Bumper day for ex-Stoute inmates

I was working at York on Saturday and it was an intense hot afternoon on the Knavesmire with temperatures hooving around the high 20s. Fox Legacy provided Andrew Balding with his third victory in the John Smith's Cup - all three being owned by King Power Racing - appreciating the return to ten furlongs. The four year old had won the nine furlongs Suffolk Handicap on his first run for the Kingsclere team before finishing a creditable sixth in the Royal Hunt Cup. Overcoming a wide draw (stall 19), P.J.McDonald was able to get his mount into a prominent position and the Lope De Vega gelding stayed on strongly to beat See That Storm by a length. The well supported Archivist, who may have benefited from a more patient ride, was back in third.

Indeed, it proved a highly successful afternoon for former Freemason Lodge inmates with Fox Legacy, Never So Brave (Group 2 Summer Mile) and More Thunder (Bunbury Cup) plundering big prizes. 

The opening event at York was a typically strong one mile handicap and it was won in good style by the three year old Remmooz. The Owen Burrows trained runner had finished fourth in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last time and relish the step up in trip on his handicap debut. Rated 98, the Blue Point colt was reunited with Kevin Stott and he got the better of the more experienced Sisyphean by a neck. The same trainer won the same event with another three year old Wadilsafa in 2018 - he went on to win at Listed level and it will be a surprise if this promising colt doesn't do something similar later in the year.

During the afternoon, I spoke to Kevin Ryan's son Adam and asked about Top 40 entry Volterra. The four year old is reportedly waiting for soft ground. Not seen since producing a career best in the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock in late May, he will hopefully enjoy a productive second half of the season when the rain finally arrives.

Despite the reversal of Notable Speech, former champion trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed an excellent three days at Newmarket's July meeting with 7 winners from 20 runners, including some exciting juvenile successes. His jockey William Buick had an even better time of it with 8 winners from 19 rides. 

It is difficult to know what to make of the July Cup with No Half Measures giving Richard Hughes his first winner at the highest level as a trainer. The Irishman won the six furlongs event as a jockey aboard Oasis Dream 22 years earlier. The first three home were rated 105, 108 and 105 and they emerged from stalls 15, 9 and 13. If there was a hard luck story it was possibly Believing who finished fourth on her final appearance. Her rider Billy Loughnane reportedly regrets switching his mount towards the stands side having emerged from stall 11. The aforementioned Notable Speech was seemingly well positioned but couldn't quicken inside the final quarter of a mile. The Group 1 City of York Stakes over seven furlongs is likely to be his next target. The Karl Burke trained Night Raider set the early tempo hitting a top speed of 42.87mph during the second furlong, which he covered in 10.51 seconds. Despite fading badly late on and finishing a well beaten eleventh, it is hoped he will drop back to the minimum trip once again and take his chance in the Nunthorpe Stakes and attack from the front. He is blessed with tremendous early speed and York will bring out the best in him - ran well in the Duke of York Stakes in May.