Pearls And Rubies will head to Royal Ascot as an exciting proposition for Aidan O’Brien following a very promising debut success at Navan.
An imposing daughter of No Nay Never, Ryan Moore let her find her feet in the five-furlong Lynn Lodge Stud Irish EBF Maiden, as up front Lightening Army took them along.
Keeping close tabs on the leaders was 6-5 favourite I Am Invictus, who looked like getting his head in front when leading over a furlong out, having filled the runner-up spot behind O’Brien’s Coventry Stakes-bound River Tiber first time out.
But Pearls And Rubies (3-1) started to find top gear late in the day, coming home really well to get the verdict by a neck from Michael O’Callaghan’s charge.
O’Brien said: “We thought she was very smart, we had it in our head could she be an Ascot filly.
“Obviously, she needed experience badly. We came here to see if she would be forward enough for Ascot. Ryan rode her accordingly and left her alone and educated her. She could be an Albany filly.
“She has won there and doesn’t even realise she has raced yet. She just kept coming and finished off very strong.
“She’s obviously a filly with plenty of class.”
Desert Crown will miss the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, Sir Michael Stoute has confirmed.
Last year’s Derby winner was on course for a clash with Adayar, Luxembourg and stablemate Bay Bridge in the 10-furlong Group One contest on June 21, having produced a scintillating piece of work under Ryan Moore on Wednesday.
However, after a routine canter under Ted Durcan on Saturday morning, he was found to be lame.
A market drifter on the exchanges on Sunday morning, asked if all was well with the colt, Stoute told the PA news agency: “No. He’s not running, no. He’s a non-runner.”
Desert Crown cruised to success in the premier Classic, but picked up an ankle injury and was not seen again until reappearing in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last month.
Though he looked better than ever beforehand, he was defeated in the dying strides by last season’s Coronation Cup winner Hukum, who was similarly coming back after a year on the sidelines.
Frankie Dettori was booked to ride the son of Nathaniel at Royal Ascot, replacing Richard Kingscote, but Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, added: “I knew they weren’t happy with him yesterday morning.
“He worked well on Wednesday. He doesn’t usually work like a rocket. His general work practice is to go steady early and to quicken.
“I didn’t see him yesterday. He worked nicely and I believe it was on his own. His final gallop was going to be next Tuesday or Wednesday with Dettori on him.
“I thought he won’t be doing too much. That was at 10 o’clock in the morning. At 12 o’clock, I heard he was a bit lame.
“They were having a good look at him. Injuries so close this time to the race mean you don’t take chances.”
Kevin Philippart De Foy is happy to roll the dice with El Habeeb in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
The four-year-old ran with credit in both the Derby – when only once-raced at the time with Stan Moore – and the St Leger last season, and proved his class when beating subsequent Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes.
De Foy has stepped his charge up to two miles this term, a move which saw him finish fifth in the Dubai Gold Cup before placing third in Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes.
The Sagaro winner, Andrew Balding’s Coltrane, is the 3-1 favourite for the Gold Cup, with El Habeeb a best-priced 25-1 shot despite having only five lengths to find.
Philippart De Foy feels his colt merits his place in the field for the two-and-a-half-mile showpiece.
He said: “At the moment that (Gold Cup) is the plan. He ran well in the Sagaro. He’s fairly well one paced and doesn’t have that change of gear he needed at Ascot to go and pick up the second.
“The winner was quite impressive and he deserves to be the favourite, but I thought we were a little bit unlucky on the inside and I think we deserve to be there.
“He settles very well at any pace and he always stays on in his races. He wouldn’t have the biggest stride, but he keeps galloping all day, so I don’t think the distance will be an issue.
“The form of his last few races stacks up well. He’s got plenty to find to be competitive, but I think he will be competitive for a place.”
Birthday girl Julien Alfred celebrated with three gold medals and a national team title as the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships concluded in Austin, Texas on Saturday night.
Within a span of just over 90 minutes, the St Lucian track star, who turned 22, won gold in the 4x100m relay, 100m and 200m to close a stellar collegiate career and make the case of being the greatest female sprinter in NCAA Track and Field history, according to winning coach Eldrick Floreal.
“Without a doubt the greatest sprinter in NCAA history,” said Floreal, who guided the Longhorns to their first title in 18 years.
