Godolphin’s Hornsby, No Delusion steal the show at Newmarket

Godolphin’s Comicas, also the charge of Appleby and ridden by Tom Marquand, was fifth, while Race Day, saddled by Saeed bin Suroor and the ride of Harry Bentley, finished seventh.

Godolphin Racing trainer Charlie Appleby tasted success with Hornsby, who won at Newmarket. — KT file

Abu Dhabi — Godolphin Racing’s Hexagonal clinched her first win in six starts when he triumphed in the Frank’s Financial Services 3yo Maiden Handicap in Goulburn Australia, on Monday.

The three-year-old filly, the sire of the illustrious Shamardal from Hexameter, had a superb start and led going into the rail. Trained by John O’Shea, she opened up a gap of two lengths over the chasing pack, with two furlongs left.

Jockey Brodie Loy then pushed her up even further in the final furlong to cruise to a fine finish. She won by 1 1/4 lengths over Eureka Maid. Hexagonal’s previous best was a second place finish in the Swiftwood Tiles & Bathrooms 3yo Maiden Plate, also at Goulburn, in May. She has two third place finishes at Gosford and Warwick Farm on her maiden run last October.

On Sunday, trainer Henri-Alex Pantall came away with a win and a second place from four of his runners in France.

Earlier, on what was a very busy and hectic Saturday, Hornsby and No Delusion won at Newmarket, UK, for Godolphin. Godolphin also had three second place finishes and two third places. At Aix-Les-Bains, France, Spinning Cloud showed promise by bouncing back from a lowly seventh on debut to win the Prix des Gentianes, in only her second start.

Ridden by Lukas Delozier, Spinning Cloud, the three-year-old daughter of 2002 Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry, won by a nose over Qatari Perfection. Spinning Cloud, from Sky Song, had finished seventh on debut in the Prix All Along Maiden for three-year-old Fillies in Lisieux in early May. Also in France, Pantall then oversaw, Nijah, the daughter of King’s Stand Stakes and Nunthorpe Stakes winner Pivotal, finish second in the Prix du Casino de Royan, at Royan La Palmyre.

Nijah, from Vista Bella, with Antoine Werle onboard, came close to notching her second win on the bounce before settling for second. Nijah had won the Prix de Chambray-les-Tours in May but finished half a length behind Kermiyan here.

Scholarly was seventh in the Prix du Verger in Senonnes-Pouance, while Processional finished ninth in the Prix de Saint-Augustin, also at Royan La Palmyre. Meanwhile, Hornsby too emulated Spinning Cloud at Newmarket. The two-year-old colt, the sire of Dubawi from Moonlife, rode a measured race to land the spoils in the Francis Wain Jewellers EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.

Saddled by Charlie Appleby and piloted by Kevin Scott, kept pace with the leaders before making his move. He then took the lead and maintained that to the finish to win by half a length over Zebadiah. Hornsby had finished sixth on debut in the Airports Love Sonic Bagdrop EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.

Godolphin’s Comicas, also the charge of Appleby and ridden by Tom Marquand, was fifth, while Race Day, saddled by Saeed bin Suroor and the ride of Harry Bentley, finished seventh. No Delusion, ridden by Kevin Scott and trained by Appleby, staged a brilliant fightback to win the Pearly Princess EBF Stallions Fillies’ Handicap. No Delusion led a Godolphin’s one-two as Amazing Speed came home second.

No Delusion, also the daughter of Street Cry from Dream Empress, was locked in battle with stablemate Amazing Speed before winning by a head over the sire of Shamardal. Amazing Speed is trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Harry Bentley.

Demonstrate, trained by John O’Shea and ridden by Patrick Moloney, was second in the Silver Thomas Hanley Handicap in Moonee Valley, Australia.

In Haydock, UK, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Memorial Day, finished second in the Betfred “Still Treble Odds On Lucky 15’s” Maiden Stakes. Stalwart, ridden by Sam Clipperton, was third in the TAB Place Multi Plate in Randwick, Australia. Transcript, with Paul King onboard, finished third in the Coca-Cola Class 1 & Maiden Plate in Newcastle, Australia.

james@khaleejtimes.com