Winker takes Dutch route
Winker Watson will follow the route taken by stablemate Dutch Art last season following his last-gasp success in the TNT July Stakes at Newmarket.
Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam won both the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes with Dutch Art a year ago, and both those events are on the agenda after the 11-4 favourite missed the break under
Jimmy Fortune but pulled back lengths from his rivals to shade River Proud close home.
Now unbeaten in three starts, Winker Watson was cut to 10-1 from 16s with sponsors Stan James for next season’s 2000 Guineas.
Chapple-Hyam reported: “Jimmy said he’d got him out of trouble. He was carrying a penalty and horses drawn high or low had no chance, so his class has got him through.
“We’ll go to Deauville now for the Prix Morny, give him a break and then come back for the Middle Park.”
Paul Cole’s River Proud ran a tremendous race on his second start and will now be given a short break.
Tranquil Tiger, backed into 11-4 favourite, justified the late gamble to run out a determined winner of the Bahrain Trophy.
Richard Hughes confidently pushed to the front with over three furlongs to run and Tranquil Tiger kept finding more, retaining a three-quarter length advantage over Wing Express at the post.
“He did find (the ground) a little bit too fast,” said trainer Henry Cecil. “He’s an improving horse and he should make a nice four-year-old.”
Hearthstead Maison (25-1) bounced back from a poor run in the Queen’s Vase by readily lugging top weight in the Kleinwort Benson Stakes under Greg Fairley.
“Today on fast ground over a mile and a quarter was the key to him,” explained trainer Mark Johnston.
“He’s never run well for Joe Fanning and we don’t know why. There were several options here but I decided to go for this as it the only race Greg could claim in.”
Stan Moore has set Traffic Guard (9-2) some stern tests this season in Dubai, Ireland and Royal Ascot and the giant colt revelled against lesser opposition in an uneventful Xplor Conditions Stakes, where he simply dominated from the front.
The application of cheekpieces were reported to have changed his fortunes, and Moore is now considering a trip to America in September for a couple of events at Turfway Park.
Jonny Portman struck a blow for the smaller trainers as Spanish Bounty (14-1) had too many guns for well-backed 7-4 favourite Captain Brilliance in the Turf Italia EBF Novice Stakes.
Jamie Spencer deputised for an injured Frankie Dettori to force home Bryan Smart’s 7-2 favourite Moorhouse Lad in the Voute Sales Handicap.
