Newmarket Saturday review: Graeme Clark view from the track
By Graham Clark
15:27 · SUN July 14, 2024
Graeme Clark on plans for Vandeek after his July Cup third and some horses for your tracker from the Newmarket card.
Positives to take for Vandeek team
As joint-trainer Simon Crisford succinctly said "it hasn’t been a bed of roses, or no pleasure cruise" for Vandeek this season, but renditions of that famous lyric from hit Queen single We Are The Champions are likely to be bellowed out before the year is out.
There might not have been any returns on those backing the colt to win the My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday, but fears that he might have been a one season wonder can now be extinguished.
It has been a stop-start campaign for last season’s impressive Middle Park Stakes winner after losing his unbeaten record when suffering an odds-on defeat in the Sandy Lane Stakes on his return at Haydock Park before an abnormal blood count ruled him out of Royal Ascot.
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But those harbouring concerns the son of Havana Grey had not trained on will be heartened by this display with only his lack of match practice showing up during the closing stages of the six furlong test.
Third was the best Vandeek could hold onto on this occasion but the relief for Simon Crisford, who trains the KHK Racing Ltd-owned colt in partnership with his son Ed, was clear to see to the small crowd gathered around the minor placing berths.
The trainer said: “He has been lacking match practice, and in effect that was like his first run of the season, and that has just caught him out really. Missing Ascot was a huge problem for us. He has come here in a championship race without any of the warm up events so he has acquitted himself with great credit and he will get busy now for the remainder of the season. He has definitely trained on as we knew that was the question. I think it was a big effort.
"It has been a bit of struggle to get him here as when they do have an abnormal blood count you have got to give them enough time before you can begin the process to train them for a race like this.
“It hasn’t been a bed of roses, or no pleasure cruise, up until now, but I’m sure this will bring him forward. It has been hard as you need your top players on the pitch on all the big occasions. Having said that, you have to do what is right for the horses.
“The horses haven’t been right for much of the season, but they are coming to themselves now. We are still getting the odd abnormal blood count, but I’m hoping, and praying to God we are through the worst of that.
“It is very much a relief that he has acquitted himself well more than anything else. I believe there is more to come from him as the season unfolds and we will see him back in the winner’s enclosure before long.”
And chants of the hit single could well be sung aloud by his connections in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville with connections suggesting the six and a half furlong test is next on the agenda.
He said: “We will talk about the Prix Maurice de Gheest in a couple of weeks, then you have the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes over seven if we decide to go down that route. Then you have got the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park and the Champions Sprint back at Ascot.
“There is lots to play for, and we know the horse has trained on, and we think he is going to move forward from that run again.”
Owen can think big with Hawkeye
There was to be no topical winner in Wimbledon Hawkeye in this year’s bet365 Superlative Stakes, but trainer James Owen clearly has an above average individual on his hands.
The market suggested that the Charlie Appleby-trained Ancient Truth would be hard to beat in his hat-trick bid and so it proved with the Dubawi colt running out a length and a half winner.
Of those in behind it was Wimbledon Hawkeye that caught the eye with a powerful late surge seeing him grab third on the line having at one stage looked unlikely to finish near the frame.
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While his trainer stopped short at suggesting any immediate targets a step up to a mile is very much on the agenda.
Owen said: “He ran really well. He was very green and the penny dropped late on. It was his first run on grass, and he has had a nice day coming up the road, and he would have learnt a hell of a lot again. He is a nice horse for the future.
“He is our nicest of them at home so far, but the others are catching him up. We know where we are with him now and we will probably step him up to a mile now. He wouldn’t have had the screw turned too tight at home. He is a nice horse for the future.”
“He is definitely Listed standard, and hopefully he will step forward again from this as the way he stepped forward from his first run he could easily step forward again.”
Duty compensation for Jura team
A season ending setback for leading King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Isle Of Jura was not the news Victorious Racing wanted to hear two weeks ahead of the Group One at Ascot, but in Duty First they could have a useful prospect on their hands.
Not given a hard time by James Doyle once her chance was over in the Rossdales British EBF Maiden Stakes, the Archie Watson-trained debutant stayed on well enough to take fourth on ground that would have been on the soft side for her.
Doyle said: “She ran a fine race and I was pleased with her. She was quite green throughout. I was in amongst runners so she learnt plenty and should improve on that. The seven furlong trip is grand as she is very laid back, but she wouldn’t mind faster ground.”
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McBride left pondering what might have been
Dropped whips have caused punters plenty of frustration in the past when it comes to the difference between winning and losing and trainer Philip McBride was left wondering what might have been after falling victim to that curse with the hat-trick seeking Charming Whisper.
Although staying on well to finish fourth in the bet365 Mile the result could have been even better for the Charm Spirit gelding, who was picked up for a paltry 2,000 guineas, but for his rider George Rooke unfortunately losing his whip at a crucial moment.
McBride said: “He travelled really well into the race and I thought there was nothing going better two and a half furlongs down. I think there was enough of a gap there for him to go through but unfortunately George dropped his whip and never got a slap into him.
“I think if he had been able to do that he would have been in the first three. He is just an improving little horse that cost us next to nothing but he has certainly paid his way. He will probably get a mile and a quarter if we hold him up. We are not going to get carried away but he should be a nice fun horse.”
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