Newmarket Saturday review: Tatsumaki impresses

Callan excited by Tatsumaki

Neil Callan is confident Tatsumaki could be “very smart” next season after providing him with his biggest winner since returning from a stint riding in Hong Kong when maintaining his unbeaten record in the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket.

After ending an 11 year spell riding in Hong Kong back in July the Irish-born jockey was thrust back into the limelight with victory aboard the Marco Botti-trained son of Charming Thought, who made it three from three in the six furlong prize.

Bursting through to head the field deep inside the final quarter of a mile the 3-1 chance quickly put distance between himself and the rest of the field before passing the post an eased down five lengths clear of runner-up and favourite Fearby.

Callan said: “He is the only decent horse I’ve ridden since I’ve come back from Hong Kong. He is such a straightforward horse, super chilled and he has got an amazing temperament of a character.

“I didn’t expect him to win first time out but the manner he won I thought he has got to be something and he has improved every time.

“As he has relaxed he has got faster but personally I think he will be a miler as a three year old so he has got any amount of improvement in him.

“The fact he has come and handled that little bit of give in the ground today means he is quite versatile.

“I’ve been moaning a lot saying ‘come on give me some good horses’, but Marco has kindly given me quite a bit of support. The first horse I get on is the best one I’ve ridden so far so hopefully it is onwards and upwards.

“It is hard to say when you go to Group class how good they are but if you put Fearby as a guide off ratings he has just annihilated him.

“As a horse and the feel he gives me he has the feel of a good horse. The fact that he is super chilled and has a good temperament.

“He has got all the things if he can improve and put it all together next season he could be very smart.”

Although Newmarket handler Botti was not surprised with Tatsumaki preserving his unbeaten record he was impressed by the manner in which it was achieved and added: “We came into the race confident he would run a good race. We have been saying he is a nice horse but he is going the right way.

“He has got a great mind but we didn’t think he would do it that easily as in a big field you don’t know what is going to happen.

“Neil said to me he will keep it simple. He has been saying for a long time that this is a Group horse. He has had so much confidence in the horse and he has always liked him.

“He said to a few Hong Kong owners this is the best two year old he’s ridden since he has got back. I don’t think we will run again this season.”

Bright future predicted for Sistina

Meanwhile Joseph Tuite believes bigger and better days lie in wait for Via Sistina, who passed all of her rivals to run out an impressive winner of the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap.

After failing to beat a single horse in a Group Two at Paris-Longchamp last time out the daughter of Fastnet Rock made the most of a drop in class when taking the mile and a quarter prize by four lengths to complete a double for Jamie Spencer.

Tuite, speaking away from the track, said: “It just didn’t quite happen on her French trip. She came back a little bit low and we just sat and bided our time and give her a break.

“When the ground comes right she is a very good filly. I’m sure she is a black type filly. She handles that ground very well. Hopefully she doesn’t get sold like a lot of my good ones do. She is as big as a house and she will only improve with time.

“She was too keen in France and the plan was to miss the kick and drop her in and there is no better man in the country than Jamie Spencer if you are going to do that. We stepped her up to a mile and a half in France and I think she will get that in time if you ride her conservatively. But I think at this moment in time we will keep her at this trip. I’ve no particular plan for her but there are plenty of options in black type races for her.”

Cash earns Classic quotes

David Simcock admitted he “doesn’t get many of that make of car” after Cash earned quotes for next year’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs when landing the MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed EBF Maiden Stakes on debut.

The son of Sharmadal came from last to first to defeat favourite Al Nafir, who is a full brother to four-time Group One winner Ghaiyyath by a length and a half to get the ball rolling for Spencer.

Following the race several firms make him a 33/1 chance for the both the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Cazoo Derby.

Simcock said of the 8/1 winner: “He is a big horse but he did everything right today. He is a nice prospect for next year. The mare stayed well and won over a mile and a half and stayed a mile six. We don’t get that many of that make of car so it is nice to find one!

“If he got there today great, but if he didn’t there then there was always going to be another day. It can make life harder when they win first time out. I don’t think he will be doing anything else this season.”

Quickly up and running

Trainer Denis Coakley reckons Nell Quickly is just “starting to get going” after setting up a potential tilt against Listed race opposition with victory in the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Middle Distance Handicap.

Having either won or finished runner-up in her five previous starts this term, The Gurkha filly continued to prove a model of consistency in the mile and a half contest when staying on powerfully under champion jockey Oisin Murphy.

Picking up well during the closing stages the 100-30 chance showed resilience when it mattered most to defeat last time out Sandown Park scorer Crema Inglesa by two lengths and claim her fourth victory of the year.

Coakley said: “She didn’t mind the ground and stays well. She travelled well all the way and Oisin (Murphy) was confident about her so hopefully she will keep improving.

“She has just taken time to mature. She had one run at two, then she was unlucky first time she ran on the all-weather back this season at Wolverhampton as she was too far out of it and it was a short race over a mile.

“Once we stepped her up to a mile and a quarter and then a mile and a half she then showed what she can do. Hopefully she is just starting to get going.

“We will look forward to a good year next year. There is a mile five Listed race we might try at Lingfield on the November 1st but that would be it.”

Haggas excited by Mubhir

William Haggas appeared to unearth a potential star in Al Mubhir, who completed a double for jockey William Buick on the day when prevailing by a length in the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Maiden Stakes.

Haggas said of the 9-2 chance: “He is a nice horse and he did well to win today. I don’t know how good the opposition was but his jockey liked him. He is nice. He was not calm and tired after that and he looked a bit spicy after the race so we will have to be careful, but he is a big strong colt so he will be alright.

“He may need some more experience but I wouldn’t want to send him over the top either so we will see what the owner wants to do. He handles the ground well and picked up well on it.”