Express steams home
Gulf Express made the journey from Newmarket a more than worthwhile excursion when motoring up the Pontefract hill to claim top honours in the race of the day.
Michael Stoute’s progressive three-year-old was settled just off a false early gallop by champion jockey Ryan Moore, before the man in the plate asked him to take closer order as the pace began to quicken in the Dalby Screw-Driver Handicap.
Swinging for home under a confident Moore, Gulf Express soon found a decent change of gear to grab a narrow advantage with just over a furlong to run.
He was immediately pressed by fellow Newmarket traveller Many Volumes, who shared favouritism at 5-4 with the winner, but always just had the measure of Henry Cecil’s charge.
After passing the post with a neck to spare, Bruce Raymond, representing owner Saeed Suhail, said: “He’s getting better and beginning to come good.
“The form looks fairly sound with the runner-up there and he’s maturing and learning to settle better in his races now.
“I don’t know where he’ll go but I suspect Sir Michael will find something else for him this year as he’s had a pretty easy time of it so far.”
Two youngsters to catch the eye on a competitive card were Paul Howling’s Generous Thought and the Barry Hills-trained Prince Desire, who took the EBF Poppin Lane and Frier Wood Maiden Stakes respectively.
The first-named ensured Jamie Spencer maintained his push for the jockeys’ championship on a day that saw close rival Seb Sanders lose a winner following a decision made by the British Horseracing Regulatory Authority.
Sanders had one chalked off his tally after an appeal panel reversed a decision made by the Bath stewards to promote the Sanders-ridden Gold Hush to first place earlier in the month.
So when Spencer punched the highly-regarded Generous Thought (2-1 joint-favourite) home in the first race of the day, it must have felt like a double blow.
Howling has high hopes for the winner, who has an entry in the Dewhurst, but will plan his next move carefully.
“He has that big entry but there’s no point rushing him as we’d like to go down the Shamrock City route (Craven Stakes, 2000 Guineas) with him next season,” explained the winning handler.
“He’s still relatively green, but he’s improving and maturing and we wanted to win his maiden this year.
“He’s a nice horse and has plenty of scope.”
Prince Desire showed improved form to rout Downhiller by four lengths from the front, and those who snapped up the 10-1 on offer knew they had done well some way from home.
Paul Cole’s Jazz Jam arrived late on the scene to repel 7-4 favourite Dona Alba in the Racing UK On Channel 432 Fillies’ Nursery under a confident Richard Quinn.
Of the 9-1 scorer, who was going away at the line, Quinn said: “She did it well and really stayed on. We decided to run here as we thought she’d get this stiff mile well.”
Red Current (11-2) grabbed gold in the concluding betfair.com Apprentice Series Handicap under an astute ride from William Carson, while Hotham gained a deserved success after a string of consistent performances in the S B Honda Stakes.
Jimmy Quinn brought the Noel Wilson-trained 7-2 winner around a wall of horses before pushing him out for a half-length call over Joyeaux.
Wilson said: “He should have won four races and not two this season and has been a bit unlucky.
“He’s usually pretty quickly out of the stalls but he missed the break a bit today. He might have another run but could be telling us he’s ready for a break.”
