Perrett sights set on Gold rush

Amanda Perrett is targeting the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with Tungsten Strike after her stayer made all to land the Group Three Woodcote Stud Sagaro Stakes at the Berkshire track.

Coral and totesport offer 20-1 and 25-1 respectively about the six-year-old making a successful return to the course next month for a race in which he finished eighth last year.

He got closer to the winner, Yeats, when third in the Goodwood Cup later in the summer and Perrett is looking for further improvement after the Darryll Holland-ridden 9-2 shot held Baddam by a length and a half.

St Leger runner-up The Last Drop, sent off the 11-8 favourite, did not enjoy the clearest of passages in the two-mile contest but flattened out when in the clear and finished a further three and a half lengths away in third.

Perrett said: “He is now a year older and stronger and he might get the trip in the Gold Cup. Last year he didn’t quite get home and while he hasn’t got the class of Yeats, he’s honest and he gallops.

“The Gold Cup is the major aim and he will probably go to Sandown for the Henry II in between.”

The rest of the day belonged to Jamie Spencer, who registered a 28-1 treble highlighted by last year’s Royal Hunt Cup winner Cesare proving different class in the Listed Britain’s Got Talent Paradise Stakes.

Having his first start for 229 days, the six-year-old was toying with his rivals from halfway and sluiced through the pack to cruise clear inside the final furlong and win on the bridle.

Spencer only had to kid the 2-1 favourite through the final 100 yards for a four-length victory, with Illustrious Blue staying on to take second.

Trainer James Fanshawe said: “He looked better than ever and was always travelling in the race.

“I didn’t enter him for the Queen Anne and I rather regret that now, but there are plenty of other nice races for him.”

Spencer had been on the mark in the previous race as Italian Girl set herself up for what could be a profitable summer with a facile victory in the X Factor Swinley Conditions Stakes.

The Michael Tabor-owned three-year-old scampered clear in stylish fashion when pulled out for a run inside the final two furlongs and went away to collect by three lengths from Silver Pivotal.

The latter’s rider Nicky Mackay was handed a one-day suspension (May 15) for careless riding, while Fretwork’s jockey Dane O’Neill will be out of action on May 14-15 having been banned for the same offence.

Winning trainer Alan Jarvis said of the 9-4 favourite: “She has still to come in her coat and has a lot of filling out to do, so we will take our time with her.

“I want to talk to Michael before making plans, but there are plenty of options open to her.”

Spencer’s final success came as Michael Bell’s Hoh Mike justified strong market support to take the waterhomes.com Pavilion Stakes by half a length.

The 2-1 joint-favourite took a while to hit top gear but collared the front-running Hinton Admiral well inside the final furlong of the six-furlong heat.

Bell said: “We will go quietly with him this year and avoid the big races like the Golden Jubilee and King’s Stand.

“He can go and take on the big sprinters as a four-year-old, but this year we will just have a lot of fun with him and tread quietly.”

Jamie Osborne’s two-year-olds have made a blinding start to the season and Mount Pleasure continued the good run in the waterhomes.com Garter Conditions Stakes.

The Jimmy Fortune-ridden 6-1 shot ground out success down the centre of the course and stayed on late in the day to maintain his unbeaten record and account for Littlemisssunshine by a neck.

Osborne said: “He is tough and stamina won the day for him. They went a good gallop and he really needs six furlongs.

“I wouldn’t discount anything but I don’t know how many runs he will take as he isn’t very big, but the Woodcote at Epsom would be the obvious place to go.”

Richard Hills, rider of the The Last Drop, waited until the end of the card to get on the scoreboard and produced Hassaad (7-2) on the line to register success the Keltbray Handicap for William Haggas.

Haggas’ wide Maureen said: “He is a character but he is going the right way and winning this will do him good.

“Gelding him has been the making of him and he will improve for the run.”