Mills sets sights on glory

Trainer Terry Mills has a new sprint star in his Epsom stables after Resplendent Glory lived up to his name in the five-furlong Paddypowerpoker.com Scurry Stakes at Sandown Park today.

The three-year-old slammed a useful field in some style to make it five wins out of his last six starts.

Shane Kelly took the 100-30 shot to the front just over a furlong out and they accounted for Bigalos Bandit and Jewel In The Sand by two and a half lengths and a head.

Mills has some attractive targets in his sights for the son of Namid, and may even step him straight up to Group One class next Saturday after this victory in a Listed contest.

“If he is still bouncing when we get him home he might go for the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot at York,” said the handler.

“He’s a proper horse and it’s nice when you’ve got one like this. It’s a stiff five here and that’s ideal for him. We were just worried about the ground, because he likes a bit of cut.”

Mills also feels his horse would be “ready-made” for the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp at the end of the season, as the ground in Paris would probably be softer.

Another sprinter with a future, if not at such a high level, is Peopleton Brook, who showed courage to hold on by a fast-diminishing neck from Folga in the Royal Bank Offset Service Handicap.

The Milton Bradley-trained 8-1 shot was well ridden by claimer Dean Corby, who did not flap when the runner-up came at him.

Phillip Banfield, part-owner of the colt, said: “I have had horses for 25 years with David Arbuthnot and Brendan Powell, but I think I can safely say that this one is the fastest of the lot.”

Bradley’s travelling head lad, Granville Davies, added: “We knew we would have to make a man of this one so we got stuck into him, and now he’s very bullish.”

Rohaani overcame his aversion to starting stalls to land the opening Royal Bank Of Scotland Handicap and is another who looks to have a bright future.

The early pace was not particularly strong and the 7-2 favourite was settled towards the rear by Richard Hills.

Sir Michael Stoute’s three-year-old came late on the scene in the nine-furlong contest to wear down Cashier and Prize Fighter in the shadow of the post, winning by a head and half a length.

Sheikh Hamdam’s colt had refused to enter the gates at York before scoring at Pontefract in April, and Hills said: “He has been fractious before and did not jump out great.

“However, that was a very sound effort because we were quickening at the end. The thing is, he doesn’t really fit in the stalls – they should make them bigger!”

Never has a horse been better named than Inchpast (4-1), who completed a double for Hills in the CBFM Handicap.

Mark Tompkins’ stayer had two attempts to get past the Queen’s Turnstile in the straight and though he failed on the first, he got there on the second to score by a length and three-quarters.

Tompkins said: “I thought he would win here last week – he’s won today like I thought he would then. Richard rode a great race.”

Presumptive came from last to first in the Paddypowercasino.com Handicap under Steve Drowne to catch front-runner San Antonio and win by one and a half lengths.

The Roger Charlton-trained 12-1 shot was way out at the back early on, but finished like a locomotive round the outside of the field.

Polar Magic also tried to launch a challenge from behind, but did not get the best of runs and the 9-4 favourite had to settle for third, a further three-quarters of a length away.

Charlton said: “I didn’t think he was going to make it from there. I was also worried about the firm going.

“And all that after he had got what I thought was one of the best draws, too. He might go next in the Bunbury Cup at the Newmarket July meeting.”

John Dunlop was happy that a bit of a slack period had ended when Coup D’Etat took the seven-furlong Paddy Power Backs London’s 2012 Bid Handicap by half a length and a neck from Wazir and the fast-finishing Roodeye.

The 11-2 shot, with Richard Quinn on board, took it up a furlong out and ran on strongly to hold off his pursuers.

Dunlop said: “He disappointed at Newbury in the soft ground and ran tamely. But he’s been in good nick since. We’ve been a bit quiet for about a fortnight and we only ran our first two-year-old last night at Goodwood, yet now it looks as if we are on our way.”

He confirmed that his Derby disappointment Kong would go for the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot at York in a bid to restore his reputation.