Green grabs Rosebery glory
Classic potential was unveiled as Kempton opened the turf Flat season for the first time in 16 years today but it was Paul Webber, more familiar as a jumps trainer, who took away the biggest prize.
The Banbury trainer described Kew Green’s narrow victory in the Coral Rosebery Stakes as his “second-best” victory on the Flat after watching Dane O’Neill’s mount collar St Andrews in the final strides to land the £29,000 first prize by a head.
O’Neill came wide up the stands side on the 9-1 shot to edge out the top-weight by a head in the ultra-competitive 10-furlong handicap.
“Ulundi’s victory at Royal Ascot three years ago was the biggest win for me on the Flat – also in a handicap – but this is a great number two,” said Webber.
“There are a lot of people to thank for this, especially the vet James Maine, in Lambourn, who operated on his spine.
“He’s had problems with his back. He had a kissing spine and they removed the tops of three vertebrae to give the spine room to flex and bend.
“They said he had a 40 per cent chance of being a racehorse, but he’s 100 per cent guts, a thoroughly tough horse and we are very lucky to have him.”
Having won on her Lingfield Polytrack debut, Vista Bella (7-2) maintained her unbeaten record and received a quote of 33-1 with both Coral and Victor Chandler for the UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas after eking out a short-head victory from Joint Aspiration in the Passport2Sport.co.uk Masaka Stakes.
The Sheikh Mohammed-owned Diktat filly battled on gamely under Philip Robinson to get up in the dying strides for trainer Michael Jarvis, who won his sole domestic Classic when Ameerat won the 1000 Guineas four years ago.
However, the Newmarket trainer remained coy about the chances of Vista Bella making the fillies’ Classic on May 1.
He said: “I will have to speak to the powers that be and see how Godolphin’s trials in Dubai pan out.
“She is still learning, but I was pleased with the way she buckled down in the last 50 yards. She never even worked last year and we have only started training her this winter, but it seems as if she is making up for lost time.
“She would prefer goodish ground, though, she is such a fluid mover.”
Rebel Rebel barely caused a ripple in the betting for the UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas.
Neville Callaghan’s charge received a quote of 50-1 with Coral for the colts’ Classic on April 30 after powering to a head victory in the Listed Passport2Sport.co.uk Easter Stakes under Oscar Urbina.
“He wants a mile and a quarter, though he’s in the Guineas,” said the Newmarket trainer.
“We’ll probably take our chance there and he will go up in distance after that.
“I am sure we will enter him for the Craven Stakes – more out of curiosity than anything – but the Feilden Stakes might be the better race for him. Anything above the mile will be in his favour.”
Gerard Butler, whose Jack Sullivan finished a gallant fourth in the Dubai World Cup, sent out Tarfah (6-4) to make all to win the Listed Passport2Sport.co.uk Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes under John Egan.
“She was in front a long time, but she could be quite decent,” said Egan after jumping off the Kingmambo filly, who was recording her fourth victory in five career starts.
Rod Millman gave Alan Munro his first winner in Britain for eight years at Lingfield last week and he teamed up with the 38-year-old to strike again as Makabul (5-2) landed the five-furlong EBF Maiden Stakes by five lengths.
“Alan came down to school a few and put some through the stalls, and he’s been a big help. It’s nice when someone who’s as experienced as him gives you a hand,” said the Cullompton handler.
“This is a nice horse. He’s by Makbul and I’ve never had a bad one by him, though he’s very much like Lord Kintyre (the stable’s Listed and Weatherbys Super Sprint winner) in his manner.
“I’ll look for a conditions race for him, but I think he’s a bit more than an early-season two-year-old.”
Derek Haydn Jones made the long trip from Pontypridd worthwhile as Royal Orissa (9-2) overcame a 140-day lay-off to take the six-furlong CiSTM Racing Club Handicap by a length and a quarter in the hands of Johnny Murtagh.
“This one is still a bit immature, but I’ve always thought a lot of him,” said Haydn Jones of the three-year-old Royal Applause colt, who was breaking his duck at the eighth attempt.
“I am not going to rush him. I’ve been at it too long to know that you can kill a golden goose too quick!”
The two-mile CiSTM Racing Club Queen’s Prize went to Gary Moore’s Cold Turkey (11-2), who was given a well-timed ride by Jamie Spencer.
The Irishman judged his effort perfectly as he picked off long-time leader Fortune Island in the straight and went on to deny Coventina by a length and a half.
