Trew shows Sandown class
Trew Class survived a hair-raising moment heading out on to the track at Sandown this afternoon to take the spoils in the most valuable race of the day.
Just as she was about take her first step on to the course, the Mark Tompkins-trained filly did a sudden U-turn as something startled her in the crowd and tripped over, throwing Richard Hills out of the saddle.
But with horse and jockey seemingly none the worse for the spill, Hills quickly got himself back on board and took his mount to the start of the CSFB AES Handicap.
And if proof was needed that no harm was done, the 12-1 chance provided it in the race as she grimly held off the challenges of Look Again and Top Spec to take the race.
“She loves the stiff finish here but she wouldn’t stay much further than this mile and a quarter,” said Tompkins. “I am thinking about the John Smith’s Cup for her now as I think the track would suit her there.
“But we might also try and pick up a bit of black type because she is going to make a cracking broodmare.
“It’s probably a good job that I didn’t see her fall over as I might not have been that keen on letting her run but it’s worked out nicely and I think she is still improving.”
Darryll Holland snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as he came from an impossible-looking position to take the CSFB Sales Traders Maiden Stakes on 6-1 chance Right Again.
Holland’s mount was trapped behind a wall of horses in the home straight and twice had to be snatched up before a final lunge for a gap just inside the final furlong produced a devastating response.
In a race that produced plenty of talking points, fifth-home Porters must go down as an unlucky loser as he was upsides the winner only to be forced to a virtual standstill when hampered inside the final 20 yards.
But there was no suggesting that Right Again did not thoroughly deserve success as he came from sixth to first inside the last furlong of the race.
“I was getting the shotgun ready for Darryll but he saved himself!” said successful trainer Alan Jarvis.
“When he was first broken he was a right swine and a couple of the staff suggested that we ought to have him cut. But we took him to the races expecting murder and he was as good as gold.
“He’s full of energy but he saves himself for the races and he’d been crying out for this step up to seven furlongs.
“Unfortunately he’s not qualified for the Chesham Stakes but we would probably have to look at the Superlative at Newmarket’s July meeting now. He’s pretty good and he is improving with every run.”
High Dyke gave owner Les Baker some welcome relief when taking the Mousetrap Challenge Cup at 25-1.
The length-and-a-quarter victory over Victory Design might have caught punters by surprise, but it did not seem to have caught out trainer Derek Haydn Jones.
“It’s not a shock, he ran very well when he got no run at all at Kempton and then just didn’t handle Chepstow at all last time,” he said.
“I said to Alan Munro before that race that I thought he would win but he came back and said that he never got his action right all the way – there were some pretty soft patches of ground that day.
“I’m just sorry that the owner wasn’t here. He’s a sheep farmer and he rang me to say that he got sunstroke a couple of days ago when it was really hot and he didn’t wear his hat.
“I’m sure he’ll be feeling a bit brighter now though.”
Richard Quinn, who rode the unplaced Resplendent Nova, was banned for two days (June 21 & 22) having been found guilty of careless riding.
Favourite-backers had started the afternoon in good style as Montzando ran out a workmanlike winner of the opener.
Trainer Rod Millman moved on to the 16-winner mark for the year as the 4-5 favourite dominated affairs throughout in the CSFB Program Traders EBF Maiden Stakes, only having to be shaken up at the furlong-pole by Alan Munro to account for Brandywell Boy by a length and three-quarters.
At 50,000 guineas Montzando started the season the most expensive of all the impressive team of juveniles trained by Millman, but by the admission of the Cullompton handler “he had been starting to look a bit expensive until a month ago”.
But this effort has probably booked the colt’s place in the line-up for Newbury’s valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint, alongside stablemates Phantom Whisper and Azygous.
“Alan is going to have a difficult choice to make soon,” said Millman.
“I’ve got five entered and I think three or four of them will probably run. This fellow was slow to come to hand but he’s got the right idea now.”
Trinculo followed up an easy success at Newcastle on his previous start with a pillar-to-post victory in the CSFB Block Traders Claiming Stakes.
The David Nicholls-trained 11-4 chance was easy to back in the betting ring but scored in effortless fashion, stretching clear from the furlong-pole to beat Seven No Trumps by six lengths.
Red Sovereign, who finished third, was claimed after the race for £10,000 by David Bridgwater.
The closing Royal Star & Garter Home Fillies’ Handicap fell to 7-1 chance Linnet, who just held off rank outsider Muzdaherha by a head.
