Mendelssohn out of tune but Saxon sings

● 2,000 Guineas success for O’brien but disappointment in the Kentucky Derby

Mendelssohn may have flopped in the Kentucky Derby,butsaxonwarriorensured the Classic weekend was hardly a total bust for Aidan O’brien with victory in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Hopes were high that Mendelssohn could break new ground at Churchill Downs and both O’brien and Ryan Moore had made the trip to America only to be disappointed as he trailed home last.

O’brien had nevertheless secured an important win earlier in the day, with Saxon Warrior giving him an unprecedented ninth 2,000 Guineas win as well as his 300th strike at Group One level.

The landmark victory was further enhanced as it was O’brien’s son, Donnacha, who steered the 3-1 chance to a length-and-a-half verdict over 50-1 shot Tip Two Win.

Part-owner Michael Tabor said: “Obviously a mile is not his ideal trip, but when a horse has got speed and the class of Saxon Warrior we were always hopeful the mile would be fine, which it proved to be.

“There has to be more to come, common sense would say this is not his trip, but this is always the best trial for a Derby as a rule.”

The winning rider said: “He’s an absolute monster of a horse so you never know, he could improve again.

“I was very impressed. I thought he was a very good horse even on his homework, we’ve made no secret of it, and I think he’s very, very good.”

Roger Varian has long believed Defoe to be a Group One winner in waiting and that looked to be the case after he powered to glory by three and three-quarter lengths in the Group Two Dunaden Jockey Club Stakes.

The Newmarket handler said of the 1-2 favourite: “He’s in the Tattersalls Gold Cup [at the Curragh] in three weeks and it’s a route we’d still like to go down, but we’ll see how he is and how he trains in the next ten days.”

Royal Ascot could come into the reckoning for the Michael Dods-trained Mabs Cross (9-2), who made it five wins from her last six starts when getting up close home to take the Group Three Longholes Palace House Stakes by a neck.

Lah Ti Dar is clear favourite for the Investec Oaks with most bookmakers after maintaining her unbeaten record in the Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes, while Wuheida turned in a really uplifting performance to win the Dahlia Stakes.

At Hamilton yesterday, Savalas made it three from three for the season when landing the feature race.

Trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Tom Eaves, the 15-8 second favourite pipped Lake Volta in a grandstand finish to the totesport.com tangerine Trees Conditions Stakes.

Ryan said: “He has plenty of ability and good attitude as well because he won despite the ground beings little against him. He really tries and wanted it but I’m not sure where he goes next from here.”

Bolder Bob, trained by David Barron, fairly romped away withthetotesport.combuttonhook Handicap in the hands of Ben Curtis. The 9-1 chance slammed Euro Nightmare by three and a half lengths.

Barron daughter and assistant Nicola said: “I think he will probably get two miles in time once he matures. He stayed on well today and is still only four.”

Amazing Grazing, a wellbacked 11-4 favourite, won the first race of 2018 at the Lanarkshire venue when landing a touch in the toteplacepot Six Races In Six Races Handicap for in-form Rebecca Bastiman. The victory of Saxon Warrior in the 2,000 Guineas was fairly predictable but that of Billesdon Brook’s in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas yesterday was harder to fathom.

Only fourth in the Nell Gwyn on her return, she appeared to relish the quicker ground and bounded clear a furlong out to give jockey Sean Levey a first Classic.

Having sent Night Of Thunder to win the 2,000 at 40-1, Richard Hannon is now down in the history books as training the biggest-priced winner of the fillies’ Classic.

Hannon said of the 66-1 chance: “This is great. I knew she’d win!

“My Guineas winners aren’t terribly popular with the punters as they tend to be big prices.”