Newmarket Saturday

Virgin Bet Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 1)

TAMFANA (David Menuisier/Colin Keane) confirmed herself a top-class miler with victory in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday. An eye-catching fourth in the 1000 Guineas in the spring, she had been campaigned over further before being brought back to a mile to win the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown last time.

Upped markedly in class here, Tamfana progressed again and travelled like the likeliest winner throughout. Tracking outsider Darnation, who made the running, Tamfana took over on the bridle with two furlongs left and, although Inspiral (John and Thady Gosden/Rab Havlin) made rapid headway to chase her out of the dip, Tamfana stayed on strongly when hitting rising ground and won by two lengths from the 2023 winner, with Strensall Stakes heroine See The Fire (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) another length behind in third.

Murphy had ridden Tamfana to victory last time, but was claimed by Balding for See The Fire, enabling Keane to come in for the ride – his first for Menuisier.

Inspiral got off to a slow start, as has become the norm, but she soon recovered to have every chance, and this was her best effort of a rather disappointing season. Her jockey reported that she didn’t like the dead ground, and it has been reported that she will now be retired to the paddocks at Cheveley Park Stud.

“She did exactly what we hoped she would,” said David Menuisier. “I said to Colin ‘she travels well and quickens, so keep it simple wherever you are and respect the filly as she will take you there,’ and she did. For once, everything went smoothly and she really deserved this. Honestly, it is a big monkey off our back. This is what is great for racing. It is great to have big owners, but it is great for syndicates like this to be rewarded this way.

Beating the best

“The filly was purchased for €20,000 and she is beating all those well-bred horses owned by the biggest in the UK and the world. That was just magic. It is a big sense of achievement, when you think you have missed out a few times. I’m glad for the filly before myself and the owners. She is entered on Champions Day, and she goes on any ground, but at this time of year, you have to play it by ear. We will enjoy this, then see in the next couple of weeks if we go again.”

Richard Thompson, of Cheveley Park Stud, paid tribute to Inspiral, saying: “She has been brilliant, and it has been a hell of a journey winning six Group 1s. To breed her and to then have the days we have had with her have been marvellous. For my mother, myself, and the team at the stud, it has been brilliant. She has just finished second in a good Group 1.

“We ran her in the Fillies’ Mile three years ago, so to still be performing at this level ain’t bad. Fingers crossed she can produce some champions that we then own. She is right at the top of the tree and next to her would be Russian Rhythm. To win a Breeders’ Cup and to win the Jacques Le Marois twice against the colts at Deauville were three great days. She has been brilliant.”

Ascot Saturday

BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes

KARL Burke’s annus mirabilis continued at Ascot on Saturday as Al Qareem (Clifford Lee) took the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes for the second consecutive year. As in 2023, the five-year-old had gone winless through the year until landing the Stand Cup Stakes at Chester in September, before doubling up at Ascot.

It’s remarkable to think that he gave 12lb and a beating to Bluestocking in that Chester contest last season, and he looked better than ever here as he powered clear early in the straight, drawing the finish out of chief rival Al Aasy (William Haggas/Cieren Fallon) in the process, to win by a comfortable two lengths from the reliable runner-up, who was given a lot to do in the circumstances.

Layfayette (Noel Meade/David Egan) ran a solid race to be third, just half a length behind Al Aasy, having been the winner’s closest pursuer until well inside the final furlong. Al Qareem was very well-backed, unseating Al Aasy - who played up before the start - as market leader and going off an 11/10 shot.

John Guest Bengough Stakes

The Group 3 Bengough Stakes was not the strongest renewal of the six-furlong contest and the first two home have been contesting handicaps rather than pattern races of late, but if there is a sprinter who has deserved a win over the last couple of seasons, it must be Apollo One (Peter Charalambous and James Clutterbuck/Danny Tudhope), who gained his first success since 2022 when holding the challenge of Jarraaf (Owen Burrows/Saffie Osborne) by a length.

The son of Equiano is as tough as they come and has been knocking hard on the door in all the big handicaps for the past couple of seasons, making the places in no fewer than eight heritage handicaps without managing to get his head in front. Those runs include second-place finishes in the Wokingham, the Stewards Cup (twice) and the Portland Handicap.

Sent off at 17/2, the six-year-old was always in the vanguard, leading a furlong out and finding enough in the closing stages to end his unfortunate drought. Jarraaf ran on well for second, a neck in front of Russet Gold (Roger Varian/Callum Rodriguez), with the first five home separated by just over two lengths.

BetMGM Rous Stakes

There was a familiar theme to the black-type sprints on Ascot’s Saturday card, with Rumstar (Jonny Portman/Hector Crouch) taking the opening Rous Stakes over five furlongs, having run well in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last month. Just behind Apollo One on Town Moor, Rumstar has also been running well in high-end handicaps and benefitted from the relative weakness of this Listed contest to break a losing run stretching back to the Cornwallis Stakes in his juvenile campaign.

Rumstar was quietly backed for this, even despite being unproven on soft ground, and his SP of 6/1 was less than half the odds available about him the night before.

Rumstar’s task was made easier when inveterate front-runner Democracy Dilemma missed a beat at the start when his hood was removed fractionally late and, although he was soon rushed up to lead, he ended up doing too much on the front end, and he weakened with a furlong and a half left.

That briefly left Beautiful Diamond (Karl Burke/Clifford Lee) in front, but she was soon challenged and passed by Rumstar, who had two lengths to spare over her at the line.

MOST of the significant action on Sunday took place in Paris, but John McConnell added to his UK gains when saddling Jumping Susie (Harry Cobden) to win the opening novice hurdle at Kelso, and he came within a whisker of a double when Yokkell was beaten a nose in a similar even later on the card. McConnell had a very quiet spell last autumn, but he looks to be gearing up for another lucrative season on British soil in 2024/’25.