Sanders rocked by injury blow
Few will forget the epic battle between Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer as the race for last season’s champion-jockey title went to the wire in the final race of the campaign.
Sanders will have to cheer himself with those memories in the latter part of this term, though, as a horrific fall on Saturday means he will miss the rest of the season.
The joint-champion jockey sustained a broken femur at Chester as his mount, Speed Gifted, was involved in a three-horse pile-up.
Sanders was thrown to the ground in the corbettsports.com Chester Handicap when Sir Duke clipped heels and fell three furlongs out – bringing down his mount and Cheshire Prince in the process.
The tough pilot enjoyed a first British Classic success aboard Look Here in the Oaks this term and with autumn just around the corner, thoughts are inevitably turning towards next year’s main events.
Although a merely adequate performance can prompt a flurry of interest at this early stage, connections of Sri Putra will be hoping he proves better than his Classic quotes of 33-1 after victory in the betinternet.com Solario Stakes at Sandown.
Market leader Cry Of Freedom attempted to make all but as he faded to leave The Cheka in front, only for Sri Putra to arrive on the scene under Philip Robinson and pull half a length clear.
Trainer Michael Jarvis now has some big-money targets in mind for the colt.
“I think he will get a mile next year and is the best of our two-year-olds to have run so far,” he said.
“He could now go for the Tattersalls Million race (at Newmarket).”
Luca Cumani missed out on one shot at the totesport Cambridgeshire after it emerged Great Leighs winner Riggins was not qualified for the big handicap – but the Newmarket trainer was not long in bouncing back with two more candidates at the Esher venue.
Ask The Butler and Swop finished first and third as 6-1 joint-favourites in the Best Odds Guaranteed At betinternet.com Stakes, with the former’s jockey Dane O’Neill poking his mount through at just the right time to shade Lang Shining by three-quarters of a length.
He is now the general 10-1 favourite for the first leg of the autumn double at Newmarket in early October.
“It (the Cambridgeshire) is a possibility for Ask The Butler but he must have fast ground and we will see what the handicapper does,” said Cumani.
“Swop ran a great race too and the Cambridgeshire is very much a possibility for him too.”
David Wachman is already looking forward to next season with Again following her triumph in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.
The juvenile was sent off the 6-4 favourite having impressed in the Debutante Stakes at Leoparstown last time and travelling strongly throughout, the filly showed a game attitude to repel the late surge of Shimah.
Trainer David Wachman said: “She’s a nice filly and Seamie gave her a great ride.
“She’s really a horse for next year because she’s still big and weak and she’s going to make an exciting three-year-old.”
Paddy Power and William Hill cut Again to 10-1 for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket next year.
Jim Bolger’s newcomer Maoineach made an impressive start to her career with victory in the Go And Go Round Tower Stakes, while Alan Berry’s Look Busy clocked up her sixth victory of the season with another plucky triumph in the Group Three Cill Dara Flying Five Stakes.
In France, Getaway bounced back to form with a comfortable victory in the Luciene Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville under new pilot Frankie Dettori.
VC Bet cut the winner to 8-1 from 16-1 for the Arc, while Paddy Power are offering 14-1.
Earlier on the card, Laa Rayb notched his first Group-race success in the Prix Quincey Lucien Barriere.
