York Saturday

THE Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes on York’s card produced a disappointingly small field, with 10/11 favourite Without A Fight (Simon and Ed Crisford/Andrea Atzeni) running out a facile winner by three and a half lengths over John Leeper (Ed Dunlop/Richard Kingscote), who had also filled that spot when the pair clashed over course and distance last month.

The five-year-old was talked of as a possible for the Melbourne Cup by Ed Crisford, and while he qualified under the criteria for that race with his listed win over John Leeper last time, this Group 3 win strengthens his claims of making the cut for the ‘race that stops a nation’.

The real feature for most racegoers and punters on the card was, of course, the John Smith’s Cup, and the valuable handicap went the way of Anmaat (Owen Burrows/Kevin Stott), who produced a smart performance to score on his seasonal reappearance.

The 5/1 joint-favourite finished off well to beat Achelois (Andrew Balding/Harry Davies) in a finish which saw the front four separated by just a length.

Exciting Aclaim

The Listed City Walls Stakes produced a notable result, as Royal Aclaim (James Tate/Andrea Atzeni) stepped up from novice company to run out a very impressive winner of the five-furlong contest, marking her down as an exciting and unexposed sprinter who must have the course-and-distance Nunthorpe Stakes on her agenda.

On paper, a two-length defeat of Mondammej, in receipt of 10lb is far from the standard required next month, but this was just her third lifetime start, and the ease with which the 11/4 shot moved through the race was very taking.

It’s not easy to put a figure on her, with the race’s time-figure disappointing given the conditions, but she’s exciting, and adds an extra element to the division, which is most welcome.

Ascot Saturday

RICHARD Hannon’s Chindit has been highly tried in Group 1 company but benefited from an overdue drop in class to beat Mutasaabeq (Charlie Hills/Jim Crowley) in the Group 2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes.

The pair produced a tremendous tussle over the last three furlongs before Pat Dobbs’ mount got back up to score by a head having been headed over a furlong from home.

Chindit displayed his battling qualities here, showing that a couple of beatings by the exceptional Baaeed this season haven’t harmed his confidence. The winner was a clear favourite in the morning, but was easy to back, and started second best in the betting at 85/40.

Owner Michael Pescod is not shy of taking another shot at the best in his quest for a first Group 1 win as an owner. Asked if he feared the unbeaten Baaeed, he said: “If you tell me where Baaeed is going to go, I will tell you if this is the horse who could be the first.

“We are entered at Goodwood. We are not going to duck him. He is one of the best horses I have owned. I still get a big thrill out of it. Why not? I have got to have something to do in my old age.”

IT was business as usual at Perth on Sunday, with three of the first four races going to Gordon Elliott-trained runners.

Kicked off

Encki Flacke kicked off the treble when winning the opening novice hurdle at 4/11, with Hermann Clermont taking the novice handicap chase at 5/1, and 13/8 shot Quantum Realm brought up the treble in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.

All three were ridden by Sean Bowen.