Autumn Update - short head 2nd @ 25/1

Twelve months ago, Boiling Point was advised @ 16/1 for the Cambridgshire Handicap in the Autumn Update and, having hit the front a long way from home, Karl Burke's runner held on by a nose from the fast finishing Indalo. Unfortunately, that good fortune desserted subscribers on Saturday in the nine furlongs event on the Rowley Mile with Crest of Fire (25/1) being headed on the line by 33/1 outsider Pierre Royal to provide Ireland with their first win in the race since 1999. Jack Channon's runner travelled beauitfully under Tom Marquand and looked set for victory when hitting the front. The first three home emerged from stalls 9, 7 and 10. The well supported favourite and another selection in the Update, Gavriel fared best of those drawn on the stands' side (stall 28) in fourth. Beaten a short head, head and neck. there is every reason to believe John & Thady Gosden's runner would have gone even closer if berthed on the opposite side. Quite keen during the early stages, Robert Havlin's mount moved well and I must confess I thought he would win going into the dip. Considering it was only his fifth run, it was a fair effort and it would be no surprise to see him competing in Pattern company next year. 

Earlier in the day, the two selections in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes, namely Burning Up and Quicken Away (advised @ 8/1), both ran well in second and third behind the battle hardened winner Haffner. The runner-up would have preferred easier ground and is very much one for next year over middle distances, while the third will also stay further next year. Aidan O'Brien's winner had disappointed in Group 1 company last time and was much more at home on this quicker surface. 

Sun Goddess registered her third win in the highest company with another tremendous performance in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. The Sioux Nation filly was winning for a sixth time this year and, having momentarily come off the bridle in the dip, she powered up the hill to win going away by a length. A short price favourite for the 1000 Guineas next spring, the Ballydoyle filly has thrived with racing. The runner-up Libertango moved up going strongly but couldn't match the winner late on. The disappointment of the race was Senorita Bonito who faded tamely inside the final furlong. The Prix Morny winner looked to be the prime position going inside the final quarter of a mile but she failed to pick up. Beaten four and a half lengths in fifth, Oisin Murphy suggested afterwards that something may have been amiss having gone from travelling strongly to nothing in a matter of strides. This was too bad to be true.

With the exception of Senorita Bonita, the selections performed well but they didn't get the rub of the green in the Cambridgeshire - unlike last year. Hopefully, we will have better luck in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe and Cesarewitch.

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