Sandown Friday

THE Group 3 bet365 Classic Trial turned out to be the best of the classic trials last year, with Alenquer beating Adayar, Yibir and Lone Eagle, and it might be too much to ask for a repeat of that harvest.

However, it again threw up a couple of very promising colts in winner Westover (Ralph Beckett/Rob Hornby) and fast-finishing runner-up Cash (David Simcock/Jamie Spencer).

The pace was a strong one, set by favourite Goldspur (Charlie Appleby/Will Buick), and it soon separated the sheep from the goats, with Aidan O’Brien’s River Thames crying enough early in the straight having tried to keep close tabs on the leader. Westover travelled kindly, however, and looked set to win when tackling Goldspur over a furlong out, only to drift to his left through greenness.

That allowed Goldspur to rally, but also presented Spencer with an opportunity to deliver Cash between rivals having been held up in the early stages. The grey – sporting the rising sun silks of Earle Mack – finished with a flourish, but Westover picked up again when joined and gained the verdict by a short-head, with Goldspur a length behind, and the rest nine, 10 lengths or more behind the 5/1 winner.

Westover, a son of Frankel out of the Lear Fan mare Mirabilis, is a full-brother to Monarchs Glen, who was fourth in this corresponding event a few years ago before going on to win the Group 3 Darley Stakes as a four-year-old. He was a winner over a mile here on his two-year-old debut, and was beaten narrowly in the Listed Silver Tankard Stakes on his final start as a juvenile. He has scope to progress further, and is entered in the Dante Stakes, the Derby and the Irish Derby.

Runner-up Cash has the same entries, and is arguably the better prospect, with this just his second start after winning a Newmarket maiden in October. He’s by Shamardal out of a 10-to-14-furlong-winning half-sister to Meeznah, who was beaten narrowly by Snow Fairy in the Oaks before being disqualified.

Gordon Richards Stakes

The Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes drew a small field of three, and John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf – described by Gosden Sr as a “next year horse” when winning five of his six starts as a three-year-old – proved a cut above his rivals in the paddock and the race itself, not needing Jim Crowley to ask for everything to come home two and a half lengths ahead of Foxes Tales (Andrew Balding/David Probert), with the pace-setting Juan Elcano fading into third.

In truth, Mostahdaf was entitled to win this race on ratings, and while he was trying 10 furlongs for the first time, Gosden felt that this was likely to be his trip as a four-year-old.

He is from the family of Group 1-winning sprinters Goodricke and Pastoral Pursuits, and is a Frankel half-brother to Falmouth and Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Nazeef. Like Nazeef, he was unraced at two for Gosden, and like her he has progressed well with age.

Mostahdaf appeared fit and well in the preliminaries, in contrast to both of his rivals, who gave a strong indication that they would benefit from the outing, with Juan Elcano not quite there in his coat, and Foxes Tales slightly burly.

“He ran well throughout last season,” said Thady Gosden. “The St James’s Palace Stakes didn’t quite go according to plan, but we stepped him up to a mile and quarter here for the first time and he stayed it quite well.

“He won over nine furlongs last year. It is a stiff mile and quarter here and the ground is riding a little bit dead at the moment, but he stayed well and it was a competitive enough race.

“The Prince of Wales’s or Brigadier Gerard will come under consideration, I would imagine.”

bet365 Mile

The Group 2 bet365 Mile was expected by most to go to Sussex Stakes heroine Alcohol Free, but despite being favoured by the conditions of this contest, Andrew Balding’s filly failed to fire, and could finish just a respectable third.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Lights On (Ryan Moore) was well positioned just behind the pace and ran on well when meeting the rising ground to hold the late challenge of Mutasaabeq (Charlie Hills/Jim Crowley) by a neck, with the favourite beaten two lengths in total.

The market rather told the story here, with Alcohol Free drifting from a shade of odds-on in the morning to an SP of 7/4, while the others tightened up, and the winner was sent off at an SP of 17/2, having been available the evening before at 16/1.

Lights Out seemed to have her limitations exposed when twice beaten in Group 3 company later last year, so there must be a question about the validity of this win, with the favourite rusty and the runner-up arguably unlucky having been forced to wait for a gap.

In fairness to the winner, she had excuses on firm ground either side of her Pontefract win, and may well have improved here given her trainer’s uncanny knack of unlocking potential in older horses. She has entries in the Dahlia Stakes (1m1f) at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting, and in York’s Middleton Stakes over an extended mile and a quarter, and Cheveley Park’s Chris Richardson was left to mull over the options:

“It is nice we kept the filly in training and she has rewarded us. Where she goes will depend on the ground – she needs a bit of ease. Ryan said she might stay a bit further and might stay 10 furlongs, but we have to wait for the ground – that is the key with her. We have had such a dry spell, you’d hope some rain will come.”

The novice fillies’ race over 10 furlongs could be one to note as Frankie Dettori partnered the John and Thady Gosden-trained 5/4 favourite Emily Upjohn to a nine-and-a-half-length success, earning Oaks quotes of 7/1 for the now dual winning daughter of Sea The Stars.