Options open for Etlaala
Connections of Etlaala are mulling over options for the four-year-old after his return to winning ways in the Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury.
The Barry Hills-trained colt was cut to 12-1 from 20s by Stan James and 12-1 from 16s by Coral for the Golden Jubilee Stakes after coming late to take the Listed contest by a length and three-quarters from Philharmonic.
But whether Etlaala goes to Royal Ascot is open to question with Hills’ son Charlie explaining: “He could wait for the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle the following weekend.”
The son of Selkirk reacted favourably to the equipping of a net muzzle and Hills jnr added: “He’d tended to pull in his races so we worked him in the net at Kempton where he went OK. It’s nice to see the horses running this well right before Ascot and La Cucaracha is in terrific form ahead of the King's Stand on the opening day.”
But Graham Gibbons was in hot water with the stewards after his mount Pivotal Flame, a head back in third, was found to have hampered Loyal Royal, who in turn interfered with Balmont.
They considered the trouble was caused by Gibbons’ careless riding in that he had allowed his mount to drift right to the rail when not sufficiently clear.
They suspended him for three days on Thursday June 29, 30 and July 1.
Gelder capped an unforgettable weekend for Hughie Morrison when providing the East Ilsley trainer with his first winner for the Queen in the Chas H. Baker Maiden Fillies Stakes.
Fresh from plundering the valuable William Hill Trophy with Prince Tamino at York, Morrison had the spring in his step you associate with a man for whom things are going well when welcoming back Jimmy Fortune on the 10-1 winner.
The three-year-old is the only horse to carry the Royal silks among Morrison’s team but judging from the way she kept on strongly to repel Royal Fantasy there should be further pickings to come.
“It’s a great pleasure to train a winner for Her Majesty and it’s been a wonderful weekend for the stable,” said Morrison. “The favourite’s (Majestic Halo) form looked better then ours but this filly didn’t thrive in the spring and this was Plan B.”
Few jockeys are in such terrific form as Pat Dobbs and he booted home another winner when Love Always took the Douglas Thomas 70th Birthday ‘City Bowl’ Handicap by half a length and a neck from Yakimov and Velvet Waters.
The 14-1 chance looked trapped against the rail for a few strides over a furlong out but when Dobbs found racing room his mount readily quickened to set her seal on the contest.
“Pat just can’t stop riding winners,” said winning trainer Simon Dow. “This filly lost her confidence when she unshipped me and got loose on the gallops last year. She was never the same for the rest of the season, but everything is coming together nicely for her now.”
Impending motherhood is bringing out the best in Intriguing Glimpse, who followed up her recent Brighton win under top weight in the Happy Father’s Day To Vernon Eeles Handicap.
In foal to Avonbridge, the Brooke Sanders-trained mare (6-1) powered home along the far rail to score by a length and a half and a length and three-quarters from Our Fugitive and Blessed Place.
Her jockey Seb Sanders was denied a double when his mount Liberate was outpointed by Mick Channon’s 11-1 chance Som Tala in the Levy Board Handicap.
Peace Lily (3-1) proved two lengths too strong for the favourite La Fanciulla in the Albert Samuel Fillies’ Handicap.
The contest proved to be eventful, with Wizby unshipping Gibbons after just a furlong after getting tightened up against the rail.
The stewards inquired into the incident but took no action, finding that the cause of the fall was Gibbons losing an iron.
