Ban looks smart prospect
Eilean Ban, trained by Ed Dunlop, looks set to have her sights raised to Group One company after impressing in taking the EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.
The daughter of Silver Hawk battled bravely to put her head in front right on the line for a short-head verdict.
Coming into the contest, the word was runner-up Royal Proposal was a decent filly and this race could just turn out to be pretty solid form, with Vcbet giving both the first and second a 33-1 quote for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
Royal Proposal certainly lost nothing but her unbeaten record in defeat, the Luca Cumani-trained filly having looked all the way as if she was going to hold on until faltering in the final strides.
“I think Luca likes his filly quite a lot so this might have been a good little race,” said Dunlop.
“She ran very well to finish second here behind a good filly of John Gosden’s on her debut and she has improved from that.
“She is in the Fillies’ Mile and that’s a consideration.”
Rally champion Colin McRae turned out with a group of friends to watch his horse Ouninpohja win his fourth race in a row.
And the fast-improving gelding could take McRae and friends further afield in the months to come with trainer Alan Swinbank eyeing a winter campaign in Dubai for the four-year-old.
Ouninpohja could hardly have been more impressive as he took the newmarketexperience.co.uk Handicap, leading on the bridle two furlongs out before scoring by a length and a half from Dubai Venture.
“I bought him at the sales for four grand,” the trainer said. “I sold him on to the lads and they’re having plenty of fun with him.
“There’s no point going over hurdles with a horse like this, not for the money that he would be racing for there. And I have always thought of him as a Dubai horse as he’s tough and he doesn’t mind decent ground.”
Godolphin’s Dawn Quest justified strong market support before the one-mile EBF Maiden Stakes, making all under Frankie Dettori.
A pleasing second on his racecourse debut, the American-bred colt was quickly away and turned his draw in stall one into an advantage as his rivals opted to race behind him down the centre of the course rather than stick to the stands rail.
Hill Spirit and Estiqraar both tried to throw down challenges to the winner, eventually dead-heating for second, but at the line they were still half a length adrift.
The Zetland Stakes, a listed race run at the tail of the season over a mile and a quarter on the Rowley Mile course, could be the next stopping point for the winner.
Racing manager Simon Crisford said: “We will step him up in grade now and get a better idea of where we stand with him.
“Like all of our two-year-olds, he hasn’t been rushed this season and he is a nice, improving horse. He handles any sort of ground and Frankie was very pleased with him.”
Short Dance was the next to improve for her debut effort when running out a tidy winner of the EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over six furlongs.
Trainer Barry Hills is in a hot streak of form at present and this filly kept up the good work despite being hit across the face by a rival rider’s whip at the furlong pole.
Having travelled very smoothly behind the pace, the 11-4 winner took a little time to pick up when asked the question by Richard Hughes.
But at the line she finished nicely on top, denying Godolphin a double by beating Felicitous by a neck.
“We have always thought a bit of her and she will step up in grade now,” said Hills’ son and assistant Charlie.
“She looked a nice filly on her debut and she has come on for that experience. I think this was probably quite a good maiden.”
The Rockfel Stakes is a possible option for the successful daughter of American sire Hennessy.
Everest (100-30 joint-favourite) notched up his third success on July course when arriving late on the scene to take the Home of Horse Racing Apprentice Handicap by half a length from Folio.
A regular moneyspinner for connections, Everest’s next start is set to be in a valuable claimer at the Ayr Gold Cup meeting.