It would be difficult to dispute Floreal’s declaration considering what Alfred, who has lost once this season, managed to accomplish on Saturday.
She began the evening by leading the Texas Longhorn 4x100m relay gold in 41.60, the second fastest in NCAA history. Only the 41.55 they ran in the semi-finals on Thursday night is faster.
The University of Kentucky was almost a second behind in 42.46 with LSU third in 42.52.
Approximately, 50 minutes later Alfred stormed to victory in the 100m in a fantastic time of 10.72s that was only ‘ruined’ by a trailing wind that was at 2.3 m/s, slightly over the maximum allowable limit of 2.00 m/s.
Oklahoma’s Kennedy Blackmon ran 10.87 to take the silver medal while Tennessee’s Jacious Sears clocked 10.94 to win the bronze medal.
Alfred’s Texas teammate Kevona Davis was fifth in 10.98s.
Forty-five minutes later, Alfred was at it again pulling off a dominant performance to win the 200m in 21.73, which was again blighted by a trailing wind of 2.5m/s.
Finishing in her wake was Ole Miss’ McKenzie Long who stopped the clock at 21.88s and Davis, who was third in 22.02.
Afterwards, Alfred showered praise Coach Floreal, who helped her achieve success in her time at Texas.
"My coach has been my biggest influence in my life, my five years here at Texas," she said. "Prior to beginning the championships, I went to speak to him, and he said let’s not focus on myself, focus on the team. That changed the pressure. It made a huge difference."
Alfred wasn’t the only standout during these championships for Texas. While the St Lucian was busy tearing up the track, Ackelia Smith, who Floreal also singled out for praise, followed up her victory in the long jump on Thursday night with a personal best 14.54m in the triple to win silver behind Florida’s Jasmine Moore.
The Florida freshman produced an NCAA meet record of 14.78m, a new lifetime best as well as facility record.
Ruta Lasmane of Texas Tech was third with 14.21m.
Perhaps, the race of the night was the 100m hurdles that featured the three best collegiate hurdlers this season – Arkansas’ Ackera Nugent, LSU’s Alia Armstrong and Kentucky’s Masai Russell.
With a strong wind of 3.8m/s behind their backs, a condition that usually makes it difficult for sprint hurdlers, the three women running next to each in other in the centre of the track unleashed an epic battle that saw the Jamaican Nugent emerging victorious in 12.26s even after clipping the final hurdle.
Russell hit a hurdle early but managed to compose herself and storm past Armstrong and into second in 12.31. Armstrong, the fastest of the three, hit a hurdle mid-race, lost her momentum but managed to right herself and take the bronze in 12.49.
All season long Arkansas’ Britton Wilson dominated the 400m and was favoured to win gold, especially after dropping a lifetime best of 49.13 to win the SEC title in May.
On Thursday, she ran a fast 49.36 to win her semi-final, solidifying her position of gold-medal favourite. However, someone forgot to tell Texas’ Rhasidat Adeleke, who produced a powerful surge down the home stretch to take victory in 49.20, a massive personal best which broke Wilson’s two-day-old facility and meet record.
Wilson was second in 49.64. Her teammate Nickisha Price, who is from Jamaica, ran a personal best 50.23 for third place. Price later helped Arkansas win the 4x400m title in 3:24.05 in a dominant performance over Texas A&M (3:26.12) and Ohio State (3:26.72).
In 2022, Lamara Distin dominated the high jump in Division 1, winning both indoor and outdoor titles while soaring to new height of 1.97m outdoors, a national record.
However, after equaling that height indoors earlier this season, Distin was unable to replicate that performance on Saturday and it proved costly.
The Texas A&M senior could only muster 1.87m, a height not good enough to successful defend her title that went to Charity Griffith of Ball State who sailed over a personal best 1.93m.
Elena Kulichenko of the University of Georgia took the bronze having also cleared 1.87m but Distin was better on the count back.
At the end of it all and thanks mainly to Alfred’s 30 points, Texas amassed 83 points, 32 more than Florida (51) with Arkanas third with 46 points.
Oregon (44) and Texas A&M (36) rounded out the top five schools.
Light Infantry is on course for the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot following his cracking run in defeat in the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp.
