A review of the action, reaction from connections and free video replays from Saturday's meeting at Newmarket.
Gosdens land Horris Hill with Orne
Robert Havlin might have been forced to ditch Plan A early on aboard Orne, however it failed to stop the pair from proving the ones to beat in the re-arranged Betfred Horris Hill Stakes.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Acclamation made it two wins from three starts after bouncing back to winning ways in the seven-furlong Group Three which was transferred to the Rowley Mile from the card at Newbury that fell victim to the weather last weekend.
After making a winning debut at Kempton Park the Al Shaqab Racing-owned colt appeared to fail to see out the mile on his last start when finishing fourth at the same level in the Emirates Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile behind subsequent Group One winner Ancient Wisdom 21 days ago.
Racing front rank among those in the far side group the 10/1 chance held a clear advantage on the run down to the final quarter of a mile as the field began to emerge into one down the centre of the track.
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Despite being faced with a host of challengers Orne, who appeared to look like being swallowed up by the chasing pack, continued to find plenty out in front under Havlin, who won the 2015 renewal of the race aboard Crazy Horse.
Although drifting left on the final climb to the line it was not enough to prevent Orne from securing victory by a length and a quarter from Witness Stand with Son Of Man a further three-quarters of a length adrift in third.
Havlin said: “It wasn’t the plan to make the running. He went last in, but he was first out. Normally he doesn’t do a stroke when he is in front. I went on a fresh bit of ground, and he found a rhythm. Just towards the end he got a little bit lonely and ducked left, but he has done it well in the end.
“It wasn’t the plan to go on the far side as I wanted to drop in and get a lead and get there late. When I ended up in front I could see there was fresh ground there so I thought I might as well go there. I could go where I wanted then as I was in front and make a different plan.”
Looking to next year Havlin feels that Orne could be better suited to dropping back further in trip.
Havlin added: “He didn’t stay the mile in the Autumn Stakes. He travelled good and he handled the ground, but he just didn’t stay. He could get quicker this horse over the winter. It is nice to get another Group winner on the board before the end of the season as I was running out of time.”
Jubilee looks exciting prospect
Kieran Shoemark demonstrated why his services are likely to be used on a more regular basis by the Gosdens next year after overcoming a moment of adversity in the stalls before steering Regal Jubilee to victory in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Montrose Fillies’ Stakes.
With Frankie Dettori calling time on his career in Britain the 27-year-old helped strengthen his relationship with the powerhouse father and son team thanks to his latest Listed success aboard the daughter of Frankel in a dramatic renewal of the mile event.
Having been forced to sit tight in the stalls himself aboard the last time out Windsor winner Shoemark then watched on as his weighing room colleague Cieren Fallon parted company with Marama moments after the gates opened reducing the field down to 11.
After sitting midfield for much of the race the 9/1 chance received a nice tow in behind rivals before the gaps emerged and the Cheveley Park Stud-owned filly was able to make her bid for glory inside the final quarter of a mile.
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Appearing to handle the undulations of the Rowley Mile well Regal Jubilee soon powered past Beautiful Love and Molten Rock at the head of the field before passing the post two lengths clear of Je Zous to complete a double for the Gosden team.
Following the race Regal Jubilee was introduced at 20/1 for next year’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas by Paddy Power.
Shoemark said: “She does a lot wrong still. She is entitled to be green still, and is she is very unexposed. She had a bit of an episode in the gates where she was sitting down and I thought for a moment she might get withdraw as she was really back on her behind.
“They went a sensible gallop, and she travelled extremely well. I was just waiting for the gaps as I was trying to teach her plenty at the same time and when we hit the rising ground she found the line well.
“I thought when we jumped out of the stalls that she had ruined her chances, but she surprised me as the further we went the better she was going.
The exciting Regal Jubilee
“She had to find a lot on ratings. I know she was very impressive in her novice last time at Windsor, but ultimately I don’t think we beat a whole lot and she was in a good position throughout. She has shown she has taken a huge step forward again.
“She has got a little bit of a knee action so I thought she would like a bit of give in the ground, but this is a different ball game. She has got that profile where she has now won a Listed race she can go away for the winter and look at big targets next year.”
Knight relief as Challenge wins
William Knight ended what he described has been a ‘frustrating’ season on the turf in perfect fashion after Checkandchallenge made the most of a significant drop in class to gain a deserved first success of the campaign in the Mutasaabeq At The National Stud James Seymour Stakes.
Having been set some stiff assignments since the turn of the year the son of Fast Company, who finished fourth in Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for the second year running on his latest start, enjoyed a deserved change of luck dropped back down to Listed company.
Anchored close to the rear of the field through the early exchanges of the mile and a quarter prize, which has been won by subsequent Group One winners Bay Bridge (2021) and Lord North (2019) in recent years, the 6/1 chance steadily worked his way into contention under Callum Shepherd.
Once hitting the front victory looked to be a formality however Checkandchallenge was made to pull out all the stops by rallying favourite, and early pace setter, Pride Of America before getting the better of their late battle by a neck.
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Knight said: “He has run in some hot races this year and I don’t think he has actually run a bad race in any of them. Dropping back into a Listed race today it was just nice to get his head back in front. I know the distance between them was a long way at Ascot the other day, but he was fourth in a Group One and he picked up a good bit of prize money and he had some nice horses behind him.
“I’m very happy with him. I think a mile and a quarter is right for him. We went back for the stiff mile at Ascot as we felt on that track it was going to suit him and he got his just rewards. He can cope with those extremes out there today where a lot of other horses can’t.
