Palace Pier showed a brilliant turn of foot to power to glory in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
One of last year’s pre-eminent milers, the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt returned to action in style last month at Sandown, tuning up perfectly for his latest Group One assignment.
Settled towards the rear of the pack as Lord Campari took them along, jockey Frankie Dettori was assessing dangers approaching two furlongs out — and, satisfied the time was right, he let the 1-2 favourite go about his business.
The response was electric — but runner-up Lady Bowthorpe ran the race of her life to make sure it was not just a procession.
In the end a comfortable length and a half was the winning margin, with Top Rank also emerging with plenty of credit in third, another five and a half lengths back.
John Gosden said: “He’s a lovely horse, he relaxed well in the race — he got a little bit squeezed leaving the gate, Frankie said he got back further than he wanted.
“He came through very nicely, he said he had it won two out — he had to go. He got a little bit lonely looking around in front ,and I thought the filly ran a great race to be second. I’m thrilled for them.
“I think he would (get a mile and a quarter), he relaxes so well — you can put him where you want in a race, so to that extent we could do (step up), but it’s pretty obvious at this stage to go to the Queen Anne (at Royal Ascot) and think about it after that, whether we want to change trip.
“I could see that (Juddmonte International) as a very possible target for him - as you know Royal Ascot to the Eclipse is very tight, about 16 days, so that’s quite tough if they’ve had a hard race at Ascot to come back in 16 days.
“I think the Juddmonte would be a strong possibility, but there is a little race in France called the Prix Jacques le Marois at the same time, although getting to France is quite difficult now.
“He’s a son of Kingman. Kingman is a horse I could have brought back and run in the July Cup over six furlongs, he was that fast — whereas this horse has got from the dam’s side the ability to stay.”
As for the gallant runner-up, William Jarvis is also planning to go to the Royal meeting, for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, before heading for the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July fixture.
Jarvis said: “I hate finishing second, but I didn’t expect to win necessarily today — it was only if Palace Pier didn’t turn up, and I think he did run his race. I think we made him battle, and we are five lengths clear of the third.
“I think it was a pretty good performance. I’m delighted with her.”
Meanwhile, Creative Force looks a sprinter on the up after blitzing his rivals in the BetVictor Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.
Charlie Appleby’s three-year-old, who is gelded so will be unable to run in the Commonwealth Cup, came from last to first under James Doyle to beat Spycatcher by a comfortable three lengths.
Sent off a 9-4 chance, he has now won four of his five races, with his sole defeat in the Coventry Stakes last year.
“He’s a progressive little horse,” said Appleby from Newmarket.
“The way he’s hitting the line over six the option could be there to step up to seven furlongs and he could be a Jersey horse, but I haven’t had chance to speak to James yet.
“Unfortunately he doesn’t qualify for the Commonwealth, but the Jersey could be a possibility. If not we’ll step him up to Group company over six. He settles, so he gives himself a chance.
“He’s a fun little horse to have around at the moment. Who knows, if he hadn’t been gelded he might not be doing what he’s doing now. He’s there to be a racehorse and that’s what he’s doing now.
“When these sprinters get on a roll you don’t know when they’ll plateau out. Thankfully he’s on an upward curve.”
Few in the weighing room are riding better than former champion Ryan Moore this season — and he again showed how difficult he is to beat in a finish when Dukebox (8-1) prevailed in a photo to the BetVictor Conditions Stakes.
Richard Hannon used the same race as a stepping stone to Royal Ascot in 2016 for Mehmas, who went on to be second on the Coventry before winning the July Stakes and the Richmond at Goodwood.
Dukebox had won on debut at Kempton, but the market favoured stablemate Al Shibli, who went off the 7-4 favourite.
Oisin Murphy appeared to have done everything right on Dairerin, who hit the front deep inside the final furlong, but Moore would not be denied and got the verdict by a nose.
“This lad is out of Broadway Duchess who we also trained, I own a quarter along with Christopher Powell who unfortunately lost his wife (Jenny) six months ago and this is when you find out horses give you something money can’t buy,” said Hannon.
