Desert Phantom steals show at Ripon
Desert Phantom extended his unbeaten sequence to three with a game performance under Richard Mullen in the Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy.
The David Simcock-trained youngster was soon taking the field along in the six-furlong test, but backers of the even-money favourite had a scare when Favourite Girl headed him over a furlong out.
However, Mullen rallied Desert Phantom in good style and battling on gamely he got back in front again in the last strides to score by a head from Favourite Girl.
Newmarket-based Simcock said: "He is very honest, but he did not handle the undulations very well, his two wins had been on two of the flattest tracks in the country, Haydock and Windsor.
"He goes in the soft, but I have no fears about running him on better ground and I think he will be even better over seven furlongs and ridden differently, he does it very well at home when not making it.
"He is in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, but if he is to go there he would have to have another run and show he is good enough to go for that."
David Allan was suspended for one day (September 8) for using his whip with excessive frequency on Favourite Girl.
Mullen completed a double when the John Dunlop-trained 4-11 favourite Taaresh, having the second run of his career, came out best in the Solberge Silks Brasserie Maiden Stakes.
Osteopathic Remedy (15-2) keeps surprising trainer Michael Dods and he made it four wins from his last five outings in the Ripon Rowels Handicap.
Leading a furlong out, he was kept up to his work by Tom Eaves in beating Webbow by a length and three-quarters.
Dods said: "When he won the first time, I thought he would struggle to win under a penalty but he has done nothing but improve.
"I must admit I thought he would finish third or fourth today, but he has done it well. A proper gallop and good or good to soft ground suits him and he will now go to Ayr (next month) for a mile handicap."
Karl Burke is at the sales in Ireland but his team was in good hands on the home front and he completed a double with Bold Account (11-8) and Baldemar (11-2), both ridden by Andrew Elliott.
The former, who carries the colours of Burke's wife Elaine, made all the running in the Solberge Hall Is A Thoroughbred Hotel Selling Stakes to beat Nchike by three lengths. He was retained without a bid.
Elliott said: "Bold Account ran well at Yarmouth last time and that is the way to ride him, let him do his own thing, but the main thing is that he likes a bit of juice in the ground."
Thirty five minutes later Baldemar opened his own account for the season in the Billy Nevett Memorial Handicap, passing the post with three-quarters of a length to spare over Northern Bolt.
Elliott, taking his score for the season to 35, added: "I had a slow spell, but Karl's horses are running well now and things have picked up for me.
"My best score was 42 last year and I am hoping to get to 50 this time."
Duran Fentiman was hit with a 10-day ban by the stewards for failing to ride out for third place on Collateral Damage in the Ripon Rowels won by Osteopathic Remedy. He will be out of action on September 8-17.
Trainer Tim Walford can thank the sterling work of the stall handers for the success of Shaylee (12-1) in the concluding R. H. Hemsley & Sons Handicap.
The filly was very reluctant to enter the gates but the handlers would not be denied and eventually got her in, and in the race itself she did nothing wrong and ran out a length and a half winner in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa.
Owner-breeder Larry Sigsworth said: "We thought the course might be a bit sharp for her, but she has improved and we knew she would improve for a bit of cut in the ground."
