The Roger Varian trained Charyn (77) was rather impressive winning the Listed Doncaster Mile on Saturday, to give his trainer a fourth win in the race in the past eight years. The son of Dark Angel has bigger targets ahead this season with the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury his main early season target, although his trainer suggested he could take in the Group 2 Sandown Mile enroute.

Varian stated “It’s what we were hoping for. He is a hard horse to judge but has a great constitution, carries a lot of condition, and is very laid back in his homework. It’s not always easy to know where you are with him. He is a very lovely horse, very genuine. The Lockinge is the target but I wouldn’t rule out going to Sandown along the way for the Group 2″.

Charyn beat a good yardstick in Astral Beau who would have had her perfect conditions, with the rest of the field well strung out. The distances between runners at the finish can be attributed to the strong head wind rather than the winners ability. That said, this was a good marker for his first run of the year and he couldn’t have looked more impressive. Although this is likely to put him spot-on for the Group 1 at Newbury on the the 18th May, he will need to step up a fair bit to win at the highest level. It is also worth considering that as he does go well fresh it would not hinder his chance if he were to miss the Sandown engagement, although it may take a decent one to beat him in that.

There was a shock caused in the Brocklesby Stakes, with Zminiature (52) taking the conditions race for two-year-olds at 16/1. Not the quickest away from the stalls, jockey Rhys Clutterbuck had to ask him to move forward to hold a position, but in the end he did it pretty comfortably, travelling well before making his final effort to win by a length, though what the form is worth is hard to know as favourite Mystical Elegance finished well out the back after being hampered on the stands rail. Take nothing away from the winner he looks a sharp early sort, but he may lack the size to develop further and others will likely progress past him.

The Spring Mile Handicap was won well by Look Back Smiling (74+) who had looked a progressive type beforehand, and he got the better of Thunder Roar, who also looks one to follow this season. The pair each won a division of the Scott Dobson Memorial Handicap here last October and both could win their fair share of races this term with some give in the ground. Look Back Smiling looked better than the winning margin suggested though, considering that he hit the front sooner than ideal and lacked a recent run. It would not be surprising to see him go in again next time as the handicapper is unlikely to be able to put him up more than 7lb and a mark of 90 or lower would still be lenient when conditions do suit.

Trainer Gemma Tutty spoke after the race and said “There was nothing to take him into it. But the moment he’s got any daylight I’m always panicking. It was nerve-racking but he’s got a lot of ability. He’s a tricky horse to work at home and we tend to put the less experienced riders on him as he does more for them (developing) as he does for us”.

Nothing was highlighted for his next assignment but the Spring Cup Handicap at Newbury, again over a straight mile, could be a future target unless he heads somewhere like Newmarket on Guineas weekend. With a mark around 90 he would be guaranteed to get a run and there would still be sufficient cut in the ground for him to operate effectively. Wherever he goes next, he will be dangerous. A mention should also go to jockey Brandon Wilkie who gave this tricky horse a solid ride and he is now two-from-two on him. Brandon’s 5lb claim looks a big asset at the moment and he has ambitions to challenge for the Apprentice Jockeys title this year, for which he would have a strong chance.

Montassib (71) showed an impressive turn of foot to put the Listed Cammidge Trophy to bed quickly under what was pretty much a hands-and-heels ride. Although he managed to get good cover going into the strong head wind the manner in which he was on top at the end puts him down as a sprinter to keep on side. The overall time was not great but sprinting looks to be his bag. There looks to be no clear plans after this but considering that he has won at Newmarket previously he could head to the Abernant over six furlongs on the 18th April, which is just over three weeks away. That is even more likely due to the fact he came into this rated 108 and his adjusted rating will mean most handicaps will be out of the question.

Maureen Haggas was interviewed after the race and said “He (Cieron Fallon) rode him with a lot of confidence and had him well covered up in a rather strong headwind. They went a good clip in testing ground and the fact he just stays seven furlongs was in his favour today as he stayed strongly to the line.”

She continued “I don’t know (what is next), that is up to William (Haggas) really but I think a bit cut in the ground is important which is unusual for an Exceed And Excel, but he seems to have shown his best form on slower ground. I thought this might be a bit tacky for him today but it didn’t seem to bother him.”

The one beaten horse I would take out of the race would actually be eventual second, Marshman, who raced very keenly early on and he deserves plenty of credit for sticking on gamely to beat the rest. A return to five furlongs may be on the cards for him, although he definitely does get the six. As for Orazio, it will be interesting if his handicap mark changes after this but he still looks to have potential of winning a decent handicap off a mark of 100.

The big race of the day was the Lincoln Handicap where Mr Professor (89) on the day put in the most impressive performance on the clock, finishing a clear and decisive winner for Amo Racing Limited at a massive 33/1. Officially rated 92 by the Handicapper (8lb below his highest rating), the Dominic Ffrench Davis trained runner had found life relatively tough after a very good two-year-old season where he beat none other than future dual Group 1 winner Westover by a neck in the Listed Silver Tankard Stakes at Pontefract. With just one win since in a Class 4 Handicap at Goodwood, this was a big step forward, but following this he is definitely one to keep on side when the ground is testing, and the drop back to a mile might just have been what he needed.

Dominic Ffrench Davis spoke after the race “A lot of it has to do with the ground. It is very tacky holding ground out there and he travelled beautifully on it. Two out he was going supremely well and David (Egan) didn’t really want to hit the front as soon as he did, but its very hard to make ground up on that sort of ground, so he’s had to go when he did and he’s quickened up well nicely and kept going.”

Similar to the Spring Mile winner, the Spring Cup at Newbury looks a logical step and his trainer did give that race a mention. Whether it will be as testing as it was here is unlikely but it will be interesting what the handicapper does with this returning to form five-year-old going forward. It is also worth keeping an eye out for eventual third Navagio next time out. The James Horton trained runner was near enough last three furlongs out and made up plenty of ground without ever looking likely to trouble the winner. Previously successful over an extended nine furlongs, he stayed on well and could be one for something similar to the Suffolk Handicap at Newmarket and may even be a Cambridgeshire Handicap candidate later in the year.

Finally, Moon Over Miami (77) trained by Ralph Beckett gets a mention after taking the three-year-old Maiden Stakes following a sustained battle with the more experienced Harper’s Ferry, with the pair pulling clear. It was a solid debut performance on testing ground and although you would need to see him back it up next time out, he looks like one to follow depending on how the handicapper reacts. Although he is French bred, there is plenty of German influence within his pedigree and the expectation is that he will stay much further in time, especially considering he found plenty when asked.


Horses To Follow:

Moon Over Miami
Sea The Moon (GER) – Wiesenlerche (IRE) > (Alderflug (GER)
Looks to have a good future over staying trips and has been flagged by his trainer as a handicapper in the making. His pedigree would suggest that he definitely needs cut in the ground so we might not see the best of him until the Autumn.

Look Back Smiling (1st)
Fast Company (IRE) – Portico > (Pivotal)
Won well with plenty in hand from another nice progressive type despite lacking a recent run. Expect him to be as effective over seven furlongs as he is the mile and could rack up a couple more handicap wins this season.

Navagio (3rd)
Footstepsinthesand – Souzie (IRE) > (Le Harve (IRE))
Raced in last and moved through the field smoothly before suffering interference twice, interupting his run. Would not have beaten the winner but was unlucky not to finish second and should be able to win off a mark of 96.