Newmarket Thursday review: Tattersalls Stakes goes to Modern Games

Fun and Games for Appleby and Buick

Charlie Appleby and William Buick's fine run of success continued as Modern Games landed the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.

Having his fifth start after winning a July Course maiden and a Doncaster nursery at the St Leger Festival, the progressive son of Dubawi took another step up the ladder with a taking victory at odds of 3/1.

Buick had his mount to the fore throughout and while even-money market leader Trident tracked him all the way in a small group of their own towards the far side of the track, Modern Games found extra on hitting the rising ground and powered away to win by two and a half lengths.

Paddy Power make Modern Games 6/1 for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

The victory added further strength to Appleby’s formidable hand in the juvenile department, one which contains current Guineas favourite Native Trail.

“Full credit to everyone at home. He’s not a big, imposing horse by any stretch – but Lorna, who rides him at home, said this morning it would take a good one to beat him,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“He did a bit of work on Saturday and while he didn’t surprise us, he worked particularly well.

“That was always the plan today – to go out there and make it and get them to come at us. It was a great ride by William and it paid off.”

Appleby confirmed a trip to Del Mar could be next on the agenda for Modern Games – and he is set to be joined by Albahr, who heads the market at 5/1 following his Grade One win at Woodbine last weekend.

“He’s a neat, little horse and maybe we’ll have a look at the Breeders’ Cup,” Appleby added.

“He’s got plenty of experience under his belt now. I wouldn’t quite think of him as a Dewhurst horse as if you were to put him and Native Trail together at home, it wouldn’t be much of a competition.

“It would be a shame to run the two of them in the Dewhurst. If Native Trail wasn’t around, then as we all know this race today is a springboard to a Dewhurst.

“We’ve got Albahr for the Breeders’ Cup as well. He has a slightly different profile, but they’re two hard-knocking sons of Dubawi who can go to the Breeders’ Cup and might just run all right over there.”

Staying stalwart makes class count

Nayef Road was rewarded for a string of fine efforts in top company when making every yard of the running in the Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes.

Without a win since the rearranged Sagaro Stakes at Newcastle soon after racing’s resumption last June, he had nevertheless been up against some top-class opponents.

Having finished behind Stradivarius on no less than five occasions, he relished being back in the much calmer waters of Listed company. Second in the Gold Cup last year, Mark Johnston, who won that race this June with Subjectivist, will no doubt have taken great pleasure from the display.

Andrea Atzeni, who had ridden Nayef Road the last twice, was keen to make it a real test of stamina and began to wind it up three furlongs from home. Eileendover was the first of the big guns to crack and it was not long before Max Vega and Roberto Escobar were also in trouble.

With a furlong to run it was just a question of how far and Nayef Road (9/2) crossed the line six lengths clear of Roberto Escobar, with Max Vega just holding off Morando for third.

Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said: “This is one of those instances where you genuinely feel happy for the horse. He’s had two years of banging his head against the brick wall that is Stradivarius. For all of us, that gets a bit disheartening after a while.

“When we saw this race we thought it might be a nice opportunity to try to get his head back in front in slightly calmer waters and prove that he’s still got the ability that has seen him finish second in two Group Ones.

“He’s entered at Ascot (on Champions Day). We didn’t go to York because we thought when Stradivarius was there he wouldn’t go to Doncaster as well, but fair play to them – he’s kept turning up and danced every dance this year.

“It was nice to finally find a race where he wasn’t here! We’ll speak to the owner regarding plans for the autumn and winter and next year.”

Johnston went on: “Although he finished second in a Gold Cup on soft ground, I think he’s better on top of the ground, so it will depend a bit on conditions at Ascot.

“You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place as if the ground is quick Stradivarius is the impenetrable wall and if it’s soft you get Trueshan in his best conditions. Nayef Road is a horse who can be competitive in those big races, and when he drops down to this sort of level he’s just a bit better than the rest of these.”

Charlton charge back on song

Trainer Roger Charlton will consider returning Boltaway to Newmarket in just over two weeks’ time for an outing in the bet365 Old Rowley Cup after the Dubawi colt returned to winning ways in the Discover Newmarket Handicap.

