Hot on the heels of Maqsad's runaway win in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on Sunday, Ahead On The Flat unearthed another couple of Listed winners on Bank Holiday Monday. Shelir, who is featured in the Unraced Three Year Olds section, had won on his debut over a mile at Navan at the end of March. Dermot Weld's son of Dark Angel dropped back to seven furlongs in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh but it didn't prevent him from making it two out of two. Despite being pushed wide inside the final couple of furlongs, Chris Hayes' mount quickened up well to win going away by a length and a quarter. A fast improving colt, it will be interesting to see if he returns to the same track for the Irish 2000 Guineas at the end of the month.
Desert Icon (30/100), Lady In France (11/4) and Shelir (8/1) have all obliged for the Unraced Three Year Olds section within the last week.
The Khalid Abdulla owned Obligate is bred to be a smart filly being a daughter of Frankel and from the family of Banks Hill and Intercontinental. A narrow winner of her only start as a juvenile last Autumn, she too stepped up in class to tackle the Listed Prix des Lilas at Chantilly. Trained by Pascal Bary, she made all the running before staying on strongly to prevail by three and a half lengths. Like Shelir, she will take a further step up in class now and then we will find out how good she really is.
Finally, the Roger Varian trained Tammooz caught the eye on his reappearance in the one mile novice stakes at Windsor. Gelded since last year, the son of Lawman had finished third behind stablemate Tauteke at Chelmsford in November. Sent off 20/1 at the Thames track, he was towards the rear early on under Jack Mitchell. However, he made stealthy late headway to finish fifth. Only beaten four and a quarter lengths behind Sir Michael Stoute's Davydenko, he has yet to race beyond a mile. Now qualified for handicaps, look out for him over ten furlongs or more next time.
POST
Mark Howard Publications Ltd.
69 Fairgarth Drive
Kirkby Lonsdale
Carnforth
Lancashire
LA6 2FB
TELEPHONE
015242 71826
FAX
015242 79010
EMAIL
mark.howard@mhpublications.co.uk