Newmarket Saturday reports, replays and reaction

Portman faith vindicated in Palace House

Rumstar vindicated trainer Johnathan Portman’s decision to persuade his owners to part with their cash for a Royal Ascot entry following a taking success in the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Palace House Stakes.

Having scooped Group Three honours on his previous visit to the track in the 2022 Cornwallis Stakes the Havana Grey gelding added to that victory when making a triumphant return to the Rowley Mile at the same level.

In a race lacking a real stand out star Irish raider She’s Quality, from the yard of Jack Davison, looked the most likely winner after moving smoothly into contention entering the latter stages of the five furlong dash.

However, when push came to shove it was Rumstar that found most with the 7/1 chance pulling smartly clear to score by a length and a quarter.

Portman said: “We have been very much looking forward to running him. It seems to have been a long time since last October waiting for him to get back on the track. He has been in fantastic form, looking great. He looks stronger this year and it is just great to be back and having him back winning in this company.

“We were worried at Ascot (last year) that it would be too soft, but he coped with it. I think he is fine, unless it is too heavy, and I didn’t think he wanted real firm ground either, but when they are going over five furlongs they don’t really notice.

“The Rowley Mile has been very kind to me and we have won lots of nice races here. I think we had him where we wanted him. He is definitely a stronger horse.”

And following the race Portman admitted that all roads will now lead to the King Charles III Stakes at the Royal meeting, which he was trimmed into 25/1 for from 50/1 by Paddy Power.

Portman added: “I had to ring the owner up the other day to ask permission to spend £4,000, or whatever it is, to enter him at Royal Ascot, and he still hasn’t recovered, that is why he isn’t here today! Now I’ve spent that money he has probably got to go there now.

“Do I think he is a Group One horse, I think that is probably optimistic. With these sprinters they do the talking. Group One races are a different ball game though, so we are under no illusions of the task.”

Thunder will roll on to Ascot

More Thunder continued to demonstrate that he is a sprinter going places after swooping late to preserve his unbeaten record this season in the Betfred Handicap to set up a likely trip to Royal Ascot.

After making a winning debut for William Haggas following a winter move from the now retired Sir Michael Stoute over course and distance last time out the son of Night Of Thunder added to that success in the six furlong heritage handicap.

As the field entered the final furlong it looked like Aramram was going to turn the tables on his last time out conqueror after forging into a narrow lead under Joe Leavy.

But with the post looming More Thunder made up the ground that was required before scoring by a short-head.

Haggas said of the 11/4 favourite: “That was good. Tom (Marquand) said he hit a ridge at the wrong time, but he stayed on well. He said he is plenty fast enough. At some stage he is going to go into stakes races, but at the moment he is low enough in the handicap to be competitive in handicaps.

“That is a good thing (that he proves he goes on any ground). He had three pounds less than he should have done and that three pounds less has made the difference.

“We thought he showed a bit of speed in the spring so we thought we would try him over six furlongs. I didn’t want him to free and he certainly doesn’t do that over six furlongs.

“He is already going up to 97, and he won off 94 today, so that is nearly stakes class, but not quite so he has got a bit more to do. I would say we would look at the Wokingham next at Royal Ascot.”

Balding hails Stoute Legacy

Andrew Balding was quick to praise now retired Classic winning trainer Stoute after Fox Legacy became the second member of his former string to hit the target in the Betfred Suffolk Stakes.

35 minutes after More Thunder had secured his second success of the campaign Fox Legacy became another one time Freemason Lodge inmate to find range in the valuable nine-furlong prize.

The son of Lope De Vega, who was making his first start since undergoing a gelding operation, appeared to appreciate being dropped back down from a mile and a half when putting his assured stamina to good use under Oisin Murphy.

Once hitting the front the 15/2 chance continued to pull away before crossing the line two and a quarter lengths clear of Bopedro, who is owned by Brighton & Hove Albion star Georginio Rutter.

Balding said: “He has been working well. I know Sir Michael and his team really liked him last year. He is one of those that has been well looked after and he is entitled to keep developing. He had been working well, but it was his first run for us. We were hopeful rather than coming here expecting to win. He could possibly be one for Royal Ascot.

