Yan the man at Newmarket
Barry Hills used an informative afternoon at Newmarket to unleash a useful sort in Yankadi, who shrugged off negative market vibes to capture the Renault Master EBF Maiden Stakes.
Stan James were impressed enough to introduce the Khalid Abdullah-owned colt into the market for the 2000 Guineas at 50-1 after he handled the soft ground to score by two lengths.
The mount of Richard Hughes had drifted out to 8-1 but dug deep when challenged at the furlong marker.
He then kept 4-1 favourite Rochefort at bay to collect in good style.
Hills said: “He is a nice, scopey horse and he liked the ground.
“He is still a big baby and will only run once or twice more this season.
“I don’t know where he will go, but something like the Horris Hill would be the plan – although he will not come out quickly.”
Edge of Gold (5-1) missed the cut for the big Sales race at York on Thursday but was handed ample compensation when getting her favoured soft surface in the consolation event at Headquarters.
As it conspired, ground conditions on the Knavesmire may have been against her but she revelled in the mud to plunder the £40,000 DBS St Leger Yearling Stakes in the hands of Steve Drowne.
The daughter of Choisir was another to race up with the pace and showed plenty of courage to hold off Artsu – who came from last inside the distance – by half a length.
Owner Christopher Mason said: “York was her main aim but on reflection, it was the best result coming here.
“All of her family must have soft ground and there should be plenty of nice races for her through the autumn when conditions are testing.”
The Jimmy Fortune-ridden Kotsi added to the red-hot form of Ed Vaughan as she landed a touch in the EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Vaughan has now saddled five winners from his last 10 runners, and big things were obviously expected of his newcomer as she was backed in from 12-1 to her starting price of 5-1 on course.
The trainer said of the half-length winner: “She will come on a ton for the race and the objective now will be to get some black type, with the May Hill a possibility.”
All-weather winner Cobo Bay registered a first victory on turf in the Renault Vans Nursery over a mile.
The progressive juvenile opened his account at Wolverhampton last week and took another step forward as Pat Cosgrove drove out the 11-1 shot to defeat Townkab by a length and three-quarters.
Winning trainer Kevin Ryan’s representative, Michael Herrington, said: “They slowed it down in front and then kicked, but he went with them.
“Pat rode him positively like he did at Wolverhampton and he has done it well.”
Henry Cecil knows his way into the July Course winner’s enclosure and the Warren Place maestro made another visit as Ajaan (11-10 favourite) outgunned Newnham in the one-mile-seven-furlong Breheny Handicap.
Cecil said: “They crawled and it turned into a sprint – I should have ran him in the Nunthorpe!”
Norisan made heavy weather of it in the Renault Traffic Claiming Stakes but the 6-5 favourite eventually knuckled down and saw off Chjimes to score by half a length.
Favourite-backers were also in luck in the five-furlong Renault Kangoo Handicap as Liam Jones ensured Efistorm, the 2-1 market leader, finished with a rattle to emerge on top from Coconut Moon.
