Rest of Newmarket review: Hoseki wins duel for Saffie Osborne

Hoeski edges HQ battle

Saffie Osborne atoned for her defeat aboard Hoseki at this year’s Shergar Cup at Ascot back in August after the pair teamed up to good effect to land the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap at Newmarket.

The William Haggas-trained Saxon Warrior filly made it four wins from five starts this campaign when getting the better of a late battle with early pace setter Pendella in the mile and a quarter contest.

Sitting just off the pace, the 11-8 favourite ranged up alongside her chief market rival approaching the final furlong before forging on past close to the line and going on to score by a head.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “The only defeat she had this year was when Saffie rode her in the Shergar Cup.

“By all accounts we all agreed it wasn’t her finest hour, but we gave her a chance to redeem herself and she has given her a nice ride today. She is a nice filly.

“She seems very versatile. The first two pulled clear, so I think they are probably quite nice fillies, and the form of the second is quite strong with Silver Lake.

“We thought a mile and a half was her best trip, and we had the option of going for the Old Rowley Cup next week, but we decided this was going to be good prize money for fillies only, and it wasn’t going to be such a big field, so we chanced are arm on this ground at ten furlongs.”

And following the race Bromley hinted that a step up in grade could beckon for Hoseki before the season is out.

Bromley added: “If there is a chance in the last month of the season we might have to look at trying to get some blacktype for her as she has a nice pedigree.

“We haven’t put her in the sales as we thought she would be a better four year old. I think she is a black type filly for next year. I’m really excited by her.”

Vegas cashes in again

Night In Vegas kept the party going after registering his fourth win of the campaign with a decisive victory in the £200,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. 

Arriving on the back of wins in the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes on the July Course and in the Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster, the son of Lucky Vega, hit the jackpot for third time in the row on his first start over seven furlongs. 

Racing out the far side of the field for much of the early stages of the race, the 8/13 favourite, whose nickname is Elvis, hit the front soon enough under Charlie Bishop to take a share of the lead with Velociraptor, who led those closest to the stands’ side. 

However, there was no prospects of any upset happening with Kennett Valley Syndicates-owned two-year-old, who finished fifth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, pulling out plenty out to defeat old rival Zigazag Ah by two and three quarter lengths. 

Johnson Houghton said: “I kept saying I hope there is another song for him to sing. You do think that the elastic will pop eventually, but he is just a bloody good horse! I thought we had taken it up early enough, then I thought keep kicking and keep him going. I think he is a very good horse, and I think he is improving. 

“When we set off they (owners) said are we really going to Ascot for his first race, and I said yes as I like to start my good horses off there. It has just rolled and rolled. It has been brilliant.

“These two year old races are amazing. This horse was bought for sixty thousand guineas at Book Three. These races are really good, and they need to be supported.”

A trip to Champions Day at Ascot will be next on the agenda for Night In Vegas for a tilt at the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes.

And looking ahead to next season, Johnson Houghton believes that Night In Vegas could be the type to take aim at the German 2000 Guineas. 

She added: “We are going to go to Champions Day for that conditions race, as long as all is well with him.  

“I think he will probably be one to run over seven furlongs or a mile next year.

“We will probably go to the Greenham, then maybe the German 2000 Guineas. "That is the sort of area we will go in. We will see how he does over the winter, but we are really enjoying him.”

Alive and Kicking

Owner Kevin Bailey has been waiting for a good one to come along for a while, but he could have found what he has been looking for in Kicking Bear, who hit the target in the Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Maiden Stakes. 

Having been involved with Group One winner Presvis back in the day, Bailey, whose company Woodhurst Ltd part-owns the son of Sioux Nation, looks to have another smart one on his hands following his front-running victory in the seven furlong affair. 

Although odds-on favourite Altius staged a late rally, it was not enough with the Ed Walker-trained 13/8 chance, who holds an entry in next year’s Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, going one better than on his debut at Newbury to score by half a length. 

Bailey said: “Rab (Havlin) kept it simple. It was a little bit alight early on, but it would have been stupid to hold him back. He just idled a little bit in the last furlong. 

“We didn’t expect that at Newbury (to finish second) and coming here we were quite confident, but when the money came for the Godolphin horse I was a bit concerned as they don’t usually get it wrong. 

“I thought he was going to win by further than he did, but Rab said he did just idle, but that if he came on his girth he would have come again. He is all about next year. I think that will be his last run, but the trainer makes all the calls. Ed made a preliminary entry in the Irish 2000 Guineas, but that is a long way away. I do think he can run at a good level next year. 

“I had a lot of success when I was at Luca Cumani’s between 2007 and 2012, and since then it has been pretty barren. You need one to come along to keep it going and hopefully he can be it.”

Balding's Quest goes on

Royal Quest continued what Colin Keane and Andrew Balding will hope is a sign of things to come when teaming up with Kalpana in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp tomorrow after completing a double for the pair in the BetMGM EBF Maiden Stakes. 

Having finished fourth on his debut at Doncaster, the son of Camelot put that experience to good use in the mile contest when proving a two and a quarter lengths too strong for Mublish to add to his win with Balding earlier on the card on Blue Bolt.  

Keane said of the 4/6 winner: “He had a nice run the first day and Andrew said to keep it straightforward in a small field and use your experience.

“He went out there with his ears pricked, and he was always conserving energy. From halfway he built into it, and when I asked him he quickened well to the line I thought. 

“He feels like a horse that will get a mile and a quarter next year. He seems very sensible and he relaxes so I couldn’t see any reason why he won’t go further.”

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