Top 40 winner Golden Story (9/2)

While it was disappointing that the card at Haydock Park was cut short - three races on the round course were abandoned - due to a hole been found two and a half furlongs from home after Friendly Soul took a bad step, it didn't prevent Venetian Sun from producing a scintillating performance in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes. A Group 1 winning juvenile, the Tony Bloom owned filly failed to stay over a mile in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket this month and looked much more at home over the six furlongs at the Merseyside venue. Sat in behind the leaders, Cieren Fallon aboard Division did his best to keep Karl Burke's runner in a pocket but once Clifford Lee pulled his mount out, the daughter of Starman quickened up before her jockey took a pull a furlong out. Pushed out to win by three lengths, she looked a top-class filly here and will be tough to beat in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next month. Former stablemate Quiet Reflection completed the Sandy Lane / Commonwealth double ten years ago. 

There were three runners in the Top 40 Prospects on Saturday with Golden Story (9/2) winning the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood, while Earth Shot was denied by a head in the Listed Height of Fashion Stakes at the same track and Distant Storm chased home Gstaad in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. Golden Story had still looked green when a distant third behind Constitution River in the Dee Stakes at Chester this month. Appreciating the step up in distance at the Sussex track, Karl Burke's runner is learning all the time and showed a good attitude to regain the advantage having been headed to beat Del Maro by a nose. The further he goes, the better the Lope De Vega colt looks and it is possible he will be aimed at the Group 2 Queens Vase Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

Earth Shot found the more experienced Inis Mor too strong in the fillies' trial, despite rallying well in the closing stages. In a steadily run affair, William Haggas' charge was initially tapped for speed when the tempo lifted inside the final quarter of a mile. With hindsight, Tom Marquand may have been better advised to kick for home sooner. Crying out for a step up to a mile and a half, the Time Test filly looks tailormade for something like the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot (18th June) or the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock (4th July). 

Whilst working at Haydock on Saturday, I was informed about an exciting unraced juvenile who is set to make her debut in the next few weeks. Provided she hasn't run beforehand, the plan is to include her in the Royal Ascot Update. A well bred filly from a leading Newmarket stable, she is believed to be smart and one to very much look forward to.

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