Our two-year-olds made a flying start to the new season when exciting filly NIEWIADOMA became the first of three juvenile winners in the space of three days.
Our precocious daughter of Cotai Glory was well on top at the end of a five-furlong fillies’ novice at Thirsk on 18th April under stable jockey Hollie Doyle. A Super Sprint entry who cost £40,000 as a yearling, she also scooped her owners SAS Thoroughbreds a 10,000 euros IRE Incentive bonus.
Two days later it was the turn of Vollering to excel for Hollie in another fillies’ novice in Redcar’s opening race of the year. The daughter of Sioux Nation, who was bought for £58,000 by Blandford Bloodstock, eased to a two and a half-length success for owners Jinky Farms & Partner.
Then, just 24 hours later, Hollie partnered the impressive 110,000gns purchase Siouxperb to a four-length verdict in a six-furlong Yarmouth novice for Jayar Investments. That form was paid a compliment when the runner-up O’Gorman scored the following week at Kempton Park.
At the end of April Middleham Park Racing’s Kodi Bear colt Alpe d’Huez maintained the fine form of our two-year-olds when he made every yard of a six-furlong Lingfield Park novice to justify strong market support for Hollie, scoring by a dominant three lengths.
Meanwhile, Hambleton Racing’s progressive four-year-old Elements Of Fire completed a hat-trick for Archie and Hollie in a seven-furlong Wolverhampton handicap on 6th April. Unbeaten since joining from John and Thady Gosden for 32,000gns at the autumn sales, the son of Too Darn Hot elevated his rating to 94 to put himself in contention for some top handicaps.
With an opening mark of 90, Wathnan Racing’s Exclusive Code will have some valuable targets of his own after breaking his maiden over a mile at Newbury on 18th April, completing an across-the-card double following Niewiadoma’s success at Thirsk.
Gelded over the winter after running with promise behind Group performers including Gewan at Goodwood and Newbury, the son of Blue Point dug deep to repel 24 rivals including the evens favourite Lightning Thunder from the powerful Gosden stable.
There was another across-the-card double two days later when our talented apprentice Harry Vigors stepped into the limelight with a fine ride on Dryholaey in a six-furlong Lingfield handicap. The five-year-old regained the lead to record his second All-Weather success of the year.
Harry was also in the saddle when Me Tarzan supplemented his Kempton win at the end of March with another in a seven-furlong Yarmouth handicap. Owned by Me Jane, the Bungleinthejungle gelding made every yard of the running to take advantage of just a 2lb rise in the weights.
Finally, our star of the amateur riding ranks Brodie Hampson rounded off the month with a seven-length win on well-bred filly Bronte Beach in a staying handicap at Southwell. The half-sister to Dubai Gold Cup winner Fairy Glen relished the step up in trip to score at the seventh attempt.
by Simon Mapletoft
