ON the July 30th 2003, the late Pat Eddery rode the Richard Hannon snr trained Reel Buddy to a narrow win in the Sussex Stakes at ‘Glorious’ Goodwood – their last Group 1 success together.

Almost 20 years to the day later, the Richard Hannon jnr-trained Rosallion won the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot, looking a future Group 1 performer himself in the process.

The 10 runners comprised of eight previous winners and the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-owned colt demolished the field with a four lengths victory.

Given a near two-month break since winning on his debut at Newbury, the son of Blue Point, who is a homebred and from the family of Royal Ascot winners Cape Byron and Triple Time, was patiently ridden by Sean Levey before making his move entering the final two furlongs.

Quickening clear inside the last 150 yards, the second, third and fourth were unbeaten going into the race, including the 97-rated Ancient Wisdom.

The stable’s previous winners of this seven furlongs contest have included Toronado (2012) and Chindit (2020) and both that pair successfully captured the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster (September 16th) on their next start.

Exciting colt

A trip to Town Moor could be in the offing for this exciting colt, who may not want rattling fast ground, according to connections. Alternatively, Rosallion could be fast tracked into Group 1 company in the National Stakes at the Curragh six days earlier.

Ironically, that event gave Hannon snr one of his final winners at the highest level, thanks to Toormore, before the curtain came down on his illustrious career in 2013. The connection between Pat Eddery and Richard Hannon lives on and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that this unbeaten colt emulates Tirol, who was a classic winner for the pair over 33 years ago, next season.

OWEN Burrows rightly captured the headlines last weekend with Hukum’s brave win in the King George with a glittering cast in behind, while Alfaila returned from an absence of 294 days to win the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes less than half an hour earlier.

Indeed, his stable star’s win in the summer showpiece event at Ascot was Burrows’ fourth consecutive winner in as many days. Earlier in the week, the Lambourn trainer unleashed two smart-looking juveniles who scored at the first time of asking.

Miaharris, a 210,000gns breeze-up buy, looked all speed when winning by over three lengths at Sandown in a five-furlong maiden fillies’ event covering the fourth furlong in 11.38 seconds.

The Zoustar filly’s opponents included the Hilary Needler Stakes third and 83-rated Tallulabelle. Her owner Olly Harris, who has recently added Nicky Henderson to his list of trainers, is more associated with National Hunt horses but has a nice flat prospect on his hands.

Twenty-four hours later, stable companion War Rooms did something similar at Doncaster in a seven furlongs novice stakes.

A 200,000gns purchase, the son of Churchill made an excellent start to his career and, like Hukum and Miaharris, was ridden by Jim Crowley. Racing on soft ground, he was momentarily tapped for toe before responding well to pressure and leading with over a furlong to run.

Pulling clear, his jockey views him as a 10-furlong horse for next year. Both the second and third had run before and were nearly five lengths behind War Rooms. The two previous winners of the race, Dubawi Legend and Oviedo, both finished third in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York next time.

Unless the ground is on the slow side, Owen Burrows’ charge may find that an insufficient test and may be suited by further on a quicker terrain.

Inclined to adopt the patient approach, the yard are three from 10 with their two-year-olds in 2023 and more big prizes look destined for Sir Michael Stoute’s former assistant.

MIDNIGHT Mile proved to be the star at York’s sole evening fixture at the end of last month when providing Richard Fahey with his first victory in the Listed Lyric Stakes for 11 years.

The seven-furlong novice stakes for two-year-olds halfway through the evening is an event which has attracted some above average performers, including subsequent Group 3 Acomb Stakes winner Wells Farhh Go (2017) and this year’s dual Group 1 winning sprinter Shaquille belied odds of 20/1 when scoring on his racecourse bow 12 months ago.

The 11-strong field featured four debutants and it was those racing for the first time who dominated the finish. Victory went to the William Haggas-trained Loose Cannon who edged out Tim Easterby’s Candonomore with a short-head separating the pair. It was nearly two lengths back to the third.

The winner, a son of Terrorities, was expected to run well beforehand, according to his trainer, while also likely to improve for the experience.

An €85,000 purchase, he possesses an essentially slow ground pedigree and may always prove best with ease underfoot, while the runner-up looks typically well bought for 20,000gns.

Don’t be surprised if Candonomore, a colt by Almanzor, returns for the £100,000 Convivial Maiden Stakes over the same course and distance on day three of the Ebor Festival (August 25th).The pair look worth following and that comment also applies to the fourth, Apiarist, who ran better than his finishing position implies.

A striking son of Night of Thunder, who was acquired for 100,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 Yearling Sale last Autumn, he is a half-brother to John Gosden’s Fred Darling Stakes winner Dabyah.

His trainer Kevin Ryan has 46 juvenile winners at the track on his CV and has invariably introduced some of his best youngsters on the Knavesmire over the years. Nibbled at in the market beforehand, he was drawn on the far rail in stall one and, having started slowly, was last turning for home.

The impressive part of his performance came mid race when he covered the third and fourth furlongs in 11.28 and 11.42 seconds and loomed up travelling strongly alongside the winner. That meant the pair got racing a long way from home and Tom Eaves’ mount paid for it in the closing stages.

Beaten two lengths, Apiarist will know more next time and, ridden with more restraint, is a winner waiting to happen.

The Convivial later this month is also a possibility for him – stablemate and 2000 Guineas runner-up Hi Royal was third in the 2022 version – or Kevin Ryan may elect to wait for Ayr’s Western meeting for the seven-furlong novice stakes (September 21st), which he has won for the last two years. Either way, it is a race to follow.

DESPITE suffering agonising defeats in the Irish Oaks and King George, July hasn’t been a bad month for Ralph Beckett with the Kimpton team sending out 21 domestic winners at a strike-rate of 27%.

Westover captured the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the beginning of the month before failing by a head behind Hukum at Ascot last weekend, while Biggles breezed to an easy success in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket’s July meeting.

During the same period, the progressive Nothing To Sea made it two wins from three starts this year when staying on stoutly to win on his handicap debut at Sandown off an opening mark of 91.

Relishing the step up to a mile and six and the rain softened conditions, the Sea The Moon gelding wasn’t hard pressed to concede 13lb to the runner-up Brave Knight before registering a length and a half win.

Beckett immediately nominated the £170,000 Melrose Stakes at York (August 26th) as his next target, provided the ground is on the slow side.

If the heavens don’t open on the Knavesmire later this month, they almost certainly will have done by the time the £100,000 0-105 Finale Handicap over the same course and distance on Friday, October 13th is run.

Raised 6lb since, there is one of those valuable staying prizes in this fast improving three-year-old, who is likely to be of interest to overseas buyers.