The top-class juvenile City of Troy grabbed all the headlines at Newmarket on Saturday following his impressive three and a half lengths victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes. The Justify colt hadn't been seen for 91 days having been ruled out of the National Stakes at the Curragh last month due to slow ground but the underfoot conditions proved no obstacle on the Rowley Mile with Aidan O'Brien's colt outclassing some smart rivals. As short as evens favourite for the 2000 Guineas next spring and 5/2 for the Epsom Derby, he looks potential Triple Crown material for 2024.
Following a dry spell at the beginning of the week, the rain arrived in East Anglian on Thursday and continued throughout Friday ensuring it was testing conditions for the Cesarewitch. Unfortunately, that didn't suit either of the Autumn Update selections, although Tritonic ran creditably for a long way until fading inside the final furlong.
The once raced Esquire was nominated for the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York during the same afternoon in the Autumn Update and he ran a terrific race in second behind the more experienced Purosangue. David O'Meara's gelding showed a lot of speed from the outset and appeared to have all his rivals in trouble approaching the final 200 yard. Ultimately outstayed by the 104 rated winner, the pair were over three lengths clear of the rest. Don't be surprised if the runner-up drops back to five furlongs next term - he looks all speed.
The Coral Sprint Trophy looked particularly strong beforehand with 12 of the 22 runners having lined up in the Ayr Gold Cup last month. Montassib had finished strongly in fifth north of the border having met traffic problems and gained ample compensation here with a fine performance. Confidently ridden by Cieren Fallon, the five year old was tackling six furlongs for only the third time and he came with a sustained run to turn the tables on Significantly who had won the Ayr Gold Cup.
City of Troy wasn't the only winner on Saturday sired by Justify because the very well bred Spun To Gold (9/2) got off the mark at the third time of asking at Chelmsford. Highlighted as a unraced juvenile to follow in the York Ebor Update, Andrew Balding's colt had shaped encouragingly on his debut at Kempton before running below par at Ascot next time. Out of the top-class filly Rumplestiltskin, he led close home in the seven furlongs maiden at the Essex track.
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