Though beaten a short neck by the Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat, his third runner-up effort in Group One company in France, the four-year-old son of Fast Company will bid to gain a measure of compensation on the first day of the Royal meeting.
Trainer David Simcock was delighted he showed his best after a disappointing seventh, when beaten three and three-quarter lengths by Modern Games in the Lockinge at Newbury.
Stepped up to nine furlongs for the first time in France, he was headed with over a furlong to race, but battled back to regain second place in the hands of Jamie Spencer.
Simcock said: “I’m delighted with him, especially backing up so quick after Newbury.
“Things really didn’t pan out for him in the Lockinge, but it was a good run (in the d’Ispahan) and it was a very competitive field.
“I would imagine he will go to the Queen Anne – I’m pretty sure of that. He’s very well and in good form.”
Reigning champion jockey Dane Dawkins inched closer to rivals in the race to retain his title, as he rode a dazzling three-timer, including Perfect Brew, who dismantled the field to cop the Alsafra Trophy over a mile (1,600m) at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Perfect Brew, conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Azan, justified favouritism, romping the three-year-old and upward Overnight Allowance race by six lengths in a time of 1:38.0. The splits were 23.4, 45.4 and 1:11.1.
The four-year-old bay gelding, who finished nine lengths behind the reigning Horse of the Year Atomica over seven furlongs (1,400m) on May 23, showed that he was better off from that run, as Dawkins rode a patient race, while Ameth Robles played catch me if you can aboard former Horse of the Year Further and Beyond.
Returning from an almost one-year break, Further and Beyond, now trained by Donovan Hutchinson, rushed to an early three length lead, which rapidly increased on the backstretch, as the rest of the field settled well off the blistering pace.
By the time Robles and Further and Beyond left the five-furlong mark and flashed past the half-mile, they were well over six lengths in front with Stomp The Rhythm (Anthony Thomas) and Marquesas (Tevin Foster), the closest pursuers at the point.
However, Dawkins made his move aboard Perfect Brew at the three-furlong point and after hitting top stride in the home stretch, they swept by a now-tiring Further and Beyond, whose lack of race fitness was well advertised, and a fighting Stomp The Rhythm, in the latter stages to win. Marquesas completed the frame.
While it was the first win of the season for Perfect Brew, it was Dawkins's 35th of the season, as he moved within 10 of leader Reyan Lewis and two shy of second-place Tevin Foster.
Dawkins earlier won aboard Jaguar in the fifth race giving newly licensed trainer Ricardo Mathie a first win from his first start. He later piloted Big Guy In The Sky to victory in the ninth race for trainer Gary Subratie.
Meanwhile, Barrington Bernard and Courtney Williams, who are also freshly licensed trainers, also won their first races. Bernard won the first race with Anngelos (Roger Hewitt), while Williams won the seventh race with Zion (Phillip Parchment).
While Jamaica's Netball culture and current ranking pits the Sunshine Girls as overwhelming favourites to win gold at the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, Nicole Aiken-Pinnock is mindful that it still requires efficient execution to get the job done.
As such, Aiken-Pinnock, who will guide the 12-member number-four ranked Jamaican team to the 24th staging of the June 23 to July 8 Games in El Salvador, is taking steps to guard against complacency and ensuring that players take nothing for granted.
"On paper, we are expected to win, but at the same time, we know the games aren't played on paper so we will not only have to turn up, but more importantly, execute accordingly. So, we just have to take it one game at a time," Aiken-Pinnock said.
"We have to turn up and be ready for every game. We have to respect our opponents and make sure we give of our best regardless of who we play against because they will not be handing any win to us. I am sure we will have to work hard for our wins, so we have to just work hard and believe in our structure and execute," she added.
Aiken-Pinnock revealed that their preparations have so far been on course to achieve their intended goal, with only some fine-tuning required over the next week.
"Preparations have been going well, I can tell you that there is a lot of intensity and focus at the sessions. The drive and effort of the ladies is commendable, and we just have to keep working at the small things and try to be as consistent as possible," she said.
Aiken-Pinnock, a former defender, who represented Jamaica at numerous major tournaments, knows the importance of a fielding a solid team with some depth, which is why she welcomes the addition of the experienced Adean Thomas and Rebekah Robinson to accompany rising stars Crystal Plummer, Abigale Sutherland, and defender Kimone Shaw, who are all a part of the squad to the World Cup later this year.
