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Sky's the limit for Murphy

Sky Safari showed a commendable attitude to maintain her unbeaten record on an artificial surface when coming with a well-timed run to clinch victory in the Unibet London Mile Series Final Handicap.

Victory looked to be heading the way of Superposition, who appeared to have slipped the field half-way up the home straight when readily opening up a sizable advantage under Jason Watson.

However, as the line loomed ever closer, the James Fanshawe-trained 5/2 favourite sailed by charting a path next to the inside rail before holding off Local Hero by a neck to give Classic-winning rider Murphy a second success on his 30th birthday.

Tom Fanshawe, son and assistant trainer, said: “She is now four out of four on the all-weather and she showed a really good attitude out there today. It has been a really good family to our stable and her half-brother won earlier in the week.

“I think we all thought Ed’s (Dunlop) horse (Superposition) had slipped the field. She had to be brave to battle back in a strongly run race against battle hardened horses.

“She settled pretty well today as her family are quite forward going and Oisin felt she wasn’t over racing.

"If she continued to settle as well as she did today then she could get a mile and a quarter, but I imagine we will keep her at a mile for now.

“Oisin was very complimentary about her. He said there is a good deal of improvement left in her. Where her ceiling is I don’t know.”

High Five for Balding

Andrew Balding watched on with delight after his plan for Five Ways came to fruition with a tenacious success in the Unibet Sirenia Stakes.

Having had the wind taken out of his sails following the defeat of Group One winner Kalpana earlier on the card the Kingsclere handler had his spirits lifted thanks to the son of Kameko’s success in the Group Three contest.

Always to the fore of matters in the six furlong contest the 4/1 chance had to demonstrate the best of his battling abilities to see off a host of rivals late on in order to follow up his last time out victory at Salisbury.

Locked in a battle with Sirius A, who finished second past the post, but was later demoted to third after the race by the stewards, the Dr John Hobby-owned colt, pulled out plenty to prevail by a neck to give Balding, and jockey Jason Watson, a first win in the race

Balding said: “He has always been good in his homework and we thought it was worth a go. He was bred by John Hobby, who has been a good friend of my parents for many years, and he has had horses at Kingsclere for a lot of years, so it is fantastic for him. He is by Kameko as well so it is good for the whole team.

“We were disappointed with him the first time out, but we felt the ground was a bit loose that day and he got wheel spinning a bit, and he probably needed the run, but it was more like it at Salisbury last time out.

"He will stay further in time. We will see if we go again this year, but he is a lovely horse for the future. He has always shown a high level of ability.

“Today was the plan. The Mill Reef would have come too soon for him so we will see how we go.”

Angel's delight for Dunlop

Ed Dunlop hinted that the Group Three Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh Sharp Stakes at Newmarket next month could be on the agenda for Just Call Me Angel, who secured career win number two in the Unibet More Extra Place Races Fillies’ Nursery Handicap.

Arriving on the back of a win last time out at Epsom Downs the daughter of Dark Angel pulled smartly clear late on under Robert Havlin in the seven furlong prize before passing the post with a length and a half to spare.

Dunlop said of the 100/30 winner: “It was a nice display. She is a filly that we have always liked and she did it well. I think she will stay further and she is going the right way.

“She ran very well at Goodwood, in what is one of the hottest fillies maidens of the year, which has already produced several winners. She then won next time out and is clearly improving.

“The idea of today was to tell us whether we step up in grade and that will probably be the plan. Something like the Oh So Sharp could be for her.”

More Drama for Murphy

What threatened to be a week of disappointment for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing ended on somewhat of a brighter note after Drama registered back-to-back victories in the Unibet London Sprint Series Final.

Twelve months after waltzing away with the £80,000 contest under Tom Marquand the gelded son of Havana Grey repeated the trick under Murphy, just days after the triumphant connections saw their flag bearer Merchant ruled out for the season with a setback.

Sent off a 3/1 chance to register his fourth course and distance success the James Ferguson-trained four-year-old did not let his supporters down when sweeping down the outside of the field to get up by a nose and give Murphy his third success on the card.

Harry Herbert, racing manager of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: “He loves this track. He is just an extraordinary horse.

"It is horses for courses and it is Drama for Kempton Park as that is his deal. To win this race two years running is absolutely fantastic.

“Well done to James Ferguson, and all his team, and the birthday boy Oisin, and a wonderful group of Highclere owners who have had such fun with him.

“We had to go through the pain barrier of some turf races that don’t suit, but this race had a big red circle around it.

“I really take my hat off to James. To produce him to do what he did last year from much higher in the weights today was wonderful. It is a big pay day for the syndicate, so happy days.”

While a trip to the sales beckons for Drama later in the year Herbert has not ruled out finding another race for him ahead of going under the hammer.

He added: “If there is something back here then it would be mad to go elsewhere as he loves it here. All options are in the mix though.

“He will probably head to the horses-in-training sale. He is out of contract to us at the end of this year, but he has been the most wonderful horse to own.”

The Cap fits for Morrison

Hughie Morrison is no stranger to dealing with useful stayers and Caprelo appeared to be another judging by the manner of his victory in the Try Unibet’s New Improved Acca Boosts Handicap.

The Ulysses gelding, who is related to multiple Group Two scorer Marmelo and Group Three winner Vent De Force, turned the two mile contest into a procession when bursting clear late on in the two mile prize to supply winning rider Murphy with his fourth success on the card.

And following the 2-1 favourite’s three length success the triumphant trainer hinted that an outing in next month’s Club Godolphin Cesarewitch at Newmarket could now be an option if going up enough in the weights.

Morrison said: “Once he turned into the straight he looked like winning, but the jockey was extremely confident throughout. He is obviously going the right way and he seems to like it around here. Like his family they all get better with age.

“The blinkers just help him concentrate, but I think he needs them.

“I think in the Northumberland Vase if he had sat third or fourth off a proper pace he probably would have won that.

“He has just come to himself, as they do. He is actually in the Cesarewitch, but he needs about thirty odd to come out, however stranger things have happened.

“He will nearly have a racing weight for it now. When he won here back here earlier in the year Tom (Marquand) said he was alright and he is a fun horse to own.”

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