Racing:Robert Havlin enjoyed a profitable Saturday for the second week running when guiding King's Warrior to a convincing success in the 53rd John Smith's Cup at York.
With a glut of good racing at the weekend, Havlin is one of the journeyman jockeys who can pick up rides they would otherwise not get. And after his Lancashire Oaks triumph on Great Heavens at Haydock a week earlier, he again showed he can do the job when springing a 33-1 surprise on the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained five-year-old.
Towards the rear as the field straightened up for home, Havlin angled his mount towards the far side of the track and he was still full of running heading inside the final couple of furlongs. King’s Warrior quickly pulled clear to win by four and a half lengths from Mid Mon Lady. Media Hype finished well to be just a head away in third, with Stand To Reason in fourth.
“I think the ground has made the difference,” said Havlin. “His last two runs have been on fast ground and, to be fair, Peter said the horse’s work had been good and he’s not normally far wrong. Peter said to drop in and I was following Mijhaar, but I thought I was going better than him turning in and just did my own thing from then on.”
Owner Paul Hancock, a self-employed corporate financier from Brighton, said: “We had him in the Tattersalls Sales on Friday night with the intention of selling him, but Peter rang me on Tuesday and said we can’t sell him because the horse was working too well and jumping out of his skin. When the trainer says that, it’s all you want to hear.
“When he was trained in France by Richard Gibson and Mikel Delzangles, they always thought he was a potential Black type horse. He had his conditions, ease in the ground and a fast-run race. That’s what he needs. I think it would be mean to get rid of him now.”
Hot favourite Mijhaar appeared to be travelling nicely into the race before being badly hampered by the weakening Fair Trade about three furlongs out and was almost brought down. His rider Neil Callan said: “I was unlucky. He was travelling quite sweetly and I got pushed into the back of Fair Trade. It was unfortunate, but it will be different another day.”
Hamish McGonagall, runner-up in the Nunthorpe Stakes last August, will attempt to go one better in York’s Group One sprint after landing the John Smith’s City Wall Stakes. The Tim Easterby-trained five-year-old registered his fourth course and distance success with a typically blistering display of speed.
Smartly away under David Allan, the 5-1 co-favourite was always in the front rank and showing plenty of dash, he powered to victory by a length and a half from Pabusar, with Monsieur Joe three-quarters of a length away third.
Easterby said: “He’s a superstar. He just loves it here and he’s like a rocket. No matter what the ground is, he just goes and does it. It’s the Nunthorpe - no doubt about it. That’s where he goes. We might run him in the King George Stakes at Goodwood first, but we might wait for here.”
Royal Rascal (7-4 favourite) made it a brace for Easterby and Allan in the John Smith’s Nursery and could now also return to the Knavesmire in the Lowther Stakes.
“She’s a very classy filly. We had her in the Cherry Hinton at Newmarket, but she was low down on the ratings so we came here instead,” said Easterby. “I’ve been dying to run her on good ground. We might run her in the Lowther.”
Kieren Fallon completed a 44-1 double on Anderiego and Mount Athos. Mount Athos (5-1) staked a claim for the Betfred Ebor when defying top weight of 10st in impressive fashion in the John Smith’s Silver Cup.
The Luca Cumani-trained five-year-old produced a telling burst of speed over a furlong out to settle proceedings in a matter of strides and win by four lengths from High Jinx, with Lyric Street a neck back in third.
“They didn’t go much of a gallop which didn’t suit him, but he showed a better turn of foot than I thought he would. It was a good performance,” said Fallon.
The rider had earlier brought the David O’Meara-trained Anderiego (13-2) with a smooth run near the stands side to give the 10-strong Ebor Racing Club their first winner on the Knavesmire in the John Smith’s Racing Handicap.
Mount Athos’s owner Dr Marwan Koukash doubled up with the Mick Channon-trained Very Good Day (8-1) in the John Smith’s Stayers’ Handicap. The Kevin Ryan-trained Blaine (7-2), a half-brother to the stable’s Bogart, made a pleasing winning debut in the John Smith’s Median Auction Maiden Stakes.
“He’s been a professional from the day we got him. He’s in the Gimcrack and all the big sales races,” said Ryan’s assistant Joe O’Gorman.