Kandidate top of September poll
Kandidate landed a deserved first Group-race success when seeing out the mile-and-a-half trip best of all to emerge victorious in the totesport.com September Stakes at Kempton.
Clive Britain’s highly-tried four-year-old was successful on the Polytrack at the beginning of the season when plundering the Rosebery Handicap and made a successful return to the track to claim the Group Three event.
Seb Sanders, who always seems to get the sweetest tune from last year’s 2000 Guineas third, set the 3-1 shot alight inside the final furlong to deny Self Defense victory by a length and a quarter.
Notable Guest was sent off the well-backed 6-4 favourite but was never competitive and, after being eased down by Richard Hughes in the final furlong, finished last of the six runners.
Brittain said: “I am delighted with the way he has won and I was always confident he would get the distance.
“He has got a turn of foot and it was unfortunate last time that the ground had too much give in it and took the edge off his speed.
“He is a fast-ground horse and is capable of winning another Group race.
“He is in the Cambridgeshire, although now he has won a Group Three he will have plenty of weight. But if his owner wants to run we will have to look at it.”
Sponsors totesport cut Kandidate to 25-1 from 33s for the Newmarket cavalry charge.
The £100,000 prize on offer in the Martin Collins Enterprises Handicap ensured a competitive field lined up, and it was the Paul Doe-ridden Killena Boy who came out best of all.
Having scored at 25-1 eight days ago, the four-year-old again rewarded connections at generous odds of 20-1 when leading close home for a neck victory.
Ans Bach, the 8-1 co-favourite, came from way off the pace and was motoring close home but had to settle for second, with fellow co-favourite Granston a short head away in third.
“He is very brave and is a decent horse too,” said trainer William Jarvis.
“He won last weekend at a decent price and I didn’t think we would get 20-1 again. Add that to the prize money and I am very happy.
“He should have been in the Cambridgeshire but he isn’t. We were going to sell him but I think we will keep him and he will give connections some more fun.”
Brian Meehan is eyeing a valuable end-of-season prize with Dhanyata after the filly landed the totepool Sirenia Stakes – the first Group race for juveniles on the all-weather.
Although she had previously tasted defeat at the hands of two of her rivals, the daughter of Danetime was popular before the start of the six-furlong race and was sent off at 6-1.
Jimmy Fortune kept his mount covered up in midfield and she readily stretched clear when sent into the lead over a furlong out to beat La Neige by two lengths, with the 3-1 favourite We’ll Confer taking third.
“I am very pleased with her, she is a nice filly and Jimmy was impressed,” said Meehan.
“I have always thought a lot of her and I will probably step her up to seven furlongs for the Rockfel now. She is also in the Cheveley Park and I wouldn’t leave that out of the reckoning.”
Stotsfold got back on the winning trail after a below-par effort last time when pouncing late in the totescoop6 Handicap under Adam Kirby.
The 7-2 favourite made eyecatching headway round the final bend and collared the front-running Babcary in the final half furlong to score by four lengths.
Andrew Balding’s Water Mill (7-1) produced a gritty display under Martin Dwyer to make all in the Racing UK And Setanta For £15 Conditions Stakes.
The 330,000 yearling found more when challenged and crossed the line with a diminishing head in hand of fellow newcomer Black Rock.
“We will probably keep him off the grass this year and he could be a UAE Derby-type of horse,” said Balding.
Special Lad (5-1) benefited from a comeback effort at York to claim the six-furlong Collingwood Team Service Handicap by a length and a half and half a length from She’s My Outsider and Cyclical.
Paul Cole said of the Ryan Moore-ridden winner: “He went too free at York so we held up him and it went right. He has won over seven furlongs too and we will look for a similar race.”
Desert Sea (6-4) scored over two miles when taking the closing Panoramic Bar and Restaurant Handicap for Colin Tinkler in the hands of Fergus Sweeney.