“He’ll go to the Coventry and I’ve put him in the Railway Stakes as well. He won today like he won his first race, he never looked like he’d win either.
“They went pretty quick, Ryan said it felt like the Abbaye. It’s always the sign of a good horse when they only just do enough.
“The other horse is nice and when he gets some fast ground he’ll win.”
The BetVictor London Gold Cup Handicap is usually one of the hottest handicaps of the season, with the winner known to go on to Group-race glory.
While this year’s renewal looked to lack the strength in depth of previous runnings, the winner looks well up to scratch.
Well-backed, Michael Stoute's Bay Bridge went off the 11-4 favourite and Moore always looked to have matters under control, coming four lengths clear.
At Newmarket, John Leeper kept his Cazoo Derby dreams alive with victory in the Betway Fairway Stakes.
Bred in the purple by Frankel out of Ed Dunlop’s brilliant racemare Snow Fairy, the imposing colt carries the name of the trainer’s late father and suggested he was a smart performer in the making with an emphatic success in a novice event at Newcastle last month.
Stepped up markedly in class to Listed level on the Rowley Mile, the 6-4 favourite did almost everything wrong in the early stages as William Buick tried his best to get him to settle.
But a smooth move to the head of affairs approaching three furlongs out caught the eye — and while he did not go immediately clear as the useful Tasman Bay stuck to his guns, he was ultimately well on top at the line, looking like another two furlongs would be well within his compass.
Bookmaker reaction for Epsom was positive, with Paddy Power and Betfair going 7-1 from 16-1 while Coral went 8-1 from 12-1.
Dunlop was relieved as well as excited after John Leeper’s victory.
“He’s named after my dad — so that is about as much pressure as you can get,” he said.
“He (Buick) said it was a farce of a race, because they trotted for however long.
“He was a little bit keen and fresh and inexperienced, but he can only get better with more racing.
“I’m sure the owner (Cristina Patino) will want to go to Epsom — she has had the dream to do it, and as long as he is OK that is what we will do.”
Dunlop was pleased to see Buick take the initiative after the slow early gallop.
He added: “William was good and he said ‘I’m not going to hang about here because this horse has not done very much’.
“The form of the race was good — and although he will need to step forward again, I think he deserves to go to Epsom as long as he is okay and conditions are right.
“I’m very pleased with the horse and for Mrs Patino particularly.”
Whatever happens in the Derby, Dunlop is confident John Leeper will progress with age and experience.
“This is only hopefully the start of a horse that will do well in the future,” he said.
“These are more battle-hardened horses than him, and he has beaten them.
“I was very surprised (when the owner said she was going to name him after my dad) — but she has loved the horse since he was born, and he is a beautiful horse.
“It is a great honour for the horse to be named after my father, so let’s hope he can live up to that.
“We’ve got through this stage, but there are plenty more to go.
“He is very immature — just look at the size of him — and he needs more practice, which is probably what you don’t want to hear going into a Derby.
“He has run three times in his life but he is going the right way, so we will see how we go.”
Bellosa added to Jane Chapple-Hyam's strength in the fillies' department with victory in the Betway King Charles II Stakes, to stay unbeaten.
Making all, the 6-4 favourite did drift across to the stands rail in the closing stags, but had enough in hand to readily hold Fundamental.
Chapple-Hyam — whose Saffron Beach found only Mother Earth too good in the 1000 Guineas — said: “She is nice, but she was green. She has never been among a batch of horses. She is so good out of the gates, she wants to get on with it. I didn’t want Richard to drag her back as she has got such a lovely long stride.
“I would prefer to go for the Jersey Stakes at Ascot as it is up the straight and we have beaten some boys today, but we will just see how she come out the race.”
She added: “For now on her third start I would like to remain at seven, but in time when she relaxes in her races she could step up to a mile or next year as a four-year-old.
“If Sir Edmund (Loder, owner-breeder) is happy we will put her in the Jersey Stakes. We will all sleep on it and see how she is and make a plan.
“I feel mentally there is more improvement in her and with more racing she will get the hang of it.”
