On the track

By Emily Scott

July has provided a steady stream of excitements on the track with winners each week punctuated with some decent placed efforts as well.

Yarmouth has proved a lucky hunting ground this season and last month’s dominant victory from Cavolo Nero was followed by two this month from Ancestor and Tryst. Ancestor provided a bit of a shock, winning at odds of 12/1 on just his second racecourse appearance. He had run particularly green on debut at Salisbury in mid-May and his trainer William Haggas took his time before bringing him back to the racecourse. This patience looks to have paid off as Ancestor never saw another rival from flag fall. Cieren Fallon’s intention had been to take a lead to ensure the horse learns how to race correctly, but the pace was pedestrian, and he had no choice but to let this lovely big moving Sea The Stars gelding go on. His closest challenger was the 86-rated Waterford Castle who had competed at Royal Ascot, so hopefully that is a sign of things to come with Ancestor who should stay further in time as well.

Ancestor winning at Yarmouth

Tryst winning at Yarmouth

It was great to see Tryst bounce back to winning form recently after a couple of below par efforts over 1m2f. George bravely dropped her right back in distance to 7f and she made light work of some experienced older rivals to win as she liked, breaking the 7f track record in the process! She raced prominently under 3lb claimer Jack Callan before taking up the running with 2f to run and put the race to bed in a matter of strides when asked a question. That was the second win of her career and, even though she’s been raised 5lbs to a career high mark of 85, we hope there’s more to come from this filly.

The horse that may have garnered the biggest cheer as he crossed the line in front this month was Home Secretary at Lingfield. This late maturing son of Galiway was making his seventh racecourse appearance and had beat a cumulative four rivals in his previous six starts! It turns out he probably wasn’t running over far enough because once up to two miles he looked in his element, striding out into an early lead under Luke Morris and maintaining that advantage all the way to the line. It was a blazing hot day and so was a valiant effort from this young horse and in Sir Mark’s words, “he’ll take a while to recover”. The handicapper takes no prisoners and has duly raised him 9lbs to 68. Let’s hope that win bolsters his confidence and he can progress from here.

Home Secretary Winning Owners at Lingfield

We’ve only sent out four individual two-year-old runners this season so far with the majority of them needing more time before gracing the racecourse. Topaz looked every inch a two-year-old at the Yearling Parade last October and she’s maintained that precociousness this season. Although Royal Ascot proved a bit too much, too soon for her, she bounced back with a pleasing run to finish second at Newbury (behind a filly who has since been placed fourth in a Group 3) and that run was followed three weeks later by a convincing victory at Salisbury. Billy Loughnane, who was sitting on her for the first time, was very complimentary about her, saying that she will improve a great deal once she’s able to track the pace rather than make her own running. Despite wandering round in the closing stages she still beat her nearest rival by two lengths, and all roads now lead to the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes at Newmarket on 22nd August.

Topaz winning at Salisbury

Clarity – 3rd Kempton, Goodwood ?

A filly who has shown herself to be on an upward trajectory is the lightly raced 4yo Rhapsody. Her seasonal return came in the Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) at Royal Ascot, where she finished fourth, and was probably unlucky not a be a little closer having suffered interference late on. William was on the phone in early July to report back after her first serious workout since Ascot to say, “I’ve never had her better” and we should make hay while the sun is shining. The original plan of the Upavon (Listed) in mid-August was scrapped, and she was redirected to the Meadow Court Stakes (Gr 3) at the Curragh, which notably was for 4yo+ fillies and mares. William managed to book Ryan Moore and the filly produced a fabulous, career best performance to finish second to Moody, who was rated 8lbs higher and the winner of two Listed races. Rhapsody’s next stop could well be York for the Galtres Stakes (L), a meeting that her trainer likes to target, and a track she’s won at before.

Clarity, who was in remarkable form at home