Junior shows how it's done

David Junior gave a taste of what is hopefully to come as he proved the star act on the opening day of Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse meeting this afternoon.

The Brian Meehan-trained colt could hardly have been more impressive as he streaked away from his rivals in the Fink Gala Stakes.

It was the type of performance a packed-out crowd will be expecting from Vodafone Derby hero Motivator as he goes to post a red-hot favourite for tomorrow’s Group One showpiece.

Sweeping into the lead a furlong out, Meehan’s charge quickly put daylight between himself and his five rivals as he galloped well clear.

The 5-4 favourite, ridden by Richard Hills, won by five lengths from the Queen’s Forward Move, the only other three-year-old in the Listed contest.

Meehan said: “This fellow is going on and on. Richard was very impressed and he rides a lot of nice horses, so he ought to know a good one.

“It may be that we are looking at taking on the big boys now. He’s got a lot of big entries, but we’ll have to see.”

Punters had been stung in the opening race as The Jobber caused a massive surprise at 66-1.

Winning trainer Michael Blanshard was enjoying just his second winner of the season as Ted Durcan brought the four-year-old down the outside of the field to take the Serco Consulting Handicap.

As those runners drawn on the far rail contrived to get in each other’s way, the ones with more space down the middle of the track were able to dominate and The Jobber – racing from stall one – held Texas Gold (four) by a neck, with Intriguing Glimpse (two) a further short-head back in third.

An alternative viewpoint was that the relocation of the far rail had created a faster strip of ground down the centre of the course.

Blanshard’s travelling head lad Barry Pearson said: “He’s had problems with his legs and had to have six months off last season.

“We were going to race at Haydock yesterday but we were worried about the fast ground there and we thought the uphill finish here might be kinder on his legs.”

Backers enjoyed much better fortune in the following Rathbone Dragon Stakes as 6-5 favourite Zavone made every yard under Dane O’Neill.

A nine-length winner on his debut, this time the winning margin was only four lengths, but the Zafonic colt could still hardly have been more impressive as he had his rivals toiling from just after halfway.

In-form trainer Richard Hannon is now eyeing Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes.

“He’s not slow, is he?” said Hannon. “I think I put him in the Gimcrack, but I’d be more inclined to stay over five furlongs with him.

“He’s the most terrible walker and when I saw him at the sales it nearly put me off him. But we took him round the back and trotted him up and down a bit and he came alive.”

Hannon managed to rattle up more than a winner a day during June and has started July in the same vein, notching a double when Gramm landed a gamble in the FRM EBF Maiden Stakes.

Backed in from 8-1 to 5-1, the winner was delivered with a powerful late surge by Richard Hughes to collar Zizou and score by a length and a quarter.

Favourite Prince Ary stayed on late to finish the same distance away in third.

“His owner, Chris Powell, bought him at Doncaster and I think he’s got a nice one,” said Hannon.

“I thought he was impressive there and I’ve had a couple of nice horses before by his sire, Fraam.

“We’ll have to step him up in company now but he deserves to try something better on that performance.”

Eddie Ahern was suspended for one day (July 12) for careless riding on Tempsford Flyer.

I’m So Lucky was cut from 33-1 to 25-1 for the John Smith’s Cup at York after holding on by a fast-diminishing short head in the K2 Advisors Handicap.

The Mark Johnston-trained winner (9-2) looked to have stolen a march under Joe Fanning when kicking on two furlongs out, but was all out at the line to hold Look Again.

This victory earns him a 5lb penalty for the York event.

Cristoforo continued his scale of progression in the Bluestone Handicap, comfortably holding All Star to make a winning return to action on the Flat after being busy over hurdles.

Quietly supported in the betting before going off at 6-1, the market move proved predictably significant as Tom Queally’s mount made all the running to score by two and a half lengths.