Back down to earth

The Top 40 had been enjoying a mid summer purple patch during July but things came to a dramatic halt on Saturday with two poor performances. Jarraaf was fitted with blinkers for the first time in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury but the writing was on the wall at an early stage with William Buick pushing the four year old before he had even reached halfway. Owen Burrows' runner virtually pulled up after his rider eased off inside the final furlong. There was clearly something amiss and, having also disappointed in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot on his previous start, he has plenty to prove now. One wonders whether his seasonal reappearance on fast ground at Salisbury has sored him because he hasn't looked the same horse since.

Later the same day, Bright Times Ahead returned from an absence of 98 days in a fillies' novice stakes at Haydock and was sent off a warm favourite. Not sighted since finishing down the field in the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury in the spring, Ralph Beckett's runner was quickly into stride and attempted to make all under Hector Crouch. However, the Lope De Vega filly came under pressure inside the final quarter of a mile and faded tamely to finish last of five. Officially rated 88, her two runs this term suggest she has failed to train on which is very disappointing given the regard she was held in at the start of the season. 

As discussed, I was working for Racing TV at Hamilton Park on Friday evening with the Listed Glasgow Stakes and Scottish Stewards Cup providing the highlights. Former champion jockey Oisin Murphy rode 3 winners from 4 rides including the two feature events. Despite only scrambling home by nose, I was impressed with Nahraan who maintained his unbeaten record in the Listed contest. A dual novice winner at Wolverhampton and Windsor, he was rated 96 and travelled like the best horse in a steadily run affair. Leading over a furlong out, he was all out to hold on in the end having looked as though he won win decisively. A drop back to ten furlongs will almost certainly be next - he is out a miler and not bred for middle distances - and, while the John & Thady Gosden trained runner is entered in the Juddmonte International at York, one wonders whether the Group 3 Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock (9th August) could be next. Alternatively, the Group 3 Strensall Stakes over nine furlongs at York (23rd August) could be ideal. He is a big scopey individual who will make an even better four year old.

The Michael Dods trained Northern Ticker is highlighted in the Appendix in AOTF and he fared much better on his second start of the season in the Scottish Stewards Cup. Suited by ease in the ground, he found conditions too fast on his return to action in a valuable three year old handicap at York last month. Encountering a slower surface here, he stayed on well in fourth and was only beaten a length and a quarter off his mark of 99. His draw in stall 9 was a disadvantage, too, and he is an interesting prospect for the remainder of the season. The Ayr Gold or Silver Cup (20th September) looks a realistic target.