Double joy as Doyle puts suspension woe to one side
JAMES WINS 58TH JOHN SMITH’S CUP AHEAD OF
JAMES Doyle made the most of his last Saturday in action before having to miss the next two weekends through suspension with a big-race double on Ballet Concerto and Rare Rhythm at York.
Doyle, who is sidelined from July 22-31 under the totting-up procedure and also has five days deferred, put the thought of his enforced holiday to the back of his mind.
“It’s tough, but I’ll probably go away, not quite sure where,” he said.
“It’s been quite busy the last few weeks, so I’ll have a little break. It will be frustrating, but what can you do? You have to keep an eye on what’s going on and keep your form book up to date, so I’ll be watching plenty of it.”
His win on Ballet Concerto (8-1) in the 58th John Smith’s Cup was particularly pleasing as it was one of the few occasions he has teamed up with Sir Michael Stoute since parting ways with owner Khalid Abdullah.
Doyle had Ballet Concerto perfectly placed to make his bid and the four-yearold, tackling a mile and a quarter for only the second time, hit the front 50 yards out to beat Big Country by three-quarters of a length.
“He won it well. He’s a horse I know a little bit as I won a handicap on him at Yarmouth last year,” said Doyle.
“He’s got a lot of talent. He’s been a bit unlucky on his last few runs and hasn’t quite had the rub of the green at Epsom and then at Ascot. It’s nice to show what he can do there and stepping up in trip has definitely helped him.
“To win the big race here makes me very happy, especially as it was for Sir Michael Stoute, whom I rode for previously when I was with Prince Khalid Abdullah. I haven’t ridden for him much since we parted company, but hopefully I’ll get a few more after today.”
Rare Rhythm (9-4) followed up his Royal Ascot success that came after being off the track for a year with a resounding performance in the John Smith’s Silver Cup.
Godolphin’s five-year-old took the step up from the mile and a half of his win there up to a mile and a five in his stride as he saw off Barsanti by two and three-quarter lengths.
Speaking from Newmarket, trainer Charlie Appleby said: “I am obviously delighted with that performance. He has opened up his options now going forward.
“He saw the trip out well. I think that is what he did, outstay the second horse. It was a trial for him and hand on heart it was question if he would stay as he does show a bit of pace.
“When he won the Duke of Edinburgh he jumped, travelled and picked up well. I thought we had a bit on our plate to beat Barsanti, but doing what he has done has opened up his options.
“The way he has won today, there are plenty of options for him over here. Australia is far from being rubber-stamped, as they say.”
Take Cover (9-2) showed he retains all his old dash when burning up the Knavesmire to win the John Smith’s City Walls Stakes.
Successful in this race in 2014, the David Griffiths-trained 10-year-old was smartly away and kept up the gallop for David Allan to hold Final Venture by half a length.
Griffiths said: “I was a bit worried when he was sat in the stalls for a while, but he came out lovely and fast. They came at him and he kept digging on that loose ground.
“He ran a smashing race in the King’s Stand and hopefully we’ll go to Goodwood (for the King George Stakes) and then come back here for the Nunthorpe.”
Charlie Fellowes is thinking of the Cambridgeshire for Chiefofchiefs (8-1) after the lightly-raced four-year-old came from the rear to land the John Smith’s Racing Handicap.
Ridden by Stevie Donohoe, Chiefofchiefs burst through the pack to score by half a length from Arcanada.
“We’ve always really liked him, but he’s been incredibly immature and he”s still learning,” said Fellowes.
“He’s done that the hard way. He’s come from a long way back and I didn’t think he was going to get there for a minute.
“He’s won that off 86 and there’s a big one in him. He might need to win again to get in the Cambridgeshire. That could