Spin turns on speed in York
Lucky Spin dropped down to six furlongs for the first time in her career at York yesterday and showed she has enough speed to make her mark as a sprinter.
All her previous victories had been at seven furlongs and she disappointed when tried over a mile on her last visit to the Knavesmire, for the Royal Ascot meeting.
It was a totally different story this time as the Richard Hannon-trained filly ran out a clear-cut winner of the Group Three Cuisine De France Summer Stakes.
Ryan Moore brought Lucky Spin (8-1) with a strong run to sweep past La Cucaracha inside the final furlong and draw away to score by three lengths.
The filly’s owner, George Scudder, said: “I was really surprised. Before he went out I told Ryan I would be happy if she got in the first four, and I can’t believe it.
“When she ran here last time (in the Windsor Forest Stakes) over a mile, nothing went right for her. But when Richard Hughes rode her to win a Group Three race over seven furlongs on her previous outing at Lingfield, he said it would be better to step down in trip rather than up, if we were going to do anything.”
Moore added: “She did it very well and is a good filly, and she is just as good over six as seven furlongs.”
There was plenty of stable confidence behind Eoghan O’Neill’s Silent Times (11-4) in the Fit As A Butchers Dog Challenge Maiden Stakes, and it was proved well justified as he made all the running to win by five lengths under Graham Gibbons.
It was an impressive effort, and winning owner John Fretwell said: “This is a very nice horse. He is in the National Stakes (Group One) and the Foal Levy Stakes at the Curragh, so we will have to see what we do.”
O’Neill added: “Silent Times improved mentally from his first run at Ayr, and it is great to be able to bring a horse with such talent here.”
Darlington owner David Metcalfe’s run of success continued when Mecca’s Mate won the Grampian Country Food Group Handicap in the hands of Fergal Lynch.
The David Barker-trained filly (5-1) burst into the lead over a furlong from home and ran right to the line to score by one and three-quarter lengths from Whistler.
Metcalfe, who is in the farming and haulage businesses, said: “I have only two horses with David – Mecca’s Mate, who has now won four races this season, and Sierra Vista, who has won two and who will run at Haydock on Sunday if she is all right.
“My main target for Meccas’s Mate had been the race for grey horses at Newmarket in August, but she went up to 86 after she won last time and the race is a 0-85. Never mind, she has gone and won again.”
Coral cut the winner’s odds for the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood to 25-1 from 40s.
The Hearthstead Homes Stakes looked a competitive event on paper, but the David Barron-trained Dispol Katie (25-1) bolted home in the hands of apprentice Phillip Makin.
The four-year-old filly struck the front with a quarter of a mile to run and swept clear to pass the post with four lengths to spare over Fullandby.
Barron was not present, but winning owner Bill Imison said: “I did not back her. I thought she wouldn’t like the ground and she was not well drawn.”
Local hotelier Phil Smith realised a long-held ambition when Ski Jump, trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by apprentice Tony Hamilton, won the John West Tuna Stakes.
Fahey also saddled third-placed Sualda, who had looked the likely winner two out, only for Ski Jump (11-2) to get on top inside the final furlong and then hold the strong challenge of Sunday Symphony by a head.
It was no surprise that Ski Jump survived a stewards’ inquiry, and Fahey said: “That was good. Phil has had winners before, but never one at York, and that is all he has ever wanted.”
There was a nail-biting finish to the Tulip Bacon Stakes, but Philip Robinson kept the Michael Jarvis-trained Ofaraby (4-1) going very well to hold off several challengers to take the prize.