With this being the first time in CAC Games history that netball will be a part of the multi-sports event, Aiken-Pinnock said it represents an opportunity for the young players, in particular, to show their class and, by extension, gauge their readiness for the showpiece in South Africa.
"We do have a few ladies who will be participating in their first major tournament for Jamaica away from home, so we just have to ensure that stay mentally prepared and ready for what is to come at the Games," Aiken-Pinnock noted.
These games will definitely assist our young players going into the World Cup, especially Crystal, to prepare her for what is to come at the big dance," she ended.
Full Squad:
Shooters – Shadine Bartley, Simone Gordon, Amanda Pinkney, and Rebekah Robinson
Centre court – Crystal Plummer, Abigale Sutherland, Adean Thomas, and Quannia Walker
Defenders – Theresa Beckford, Paula-Ann Burton, Abbeygail Linton, and Kimone Shaw
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel today announced the preliminary squad of players who will participate in a training camp in preparation for the upcoming six-match Series against Ireland Women.
The training camp will be held at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia from 14 to 21 June, where the players will have training and fitness sessions as well as strategic preparations for the three-match CG United One Day International (ODI) Series. The CG United ODI Series will be played from 26 June to 1 July and is the West Indies Women’s third series in the ICC Women’s Championship, where the top five teams in the ten-team league qualify automatically for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The preliminary squad includes a mix of experienced players and promising young talents. Cherry-Ann Fraser returns to add depth and experience to the team’s bowling attack after missing the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup due to injury. Left-handed allrounder Qiana Joseph, who last played international cricket in 2021, also returns to the training camp squad. She was among the leading players in the recent Women’s CG United Super50 Cup and the T20 Blaze played in St Kitts.
Several West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 players have been included in the preliminary squad. Zaida James, Jannillea Glasgow, Djenaba Joseph, Shunelle Sawh, and Under-19s captain Ashmini Munisar have all earned their place in the squad. Their inclusion reflects CWI’s commitment to developing younger talent and expanding the Women’s talent pool by providing opportunities for younger players to showcase their skills at the international level.
CWI’s Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said: “The series against Ireland is an important one for the West Indies Women as the team seeks to build points to qualify directly for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. It also serves as a perfect opportunity to continue to expose younger players to international cricket. This was a policy that the CWI embarked upon which resulted in Under 19 players being selected to the team for the England Series in December and the ICC T20 World Cup in February.”
Browne-John added: “This is now being taken one step further and there are five players who participated in the ICC Women’s Under 19 T20 World Cup in January, now in the squad preparing for the series against Ireland. This means that there are some senior players who are not able to get a place in the squad at this time. The Selection Panel however believes that this squad has a good mix of youth and experience as we continue to build the West Indies team of the future.”
The Women’s Selection Panel will announce the official West Indies Women’s squad ahead of the three-match CG United ODI Series, with the T20I squad announced later.
WI WOMEN TRAINING SQUAD
Full match schedule:
All matches at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, St. Lucia
Monday 26 June: 1st CG United ODI – 10am (9am Jamaica Time)
Wednesday 28 June: 2nd CG United ODI – 10am (9am Jamaica Time)
Saturday 1 July: 3rd CG United ODI – 3pm (2pm Jamaica Time)
Tuesday 4 July: 1st T20I – 5pm (4pm Jamaica Time)
Thursday 6 July: 2nd T20I – 5pm (4pm Jamaica Time)
Saturday 8 July: 3rd T20I – 5pm (4pm Jamaica Time)
Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year, Khadija Shaw, and Florida State’s Jody Brown are among 24 women who were called up for a JFF camp, the federation announced on Saturday.
Shaw is coming off the best season of her career, so far, for Manchester City in which she scored 31 goals in 30 games in all competitions.
Brown has been instrumental in guiding the Seminoles to a 17-3-3 record so far this season.
The players will go into camp from June 11th to June 20th.
The full roster of players and staff is as follows:
Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Liya Brooks, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Satara Murray, Konya Plummer, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiernny Wiltshire, Tiffany Cameron, Vyan Sampson, Peyton McNamara, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Solai Washington, Kameron Simmonds, Kalyssa Van-Zanten, Trudi Carter, Rachel Jones, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Mikayla Dayes, Giselle Washington.