“It has been a frustrating year for us as our three-year-old team has let us down a bit, but hopefully we have some nice yearlings this year and we can regroup and have a strong year next year.”
Although Checkandchallenge holds an entry in the Group One Hong Kong Mile next month the Newmarket handler admits he is unlikely to take up that option.
He added: “I think he will have a well-deserved break now. He is in the Hong Kong Mile, but I think he deserves a nice break. There will be plenty of options for him next year. Horses like him can turn up in those Group One races that cut up a bit and pick up a bit of money.
“We might also look at those Group Three and Group Two races in France again next year. I’m just so pleased he has finished on a winning note this year.”
Checkandchallenge - Listed race success
Turner one way from 1,000 winner mark
Hayley Turner moved on to career winner 999 after working her magic aboard Lunar Eclipse, who put her rivals in the shade in the second division of the Betfred TV British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.
Having reportedly only bloomed at home in the last month according to her trainer David Simcock-the daughter of Night Of Thunder defied her inexperience to make a successful start to life on the racetrack in the seven furlong affair.
Joining matters at the head of affairs deep inside the final furlong the 13/2 chance was well on top at the line after only needing to be kept up to her work by Turner in the closing strides before defeating Ghaihaban by three quarters of a length.
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Simcock said: “She is a big scopey filly. She hadn’t shown a great deal until about a month ago. She is tall, long and lean, but she can gallop. She handled the conditions very well and some didn’t, but she did.
“She would have never galloped on anything like that. She was well on top at the line which I like and I would hope that is testament to her ability as she is raw. We were expecting a nice run, but a lot of it was down to what handled conditions best. I’m very pleased.
“She would have started over a mile if there was a mile fillies race, but I wanted to get her on turf and this was the only fillies maiden left as I had no intentions of running her on the all-weather.”
Hayley Turner is all smiles on Lunar Eclipse
Dynasty win proves pleasant surprise
Danny Tudhope received the sort of pleasant surprise every jockey loves to unearth after Love Dynasty revelled in the testing conditions to land the opening division of the seven-furlong event.
Twenty-four hours after stablemate The Reverend made his first start over course and distance a triumphant one the William Haggas-trained daughter of Dubawi did likewise when picking up smartly inside the final furlong to inflict a two and a half-length defeat on 15/8 favourite Dubai Melody.
Tudhope said: “Fair play to her as it is horrible out there. There is a strong head wind, and it was lashing down with rain in her face. It was testing ground and she travelled super.
“I was confident she would pick up and find what she did going to the line, but she did surprise me how well she was going.
“It probably takes a good horse to do what she has done today. I don’t know what she has beat or how good she is, but she has done it well. She will get a mile no problem.”
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Loughnane registers personal best
Ultra consistent mare Momaer helped trainer Mark Loughnane set a new personal best domestic tally of winners in a calendar year following a tenacious success in the Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap.
Having spent most of 2023 watching his son Billy Loughnane, who was recently crowned champion apprentice jockey, take the headlines the Worcestershire based handler enjoyed a moment centre stage himself thanks to the daughter of Belardo, who provided him with winner number 42 of the year.
With two wins already next to her name this year the 9/1 chance held off the late challenge laid down by Ramiro when prevailing by a neck under Josephine Gordon to give Loughnane his landmark success.
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Loughnane said: “She ran well at Windsor last time out on soft ground and she seems to love the ground like this. That is my forty second winner of the year which is a best domestic total for our team in a year so it is happy days all round.
“Josie knew what she was doing so I just left it to her. The mare had her ground and she just kept filling her up. When they went past the two pole I was quite happy with how she was going.
“This mare has held her form well all year and it is great to get a winner for Derek (Lovatt) who has been a big supporter of mine.”
Rowley Mile first for Garritty
Coming into the meeting Billy Garritty featured on a list of riders yet to taste glory on the Rowley Mile, however that all changed following the runaway success secured by Bust A Move in the Betfred “Hot Shots” Nursery Handicap.
After finishing third on his most recent start at York the Michael and David Easterby-trained Ribchester gelding left his rivals toiling on his first start over nine furlongs when powering clear to score by seven and a half lengths.
Garritty said of the 4/1 winner: “It is grand to ride a winner here as it is a good track. It is riding very soft today and that has probably suited my lad as he is by Ribchester and is out of a dam that was placed in soft ground in France so I was always confident he would handle the ground.
“The trip was a bit of a worry as he can be a little bit keen in his races, but there he was very settled after half a furlong and he just worked into it. He has picked up well and done it well.”
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Perfect ending to Cunha's year
Dylan Cunha rounded off what he described as the ‘perfect year’ after seeing his wish to train a winner at Newmarket come to fruition thanks to Dirtyoldtown (22/1) in the concluding Betfred “Passionate About Sport” Handicap.
Finishing no better than eighth on his previous five starts the No Nay Never gelding enhanced his value ahead of going under the hammer when obliging by two and a quarter lengths to give both Cunha and jockey Kyle Strydom their first Rowley Mile winner.
Former airline pilot Cunha said: “The funny thing for us is that we said we had the perfect year and all that we were missing was a Newmarket winner, but it has arrived so we are stoked. For a small yard it has been a great day.
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“This is my first full season training in Britain and to win a race here is mad. I don’t know what he did on Wednesday as he never tried a yard on the gallops, but I rang the owner and said this is running on Saturday whatever happens.
“He probably likes the ground and when he won at Chepstow the ground was similar to this. I’ve not had him long, and I’m still getting used to him, as this is only his second run for me.
“He is in the November Sale at Tattersalls next week and I think despite this the owner will sell him, but the key to him could be that he wants soft ground and he might still have a few pounds in hand.”
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