Curtail continues Fretwell run

Owner John Fretwell’s impressive run of success continued when Curtail opened his own account at the sixth attempt under Graham Gibbons in the Warwick International Nursery at Chester today.

Gibbons got a lovely run through on the rails entering the straight and Curtail, trained for Fretwell by Eddie McMahon, quickened to soon lead, and the 2-1 favourite went on to beat Grenane by a length with Miss Lovat a neck away in third.

McMahon said: “I started to wonder whether the handicapper had been a bit harsh putting him on 84.

“We will definitely bring him back here if there is a suitable race for him, and I think there is one which will suit in mid-autumn.”

Fretwell confirmed that his Always Hopeful, winner of the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, would now be aimed at the Prix Morny at Deauville, and that the Eoghan O’Neill-trained youngster had come out of his race earlier in the week in "fantastic form".