Simple win for Weld
Robert Winston’s first ride for Dermot Weld proved a winning one at Kempton as the lightly-raced Simple Exchange ran out a brave winner of the Sportsman Magnolia Stakes.
The winner of the American Derby as a three-year-old, Simple Exchange has clearly had his problems since.
But on his day he possesses plenty of ability and the 3-1 chance led two furlongs out and withstood the challenge of Kew Green all the way to the line for a half-length success.
Favourite Nayyir proved a bitter disappointment, being ridden along on the home turn before plugging on for fourth of the six runners in the Listed contest.
With the winning trainer absent and his assistant and son, Mark, on honeymoon after getting married last week, there was nobody available to offer an insight into plans for the winner.
Winston’s victory provided the rider with some consolation as tomorrow he starts a five-day suspension for careless riding, picked up at this track earlier in the month.
Kandidate defied top weight for veteran Newmarket trainer Clive Brittain to spring a 20-1 surprise in the Coral Rosebery Stakes (Heritage Handicap).
Last year’s 2000 Guineas third led two furlongs out in the hands of Seb Sanders and powered home from the 7-2 favourite Rohaani.
The runner-up lost several lengths at the start when rearing up as the stalls opened.
However, Richard Hills soon had Sir Michael Stoute’s charge on the rails and allowed him to make up the ground steadily, but he could not peg back Kandidate and went down by a length.
Young Mick was a creditable third, just a neck away, with Brave Maestro fourth.
Brittain said: “We tried him over a mile and a quarter in the Dante last year and he didn’t quite get home in the soft ground.
“But Seb and Ryan Moore have both been encouraging me to try him again and he saw it out well today.
“On his day, he’s a classy performer – probably a Group Two horse.
“He ran well twice in Dubai before starting to lose his way and now he has run well twice in Britain since he came back which is why I am starting to sit on the fence a bit.”
Ultra-consistent Royal Alchemist got her head in front for the first time since her racecourse debut almost two years ago when taking the opening event.
The Mark Usher-trained filly held her own in decent company last season, including when beaten less than three lengths into seventh behind Kinnaird in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp.
Ridden prominently by Martin Dwyer, the 9-2 winner was briefly headed two furlongs out by Three Wrens but rallied to get back in front.
She stayed on strongly to hold the late thrust of Violet Park – last around the home turn – by half a length and take the Listed Sportsman’ Fillies’ Stakes.
“She seems to go well fresh – she was only beaten narrowly in the Fred Darling first time out last year – and we’ll be trying to keep her as fresh as possible this season,” said Usher.
“She ran very well in most of her races last year and I imagine we’ll be flying fairly high and on her day, I hope she is good enough to pick up a nice prize on decent ground.
“I thought the mile trip might be a little on the sharp side for her today but it is a decent test here.”
Archerfield Links (11-1) came with a telling turn of foot to take the Sportsman London Mile Qualifier under Frankie Dettori.
A progressive performer at two, the Neville Callaghan-trained colt was in rear in the early stages but came fast and wide in the closing stages to lead close home for a three-quarters-of-a-length verdict over Scot Love.
Simon Callaghan, son and assistant to the winning trainer, revealed that connections might now wait for Royal Ascot’s Britannia Handicap in June.
“He is a horse that does go well fresh and we might keep him for Ascot now,” he said. “He has a real turn of foot and the faster they go, the more it suits him.
“Frankie said that as soon as he hit the front he was starting to pull up and he likes to be dropped out as much as possible in a fast-run race.”
