Rosdhu Queen confirmed the promise of her striking debut when taking Listed honours in the Bathwick Tyres St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury.
The youngster first ran at Ripon last month and could hardly have been more impressive as she made every yard and with a number of those conquered having performed with merit since, she was the 11-10 favourite stepped up in class, with Ryan Moore doing the steering.
Following a fast start, the William Haggas-trained filly found herself in front from an early stage and though it was not all plain sailing as Sound Of Guns threw down a serious challenge in the last furlongs, she was always doing enough to win the argument by three-quarter of a length.
The winning trainer’s wife, Maureen, said: “She did well first time in a race that hasn’t worked out too badly, but you always worry stepping them straight up into Listed class against horses with more experience.
“You don’t know if they’ll quite have the nous to cope with it, but she did. In an ideal world I think she would have preferred a lead, but Ryan said there was nothing quick enough to lead him. It’s William’s department, but I suppose the obvious race is the Flying Childers at Doncaster.”
Compton handler Jonathan Portman continued his good run of form as Lily In Pink (12-1) defied top-weight in the Punter Southall Transaction Services Handicap to complete a hat-trick by a neck under James Doyle, just getting the better of Monte Cavallo.
Portman told Racing UK: “I was worried about the drying ground and we had to give weight to some improving horses, but I’ve never seen her looking as well before a race. We have her entered at York next week in a Listed race (Galtres Stakes), but that might come too soon and might be a bit too grand.”
Apparent second string Glean claimed division one of the Don Deadman Memorial EBF Maiden for Richard Hannon. The champion trainer also saddled hot favourite A Ladies Man but while he finished well beaten, it was 18-1 shot Glean who claimed victory in the hands of Pat Dobbs.
Dobbs said: “Hughesie (Richard Hughes) was on the more fancied horse but my horse travelled through the race and I never thought I’d get beat. When the penny dropped he picked up the bridle and gave me a good feel.”
Division Two went to Clive Cox’s Related (8-1), who had shown up well on his first couple of starts.
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