Weatherbys Super Sprint report and replay: Relief Rally impressive winner
By Simon Milham
17:07 · SAT July 22, 2023
Relief Rally sent the large Newbury crowd home happy when justifying favouritism in the featured Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes.
Tom Marquand’s mount was drawn near the stands’ rail and had to race alone for much of the last furlong and a half as the filly attempted to reel in those who had a clear advantage up the middle and towards the far rail.
To her credit, the evens favourite scythed through the good to soft ground and having collared long-time leader Dapperling (33-1) inside the final furlong, drew readily clear for a three-length success.
It was just compensation for Marquand and trainer William Haggas, who saw the daughter of Kodiac touched off by American raider Crimson Advocate in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Haggas said: “She was in front before the line and after the line, but not on the line at Ascot. She ran a good race there. She is a pretty good filly. I don’t know where the second on the stands’ side finished, but she won easy and when he asked her, she picked up well.”
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Marquand admitted he had plenty of ground to make up in the second part of the valuable five-furlong contest, which was worth just shy of £123,000 to the winner. Yet he felt confident the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned juvenile would reel in the leaders.
He added: “To be honest, I was getting towed as far as I could while being happy, but whilst never worried that the other side had a bit of an advantage on us. I was lucky enough to be on her at Ascot, so I know the turn of foot she has.
“I was confident that this ground was even more to her liking. It was as straightforward as you would have hoped it would be, but it doesn’t always prove straightforward. The other side did have a march on, but she is a very good filly and thankfully she has had a decent day in the sun now and I’m sure she will have a few more.”
“She is every bit as exciting as you’d want her to look for the future and I think my heart is still broken (after Ascot), but it is gluing back together a little bit after that. She has done it well. She has got bags of speed, she is super-straightforward, I think she is improving, and I think she improved for having a day like she had at Ascot – she had to race that day and it was obviously a frustrating day, but she will have come on for that and I think she showed that today by the way she just raced on by herself on her side.”
Abbaye potential big-race target
Haggas could swerve York’s Nunthorpe, as he potentially eyes the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp.
When asked of a possible Nunthorpe bid, he said: “I don’t think so – I think the Abbaye, but who knows? I think the French race is such a draw race. If you get a low draw, it is such an advantage, whereas the Nunthorpe you can win from anywhere. In France, you cannot win wide. If our luck is in at the that time of the year, we will get a low draw. We will see.”
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