Crystal Walters (Team Manager), Lorne Donaldson (Head Coach), Laurie Thomas (Asst. Coach) Xavier Gilbert (Asst. Coach), Alyssa Whitehead (GK Coach), Sanford Carabin (Performance Analyst), Will Hitzelberger (Performance Staff), Dr. Gillian Lawrence (Team Doctor), Saundria Codling (Physiotherapist), Devin Lawson (Masseur), Omar "Twin" Folkes (Equipment Manager).
Oisin Murphy made a rare visit to Beverley worthwhile when taking the bet365 Handicap aboard Mick Appleby’s United Front.
The jockey had a full book of rides on the Westwood and after finishing second in the first two contests, he partnered the 5-2 joint favourite in his third bid for victory.
This time he was successful as the six-year-old found a nice spot on the rail in the handicap and burst through a gap between the race leaders in the final half-furlong to prevail by a length.
“He was in the right race, Mick Appleby’s horses are in good form,” said Murphy.
“He was very straightforward and it’s nice to ride a winner here, I had two seconds to begin with so I needed to start winning!”
Another triumph then followed as Andrew Balding’s Sovereign Spirit took the Price Promise At bet365 Handicap at 7-1.
The gelding made the running as the pace was a steady one and held on resolutely to claim a short-head victory in a photo finish.
“He’s quite a tough horse because the race wasn’t as smooth as I wanted it to be,” Murphy said.
“He had a look at the stables and I was off course and wasting time as I drifted out, then down the back I thought the only way I could get him to really relax was by letting go of his head.
“He pricked his ears when I eventually got to the front and up the straight he found plenty for pressure.”
Murphy was then narrowly denied a third success on the card when Michael Dods’ Berry Edge (16-5 favourite) was defeated in the Best Odds Guaranteed At bet365 Handicap by Dandy’s Angel (12-1).
Kevin Stott helped George Boughey’s Abbadia get off the mark in the bet365 Very British Raceday Restricted Maiden Stakes.
The Mastercraftsman filly had come closest to winning when second over course and distance in a handicap in April, and the bay again showed her liking for the Yorkshire track after starting at 100-30.
She made almost all of the running and crossed the line a length and a half ahead of his nearest rival.
“It’s the first time I’ve ridden her, I got to the front pretty easily and had the race pretty easy, really,” Stott said.
“I just had to pick it up inside the two (furlong pole) and she’s hit the line good. George said she’s been working really well and that she’d have a good chance.
“You have to have a horse that travels around here and she really did that.”
Novakai remains firmly on course for a tilt at Classic glory in France after seeing her form receive a significant boost at Epsom last weekend.
Runner-up in the May Hill at Doncaster and the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, the Lope De Vega filly made her three-year-old debut in the Musidora Stakes at York.
Karl Burke’s filly again had to make do with second place, but that now looks a fine effort after the surprise winner, Soul Sister, followed up in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom under Frankie Dettori.
Immediately after her run at York, Burke nominated the French Oaks as the likely objective and he is looking forward to seeing her line up at Chantilly on Sunday week.
“She’s on target for Prix de Diane, she looks in great shape,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.
“She’s not a particularly strong work horse at home, but she does look in good form and we’re very happy with her.
“The Musidora form obviously got a nice boost and she’ll step up on that York form as well.”
Novakai will bid to provide Burke with a second French Oaks success following the victory of his star filly Laurens in 2018.
Whether she will renew rivalry with Soul Sister remains to be seen, but she is likely to meet her stablemate Running Lion, who was withdrawn before the start of the Oaks at Epsom.
Jumby showed his love of seven furlongs once again in claiming the Sky Bet John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s son of New Bay won the Group Two Hungerford Stakes over the distance last summer and avoiding a penalty for that success here, the 9-4 favourite made full use of that advantage to get the better of Australian raider The Astrologist in the closing stages.
Dropping back in both trip and grade having beaten on horse home in the Lockinge Stakes last time, Jumby was positioned towards the rear by jockey Charlie Bishop as The Astrologist was out of the gates and quickly into stride in the hands of Ryan Moore.
However, the long Haydock straight provided Bishop with all the time he needed to set about catching the strapping Australian speedster and with Karl Burke’s El Caballo suffering interference at a crucial moment, Jumby was given plenty of daylight to make his challenge, cruising to a cosy one-and-a-half-length success in the closing stages.
