The remarkably tough and consistent BRAVE EMPEROR spearheaded an exciting April for the team at Saxon Gate with a Group 3 victory in Germany.
Middleham Park Racing’s three-year-old son of Sioux Nation made it six wins from just nine starts in the Group 3 Grosser Preis der Wohnstatte Krefeld – Dr Busch Memorial at the end of the month. You can read a full report on this site.
Just 24 hours later Hambleton Racing’s familiar beige and navy blue silks were back in the winner’s enclosure, too, when Aaddeey made a winning debut for Archie in a Class 2 handicap at Ripon.
Bought for 35,000 gns out of Simon and Ed Crisford’s yard last autumn, he showed the benefits of a change of stable to dominate the mile and a half feature for Hollie Doyle. The son of New Approach could now head to Royal Ascot.
His victory completed a double on the card for Archie and Hollie, initiated by two-year-old Dreadpirateroberts’ landmark success in the opening five-furlong restricted novice stakes. Second on debut at Brighton, he was always in command to give his sire Soldier’s Call – a Royal Ascot winner for the stable in 2018 – his first win as sire.
The weekend got even better when United Force won a seven-furlong handicap at Leicester, completing an across-the-card treble. Gelded ahead of this first start in a handicap and fitted with cheekpieces for the first time, Clipper Logistics’ son of Showcasing was given a fine ride by Ryan Moore.
Archie also celebrated his first winner for prominent owner Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum when his chestnut Regheeb won a Nottingham maiden on racecourse debut on 5th April. The New Approach colt kept on with purpose for Hector Crouch in the extended mile event.
And there was a follow-up success for Sheikh Ahmed when Mojeyrr built on his promising debut at Kempton Park to take a six-furlong maiden at Southwell on 14th April, justifying short odds with Hollie in the saddle.
That was Archie’s second visit to the winner’s enclosure that day as Tylos powered to an 11-length success in heavy ground at Leicester. Hambleton Racing’s four-year-old was much too strong for his rivals in a seven-furlong handicap, with Luke Morris on board.
Two days earlier Qatar Racing’s Zoustar filly Out Of The Stars confirmed the well-being of the Saxon Gate two-year-olds by winning a five-furlong fillies’ novice on debut at Kempton Park. Despite losing ground with a slow start, the odds-on favourite overcame a wide position off the home turn to get up by a short-head for Oisin Murphy.
There was further juvenile success when another newcomer Action Point won his novice at Kempton in the colours of Hamad Rashed Bin Ghedayer – a performance he built on when second to the potentially smart Maximum Impact on trials day at Ascot in early May, establishing himself as a likely candidate for the Windsor Castle Stakes at the Royal Meeting.
Archie’s three-year-olds continued to make healthy progress, too, with Primavera’s Radetsky Marsch getting off the mark at the third attempt on his seasonal debut in a 10-furlong Kempton novice on 1st April. He was a 95,000 euro purchase by Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock at last year’s Arqana breeze-ups.
There was victory, too, for Ecurie Ama.Zingteam’s Onight in a seven-furlong novice at the London track in mid-April. The Oasis Dream colt returned from a short break to supplement his win in a similar race at Newcastle, comfortably defying a penalty under Hollie.
He’s A Monster continued his progress by making it three wins from just four starts in a seven-furlong Kempton handicap earlier in the month. Hollie was always in control on Lone Star Investments’ son of No Nay Never, who remains unbeaten on the All-Weather.
And it was a perfect two from two on synthetics for three-year-old gelding Rhythm N Hooves, who also justified cramped odds for Hollie in a five-furlong novice at Chelmsford City just two weeks after his breakthrough success at Newcastle.
Imperial Sands has been a fine servant to the stable and won for the second time this year when showing his liking for Kempton in a Class 2 mile handicap on 10th April. He made all for Hollie to secure his third win at the track, much to the delight of his owners Ryedale Racing.
By Simon Mapletoft
