai Millennium for him. He was second in the race this year, so I think we will work back from having another crack at that.”

Red-hot Walker and Shoemark strike again

Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark picked up where they left off at Newmarket when Ibtekar put her previous experience to good use to run out a decisive winner of the Cologne’s 65 Preis Von Europa British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

Having teamed up to bag three winners together on the Rowley Mile on Friday, the pair were at it again with the daughter of Night Of Thunder, who bettered her eye-catching third on debut at Ascot in the seven-furlong prize.

Racing front rank throughout, the 10/11 favourite gradually wound matters up from the sharp end before drawing clear late on to defeat running on stablemate Gorgonzola by two-and-a-half lengths, to iniatiate a double for the winning rider.

Walker said: “I think she is really nice. I thought she maybe did a bit too much in front, but she might have got a bit tired on that ground, however she did it well. She looked good at Ascot, but then didn’t quite get home. Kieran used her experience well today.

"Three of the four winners we have had in the last two days have been by Night Of Thunder. It helps when you are getting sent kit like that as it does make life that bit easier. We will see how she trains over the winter, but I think we could possibly look at a Guineas trial with her in the spring.”

Beagle team already thinking of 2027

The 2026 Flat turf season might almost be at a close, but connections of Beagle Bay have already got a target on their mind for next term following his victory in the Dusseldorf’s Henkel 169 German Oaks Handicap.

After blowing away the cobwebs at York earlier this month, following a near four month break, the gelded son of New Bay took a step forward from that run to register a fourth victory of the campaign in the mile contest under Hector Crouch.

As the pace-pushing Man Of Vision, who had spread the field out early doors, fell back into the chasing pack, it was the 3/1 favourite that was to press on past first and make the best of his way home.

Although recent Doncaster scorer River King stuck to the task well he could not reel in Beagle Bay, who passed the post with a length and three-quarters to spare to hand Beckett his first winner on the card.

Max Nicholson, assistant trainer, said: “He is a very consistent horse, if they were all like him life would be a lot easier. He has won four races this year now, he is a really good handicapper that has had good opportunities this year.

“He is relatively lightly raced for his age. This ground suits him. He needs a bit of cut in the ground as he has got a very high action. I think he can go away this winter and there will be nice options for him next year.

“He is a horse that is improving all the time, and that takes his racing really well. He deserves his chance at a bigger handicap. I am sure that the Lincoln is a very possible option for him. It would be a good fit as the ground would be right and the track would be right.”

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