Johnson Houghton said: “Seven furlongs is the right trip, but seven furlongs is also the hardest trip to find and he also doesn’t want soft ground, so we have to just pick our way through.
“He’s a brilliant horse who is very good in Group Threes, he’s won a Group Two and there’s no reason why he couldn’t win another one.
“He’d have to carry a lot of weight in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot (over six furlongs), but when you see the size of him I don’t think weight bothers him very much, so we’ll see.
“We’ll take him home, scratch our heads and have a think about it, but today is a great day and he did it like we expected him to. It was like a bit of work for him and he did it with a smile on his face.”
Johnson Houghton felt Jumby simply did not stay a mile at Newbury, but is not ruling out a crack at that distance in the Breeders’ Cup later this year.
She added: “We tried to go to the Lockinge and the times guys tell me he did the fastest six furlongs between the one to the seven, but he didn’t get the mile.
“Maybe if we really smuggled him into it he might get it, but we’ll obviously look at the Lennox at Goodwood over seven, the Hungerford at Newbury which he won last year, the Foret in France and we might have to travel further with him.
“We could have a little look at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, why not? I think he might get a mile round a bend and if they pay us to go why not give it a crack?”
The Astrologist, who is trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, posted an improved effort on his British bow, when he finished seventh in the Duke of York Stakes and is on course for Royal Ascot.
Assistant trainer Dom Sutton said: “It was definitely a step in the right direction. Ryan said he thought he was on the winner three furlongs out. He was probably just found wanting in the last 50 yards stepping up to seven furlongs on his second start (in Britain).
“It will put him cherry ripe for Ascot, so he should be at peak fitness. We’ll freshen him up going into Ascot.”
Bombay Bazaar continued a good afternoon at Beverley for Richard Fahey when taking the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy Conditions Stakes.
The Kodiac colt was a winner on the Westwood last time out when landing a course-and-distance event by four and a quarter lengths.
Prior to that he was third in a good quality contest on his debut when ridden by Oisin Orr, the same jockey who took the ride for the Two Year Old Trophy.
Sent off a 4-1 chance, the bay was ridden patiently and found his path blocked ahead of the two-furlong pole, but upon finding a gap he was able to accelerate away from his rivals to win by three quarters of a length.
The success followed Midnight Affair’s victory in the Hilary Needler earlier on the card, with both horses now bound for Royal Ascot having earned their place in these Beverley trials.
“They’re two great two-year-old races that I’d always like to win, but to win them both on the same afternoon is fantastic,” said Fahey.
“That was quite impressive there, he came home well. It didn’t look a bad race, looking at the individuals, so it was a good, solid performance.
“He is definitely getting better, he is a homebred and he just missed out on going to the sales – he has improved drastically.
“I would think the owner (Hussain Alabbas Lootah) would be very keen to go to the Windsor Castle. I will speak to him but I know they are keen to go. There’s no reason for him not to go, so we’ll see.”
Tom Marquand delivered Sea Silk Road to perfection to give William Haggas a fitting success in the Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock.
Haggas and Marquand combined to win the contest – which is registered as the Pinnacle Stakes – with Sea La Rosa 12 months ago, but this year’s victory had added meaning with the Group Three contest renamed in honour of Piggott, who was not only a weighing room legend, but also Haggas’ father-in-law.
Although the race lost a little spice when John and Thady Gosden’s Mimikyu was declared a non-runner prior to the runners heading to post, there was nevertheless a small but select cast at the Lancashire track and it was German raider Nachtrose who led them along in the early stages from Roger Varian’s Modaara as the quintet raced in single file.
Marquand had the eventual winner anchored in rear sitting on the tail of Ryan Moore and the evens favourite Time Lock and although Moore was soon nudging away as the runners swung the turn for home, Marquand was yet to panic aboard the eventual winner as he began to hunt down those at the head of affairs.
Modaara laid down a challenge two furlongs from home, but the eye was always drawn to Sea Silk Road who would prove to be Nachtrose’s biggest danger in the closing stages and having hit top gear with a furlong to run, the Somerville Lodge inmate was well in control as she swooped past the raider late on to score by three-quarters of a length at 9-2.
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