SHIR’ CLASS
Job finished Zoff’ in the Cup this time Will Mulholland drive forward down at Ascot? Smooth journey for Passenger in Chester
HUGO PALMER’S Zoffee went one better than last year to land the 200th running of Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Cup.
Drawn in stall one, the 9-1 winner — beaten a neck 12 months ago — was able to sit on the rail in the perfect position and former crack apprentice Harry Davies was able to time his challenge to perfection.
For much of the way the well-fancied Andrew Balding pair of Aztec Empire and Grand Providence controlled the pace, with Oisin Murphy looking to steal it on Aztec Empire with two furlongs to run.
But Davies pulled Zoffee out around Emiyn with a furlong to travel and his mount quickened away in good style.
It was a huge result for Palmer who moved from Newmarket to take over at Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire.
Emiyn, who missed the break before being rushed up to sit handy, ran a remarkable race in second, beaten threequarters of a length with Zanndabad third and Aztec Empire fourth.
Having finished third and second in the last two renewals of the week’s showpiece event, Palmer was thrilled to finally land the big one.
He said: “It’s the big race in this part of the world and very exciting. We were second last year and third with Rajinsky the year before so we’ve gone three, two, one in our three years up here.
“He’s given him a wonderful ride. I’ve known Harry a very long time and his mother Angie is my assistant. He’s been with me since he was seven so to win this big race for us is fantastic.
Talented
“We kept racing ponies for him when we were in Newmarket and he had to stand on a bucket to tack his horses up. He’s been riding out for us for a very long time, he’s a talented young man and he’s going places.
“I’m just delighted and so pleased the Petersons sent him back after the hurdling didn’t go well. I’m grateful to Olly Murphy and his team, they’ve done all the work over the winter and we’ve only had him back a couple of months.
“We all love this horse and he might not be the highest rated horse in the yard, but he’s just the loveliest face, he loves his job and we just love him. It’s been a tough week, character building!”
Owen said: “It is pretty much a lifelong dream to win that race and he came second last year. I said earlier in the week I think we’d win the big one. He always looks the part and he’s a lovely, lovely horse.”
NEIL Mulholland doesn’t have many runners on the Flat but THINK FIRST ran a cracker when runner-up at Epsom off a perch of 92 in April.
He has been dropped a pound when he rocks up in the Peroni Handicap (1.30) run over a mile and a half at Ascot, so back him each-way around the 6-1 perch.
The fact the crafty Mark Prescott had TRUE LEGEND entered in the above race but has decided to run his beast in the William Hill Handicap (1.50) run over an extended mile and three furlongs at Lingfield Park,
PASSENGER began what could prove to be a big four-year-old season in the best possible fashion, with a smooth victory in the IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes at Chester.
A eighth victory for Sir Michael Stoute, he looks a top-notch prospect for connections. is enough for yours truly to back him each-way at 5-1.
A triple winner last season, this is just the sort of progressive four-year-old the Baronet excels with so expect to see him rated higher than 88 by the end of the summer.
On her seasonal reappearance in the Group Three Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury three weeks ago, TOPAGANA finished fifth when still carrying her winter coat.
The Ulysses colt was only seen once after Epsom, getting home by a short head in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.
He was not blessed with the smoothest of journeys when dead-heating for third in the Dante last year, before
The form received a massive boost when the third, Elmalka, came out and landed the One Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.
Andrew Balding’s daughter of Siyouni looks very well treated racing of a ledge of 88 in the Peroni Fillies’ Handicap (2.05) run over a mile at Ascot.
DANIELLE bolted up by a disappointing in the Derby, for which he was supplemented.
Record
In breaking the track record on the Roodee, he looks booked for bigger and better things having beaten Israr to add Group Two honours to his CV.
Richard Kingscote was
IT MOSTA BIN LOVE: Mostabshir is backed dozen lengths over 10 furlongs at Wetherby at the end of April, and as close relation of Ascot Gold Cup hero, Courage Mon Ami, she is going to relish the step up in real estate when she contests the William Hill Oaks Trial (2.25) run over a mile and a half at Lingfield Park.
Six of the last winners of the 23-runner Lavazza Victoria content to take a lead off Jim Crowley until the turned into the short straight, but once he asked his mount the response was immediate and the 7-4 scorer quickened impressively.
Paddy Power initially cut the winner to 14-1 for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but were immediately forced to trim him to 8-1.