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Morshdi Feilden boost for Haggas

William Haggas enjoyed a timely boost to the new flat campaign after the diminutive Morshdi showed a commendable attitude to spring a surprise in the Betway Feilden Stakes.

After signing off last season with a ready win over a mile at Sandown Park, on what was his second start, the son of Dubawi was stepped up to nine furlongs for his Listed race debut.

Despite not having the size of some of his rivals, the 14-1 chance demonstrated he has plenty of heart when bursting through late on under Tom Marquand to mount his challenge.

And although Poseidon’s Warrior emerged as a real danger when making up plenty of ground late on, the 9/5 favourite could not quite reel in the Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum-owned colt with a length separating the pair at the line.

Haggas said: “He looks like a Thelwell pony. He is a lovely little horse. He has always been a bonny horse. I’m surprised he won today as we can’t have a winner at the moment, but that was nice he won.

“Tom waited a bit as he said that the wind was terrible. When he was in behind he was getting buffeted about so he sat upsides James Doyle for a bit to keep out of the wind, and then he went. I don’t know how much more he has got to offer. Tom felt that was the right distance.”

Morshdi, who was cut into 20/1 for the Betfred Derby with Paddy Power and Sky Bet, is likely to be kept at Listed level for his next start with Haggas earmarking the Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes at Chester on May 7th as his next most likely target.

He added: “All year I’ve been saying about Chester for him as he will love it around there. He has got a penalty in that, which is the only downside of winning today, but the Dee Stakes is the race I had in mind. He would love it around there as he is tailor made for a place like that.

“I think we have got some nice three-year-olds, and this is the first one we have run from the better group. We have got one in the Fred Darling and one in the Greenham, and one in the novice race on Friday at Newbury, which is like a Derby trial, hopefully we have a few nice horses.”

Rush on the rise

Double Rush looked like a Group race performer in the making after leaving his rivals toiling to make his first start for trainer Andrew Balding a winning one in the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Handicap at Newmarket.

Having signed off on a low key note on his final start for Charlie Hills, the son of Blue Point left that effort well and truly behind when turning the six furlong contest, which was won 12 months ago by subsequent Group Two winner More Thunder, into a procession.

Racing close to the pace throughout, the well-backed 11/10 favourite, who scored at the Craven Meeting last year, barely needed to get out of second gear once asked the question by Oisin Murphy before strolling home by four and three quarter lengths.

Anna Lisa Balding, wife of the winning trainer, said: “That was brilliant. Oisin came back in and said he was a push button ride. Oisin has just hopped off and said he feels like a real nice horse. I don’t think it was a massive surprise. Charlie did a great job with him and we have been lucky getting him in the yard, but it is never easy.

"He has been training really well and Andrew has been delighted with him. He was hoping for a run like that today. We will possibly follow the same route as More Thunder, and we will take that! I think he looks like he should be able to take a rise in the weights.

“It is Andrew’s decision as to where he goes, but we have got to treat him like a decent horse. When you win a race like that you have to be treated like a decent horse and work backwards from the right races.”

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