Rest of Newmarket Friday review: Mussab delivers in Cornwallis

Brave effort for Balding

Never So Brave (4/1) led home a one-two for title-seeking trainer Andrew Balding in the Group 2 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes.

The five-year-old was prominent from the off under Oisin Murphy and battled on tenaciously to beat stablemate Flora Of Bermuda (85/40 favourite) by a neck, with Time To Turn (11/2) a close third.

"He's a very talented horse," said Balding. "Things haven't gone his way this year, hopefully that will do his confidence some good. I'm delighted he could get a win, he's a pleasure to have in the yard and I'm really pleased for him and his owner.

"That worked out perfectly today.

"We're thinking of possibly going to Hong Kong but he'll go in his coat at some point. We'll have to speak to his owner."

Muss delivers in Cornwallis

Mussab booked his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup after making it a hat-trick of wins for the season with victory in the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes.

Arriving on the back of wins in a five furlong novice at Newcastle, and over the same trip in the Listed British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr last time out, the son of Ten Sovereigns took a step up in class in his stride to bag the Group Three test.

Victory looked to be heading the way of early pacesetter Carry The Flag, who still held a healthy advantage approaching the final stages of the five furlong contest.

However, as his run came to end inside the final furlong it was left to the Richard and Peter Fahey-trained colt, who finished third in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, and In The Black to battle it out during the closing exchanges.

Despite the best efforts of In The Black, it was not enough with the 8/1 chance putting his head down where it mattered most to score by a nose.

Peter Fahey said: “He has got a lot of speed, which makes life easier as a trainer, but it has just taken a while for it all to come together and thank God it happened today.

“When he came from the breeze-up sales he wasn’t a typical breezer as he wasn’t over prepped. He only squeezed into the breeze-up at the last minute, so he was a bit behind when he came in.

“We were kind of rushing him to get to Royal Ascot, and the Gimcrack. We took a deep breath and Newcastle was the first time we had him one hundred percent fit and it has been uphill since there.

“I don’t think he liked the ground at Ay. I think he won because he was the best horse in the race.

“Half-way I was getting worried that the race was developing away from him, but his speed has managed to get him out of trouble.

“I had to take a deep breath and wait for it to be announced before I had any thoughts.

And Fahey believes that the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on October 30th at Keeneland is the perfect fit for Mussab, who was trimmed from 16/1 into 12/1 for the extended five furlong contest by William Hill.

He added: “We have got him on the list for the Breeders’ Cup. I think the five and a half furlongs around Keeneland will be ideal as he has got loads of speed.

“He has an unbelievable attitude as he walks around like a pony. I think he will enjoy it out there as he is so agile and you can put him where you want in a race. He has plenty of speed, and he stays very well, so we are looking forward to it.”

Lola Oh So Sharp for Millman

Rod Millman caused a shock in the Group 3 Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes when his 40/1 chance Lola De Valence came with a flying late run to win under Saffie Osborne.

Held up in the rear early on, things began to change coming out of the Dip and Osborne got a great tune out of the daughter of Havana Grey who was stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time.

She flew up the stands' side to pip Sweltering who made her challenge on the far side to prevail by a neck in another tight finish.

Millman said: “I was hoping that she would finish in the first four as we do think a lot of this filly. She won her maiden well then we ran her in the Dick Poole, but the ground was soft. Salisbury have done a great job with the ground all year, but as soon as it rained it went really soft, and she got stuck in the ground. She went to Fairyhouse, but she missed the break and she had to come the whole way around the field and ended up being the fastest finisher in the race so you could mark that run up.

“We are only a little yard, but if we get the right horse we can do it. I thought she would see the trip out given the way how she finished at Fairyhouse.

“I’d say that would probably be her done for the season. She would get a penalty in the Bosra Sham back here, but we will probably come back for the 1000 Guineas as she has just won a Group Three.

“We will see what Guy (O’Callaghan, owner) wants to do, but I imagine he will want to come back here.”

It's only Words

Study Of Words finally showed what he is capable of when getting his career back on track with a battling success in the bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap.

Without a win to his name in three starts this season, the son of Frankel bounced back to winning ways when staying on best of them all in the mile and a half Heritage Handicap to give both Charlie Appleby and William Buick their second victory on the card together.

Aided by a strong tailwind, the 10/1 chance, who was making his first start since being gelded, sat in behind early pace setter, and eventual runner-up Lord D’Or, in a race that the pair virtually had between themselves.

Although Lord D’Or put up a brave fight late on he was unable to fend off the attention of Study Of Words, who pulled out plenty close to the line before prevailing by three quarters of a length.

Appleby said: “The front two got a march on as they were wind assisted. Will said he kept finding and that he wasn’t stopping.

“I felt he was always going to get past the runner-up as Will came off him a length or two early on, but fair play to the second horse as he kept rallying.

“Since we gelded him he has been a more straightforward horse to get on with and he has been more consistent in his work.

“He wouldn’t be one for Dubai. There are no real plans with him, but I think he will get further in time that’s for sure.”

Angel's delight for Palmer

Ruby’s Angel proved just divine when gaining the most notable success of her career in the Godolphin Under Starters Orders EBF Boadicea Stakes.

The Hugo Palmer-trained filly made the most of a drop back in both class and trip to secure the first Listed success of her career in the six furlong contest.

Always to the fore, the 16/1 chance, who finished down the field in the Group Three Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster over seven furlongs last time out, was not for relenting out in front.

Although Zen Diva, who was seeking a fifth win this year, ranged up as a live threat entering the final furlong, she couldn’t find a way past with the daughter of Starman holding to score by a neck to give Classic-winning rider Osborne her second winner of the day.

Osborne said: “Ruby’s Angel is just so straightforward and I used that to her advantage. I skipped away in front and got her into a lovely rhythm. I managed to nick a length out of them coming into the dip and she was gutsy late on.

“I won a quite nice nursery on her over six furlongs at York last year and felt that would get further that day. I was confident she would stay well and she travelled away beautifully.

“It is a great race for Hugo Palmer and the team at Manor House Stables.”

Song leads Pride one-two for Haggas

In the Group 3 Newmarket Pony Academy Pride Stakes, Song Of The Clouds led home stablemate Silver Lake for William Haggas.

Haggas said: “It was awkward watching. Robert Havlin decided straightaway he was going to the far rail and Cieren went with them, but Silver Lake has run an absolute stormer.

"Without the horses on the far side she has won by four lengths. She has just improved and improved. I feel sorry for her, but at least she thinks she has won.

“She (Song Of The Clouds) is still learning, and she just over raced a bit Cieren thought, but I think she is pretty smart. She suffered a fracture after she won at Redcar, so it has been a bit of a rush to get her back. She is a Night Of Thunder out of a very good mare that Mr Oppenheimer lost this year so she is a nice replacement for her, which is terrific.

“We have always liked her. She ran second at Newbury then she won a Mickey Mouse race at Redcar, but won okay, but she was still very green. She did well at Windsor on her comeback run. Her work has always been pretty impressive, but I was staggered she was favourite today, but she has always been pretty useful. Both have come forward well.

“That was always the plan for her to stay in training, and I hope that will be the plan. Mr Oppenheimer is a breeder, but he loves his racing to. We might have to go higher as she is carrying a Group Three penalty for nine months. The point of keeping her in training will be to try and win a Group One. Maybe the Dahlia Stakes back here will be the starting point.”

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