“He is a grand horse and I’m delighted to have him. There aren’t many races at nine furlongs, but Oisin felt a mile and a quarter would be no problem, and obviously he won well over that trip last year.”

Bay boost for Candy

Tiger Bay helped provide trainer Henry Candy with an early season boost after coming with a well timed late run to secure victory in the Oddschecker British EBF Ellen Challoner Stakes.

After saddling just three winners in 2024 the Group One winning handler matched that total thanks to the victory claimed by the daughter of Harry Angel in the six-furlong Listed prize.

Victory appeared to be heading the way of early pacesetter Frost At Dawn, who entering the final furlong looked to have seen off all of her rivals.

However, a late drift from the centre of the track to the stands side rail saw the daughter of Frosted surrender crucial ground leaving Tiger Bay, who ploughed a straight furrow up the centre of the course, to pick up the pieces and prevail by a neck.

Candy said of the 11/1 winner: “She seems to have improved a lot over the winter, but she hasn’t quite got her coat yet. There is a little bit more to come, but Trevor (Whelan) was thrilled today. She had plenty to find. She had been doing a lot of work with Run To Freedom, who ran well in the Abernant, so she was fit enough.

“I didn’t think she was going to get into it early on, but she found plenty. I thought we would be lucky to get third place. Her run at Pontefract was very good last year.

“Overall I didn’t think her form was quite good enough, but she stayed in training to try and get some black type so she was going to be running in these races and she has done the job."

Although Candy is keen to keep Tiger Bay running against her own sex he hinted that she could tackle the boys in the Group Three Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock Park later this month.

He added: “I think she really ought to go seven furlongs as she was taken off her feet there and I didn’t think they were going particularly fast.

“The entries for the Chartwell are on Monday, but that will come too soon for her, so that is out of the question. I’d like to run her against her own sex ideally, but a three pounds allowance is a three pounds allowance, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if we mixed it with the boys later on. The John Of Gaunt is a possibility, but I’ll have to think about it.”

Clover strikes Gold with Invictus

Tom Clover already has one smart sprinter in his hands in Rogue Lightning, but he appears to have another in Invictus Gold, who looks set for a step up to stakes class after topping the podium in the TrustATrader Handicap.

The switch to a sounder surface seemed to bring out an improved display from the son of Invincible Spirit, who had finished third over course and distance on his return to action at the Craven Meeting.

Once hitting the front in the six furlong contest under Neil Callan the 100/30 favourite continued to pour on the pressure from the sharp end before claiming victory by three and a quarter lengths.

Jackie Clover, wife of the winning trainer, said: “We felt he came forward for his last run at Newmarket as he was quite behind in his coat. He is a sprinter, but we have not done much with him.

“In his demeanour he seemed well and we were quite keen to see him on better ground. He had never run on quick ground and I think that has brought about the improvement today.

“The day he ran here the last day it rained, but we really wanted to see him on quicker ground. He ran quite well at York in the Rockingham, but I felt he was blunted that day by the heavy ground as he is quite a quick horse.

“I would say we will look at stakes races now. I think he is worth a try in Listed company, especially if there is a three year old six furlong sprint somewhere.

“Maybe we could look to go to France as he is quite ground versatile, and he is a very easy horse to ride.”

Ghost haunts HQ rivals

Emma Lavelle was all smiles after watching her well hatched plan for Silver Ghost come together in convincing fashion in the Aston Martin “Confined” Handicap.

Having blown away the cobwebs at Newbury last month the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain showed the benefits of that run in the seven furlong contest with a two length success under Sean Levey.

Lavelle said of the 12-1 winner: “I would say most of the yard would have had a little bit of the 25s yesterday as this was always the plan.

“Newbury was a prep run for this as it was down the road. She was just a bit gassy and she just needed it, but this was always the plan.

“How many times do we have times where plans don’t work out, so it was lovely to see that happen today.

“Barry (Fenton) rides her everyday at home so she probably thought she was nearly loose here today. She just got chinned on the line in a valuable maiden on the July Course.

“In all fairness I would say she is a nice filly. She is as hard as nails and loves top of the ground. We can have a look at some of those nice handicaps now.”

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