Hunter's Light shines at Hamilton
Saeed bin Suroor is looking forward to seeing Hunter's Light test his powers at Group level again in the near future after he secured Listed-race honours in the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton today.
The one-mile-three-furlong contest acted as a Derby trial when run at York for many years, with Commander In Chief doing the double in 1993.
The race has perhaps lost a little prestige since being moved to later in the calendar and switched to Scotland, but Hunter's Light looks well worth stepping up in grade following this confidence-boosting success.
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor won this race three times on the bounce following the turn of the century, but in recent years it has been dominated by proud Scotsman Mark Johnston, winning the last four renewals.
It turned out to be a battle between the two powerhouse stables, with Johnston's Malthouse leading into the straight, while 2-1 chance Hunter's Light and Phillip Makin cruised up menacingly down the outside.
For a while it looked as though the latter would sweep aside his rival, but Malthouse was typically tenacious and made a real race of it.
Both horses gave their everything in the final furlong but it was Hunter's Light, down the field when well fancied for the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot, who shaded the argument by a neck.
"He won well and I am very pleased," said bin Suroor.
"I was disappointed with him when he ran at Ascot but the ground was just too soft for him there and he won very well the time before at Newmarket.
"He was better suited by the better ground today and he showed he is improving all the time. We will look for a better race for him now.
"We will look for a Group race for him next, but I'm not sure where he'll go."
It proved to be an excellent day for Makin, with his feature-race success the highlight of an 18-1 hat-trick on the card.
The jockey was first victorious on Kevin Ryan's Sardanapalus, who justified strong market support when making a winning debut in the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing EBF Maiden.
The 5-4 favourite was slowly away and was soon caught in something of a barging match, but he overcame adversity to register a neck success from Joshua The First.
Makin said: "The gates came back in his face and he didn't come out of the stalls.
"Then two horses got in his way after two strides and I was a long way adrift.
"He didn't come down the hill either so I just let him fiddle away and put a line through the race, really.
"The way he came up the hill felt very impressive to me. He overcame a lot, so I'd say he's quite a nice horse."
The treble was completed on board John Quinn's veteran Zomerlust (15-8) in the hamilton-park.co.uk Claiming Stakes.
Although out of luck in the main event, Johnston did not leave the track without a winner as Silvestre De Sousa got the best out of Mungo Park to emerge triumphant in the Always Trying Maiden Stakes - a race sponsored by the winning trainer.
The 15-8 chance was hard at work a long way from home but the brilliant Brazilian rider was in determined mood and managed to get his mount up on the line to beat Sunday Bess by a head.
The trainer's son, Charlie, said: "He's not the most enjoyable ride at home and takes a lot of persuading to do anything, so it's nice to see him get his head in front.
"He should keep improving and you'd expect him to find his forte over longer trips.
"We'll be looking for a nice mile and six (furlongs) three-year-old handicap for him somewhere, maybe at Goodwood if there is one."
Wicked Wilma (7-1) took the victory in the Bill And David McHarg Memorial Handicap, while the closing Hamilton Park Ladies Night Handicap went to Ann Duffield's 8-1 chance Smart Violetta.