Having come unstuck in his bid for a four-timer in a tactical affair at Pontefract last time out, the homebred Juddmonte three year old regained the winning thread in the mile and prize when showing stamina is very much his forte.

Finishing to good effect close to the stands’ side rail, the 2/1 favourite was well in command come the finish line to pass the post two and three-quarter lengths clear of runner up Lexington Knight.

Charlton said: “He is back on song. He probably doesn’t want the ground any quicker but we can’t complain. The race at Pontefract was an odd race. The outsider got a soft lead and they ended up being strung out all over the countryside.

“We will now think about the Old Rowley Cup. I think he will make a very nice horse to buy in the horses in training sale as he is a very sound tough horse. The more racing he has had the better he has got.”

Big things expected of Varian colt

Subastar is expected to go on to bigger and better things after making a successful start to his career in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Newmarket.

The well-related Sea The Stars colt was a 14/1 shot for a race that has been won by a whole host of high-class performers in recent years, including Telescope (2012), Eminent (2016) and the brilliant Ghaiyyath (2017).

Ridden by Andrea Atzeni, Roger Varian’s charge travelled strongly and picked up well to beat the twice-placed favourite 11/8 favourite Dawn Of Liberation by a length and a half. Godolphin newcomer Symbol Of Light also shaped with plenty of promise in third.

Varian, who also saddled last year’s winner Royal Champion, said: “He’s a nice colt who is very laid back and relaxed, I thought he might just need the run.

“He’ll be a nice horse next year. He stays well and should be a middle-distance horse as a three-year-old. He’s a beautifully-bred horse by Sea The Stars, who can do no wrong at the minute.

“He’ll tell us whether he wants to run again this season. Hopefully he’s a nice one to look forward to."

Gale Force victory for Farragher

Jockey Adam Farragher admitted it felt “pretty nice” to taste victory on the hallowed turf of the Rowley Mile for the first time aboard Gale Force Maya, who made it third time lucky in the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap.

The 5lb claimer continued his hot streak in the saddle after the Michael Dods-trained mare followed up her recent success at Pontefract to go two places better in the six-furlong prize than last year, having previously filled the runner-up spot in the 2019 renewal.

Although pressed hard late on by eventual runner-up Gellhorn, the line came in time for the daughter of Gale Force Ten and she prevailed by a neck at odds of 9/2.

Farragher, who celebrated a double at Goodwood on Wednesday, said: “I’m delighted with the way things are going. Mr Haggas has been very good to put me up on some nice horses and to be seen riding for him has got me lovely outside rides like this one today.

“I knew I had to commit a little bit early as she was keen and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

“Speaking to a couple of the senior jockeys if you can get your momentum going down the hill it will slingshot you up the hill the far side and it worked out today.

“I committed a bit early but she is very tough. I could hear the other horse coming to me but I could feel her underneath me and she was looking for the line more than they were.

“She has been a bit unlucky but things are falling right for her now. She is in a good place now and when they are in that you don’t know how far they will keep improving. To ride a winner here on hallowed ground is pretty nice.”

Rest of the meeting...

Rank outsider Desert Angel followed up a recent Doncaster success in the Federation Of Bloodstock Agents Nursery.

The application of blinkers brought and a step up to a mile saw Richard Hannon’s charge improve significantly on his previous form when opening his account on Town Moor less than a fortnight ago.

At odds of 16/1, Ryan Moore’s mount proved that was no fluke with a one-and-a-quarter-length victory on the Rowley Mile.

Hannon said: “He is obviously quite a late developer as we questioned his enthusiasm. I wanted to cut him, but his owner Ziad Galadari said ‘let’s give him one more chance’ and to try the headgear. Since he said that, he has not stopped winning.

“We will definitely run him again (this season) and look to find another valuable nursery.”

Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy combined to land the Come And Discover Newmarket Handicap with 15/8 favourite Carolus Magnus, while the concluding Newmarket Challenge Whip Handicap went to Ralph Beckett’s 8/1 shot Rhebus Road, ridden by Jane Elliott.

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