COORDINATED CUT’S Investec Derby challenge is firmly back on track after he averted what would have been a galling defeat in the €280,000 Tattersalls Timeform Three-Year-Old Trophy at Newmarket yesterday.
Lawrie Inman’s colt was a springer in the Epsom market before he had even won his maiden as a two-year-old, but enthusiasm had been tempered when he finished second-last in the Racing Post Trophy.
Inman switched the Monjeu colt from Peter Chapple-Hyam to Michael Bell this season, and he looked to have been well prepared as Jamie Spencer hit the front with a couple of furlongs to run.
But as soon as Spencer committed, Ameer and Frankie Dettori came alongside, only to cut across Coordinated Cut and cause Spencer to snatch up his reins.
They lost about three lengths, but Spencer sensed another opportunity and Coordinated Cut (9 to 1) rallied to get up by a head.
“He loves fast ground and has done nothing but improve every single month,” Bell said. “He was probably very green last year.
“He’ll go for a Derby trial now – he’s in the Dante and, that’s my preference. With Epsom or whatever, we’re going to have a lot of fun with him.”
Bell won the Derby in 2005 with Motivator and was asked how the pair matched up.
“Comparisons are odious but they are different types of horse,” he explained.
“Motivator had more natural gears, but this horse is a far more thorough stayer.”
Totesport were least impressed, offering Coordinated Cut at 20 to 1 for the Derby, with Coral much shorter at 14s.
A typically topsy-turvy day on the Classic front revealed a major new contender for the Oaks in the shape of Marcus Tregoning and Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Rumoush.
Backed into 7 to 2 for the Blue Square Feilden Stakes and entered in the Guineas and Oaks, she drew rare praise from Tregoning after putting the Listed race to bed at the furlong pole.
She now generally disputes Oaks favouritism at around 8 to 1 with Henry Cecil’s Timepiece, who did not get the clearest of passages but was held in fourth.
Red Jazz had not been seen since finishing third to Arcano in the July Stakes but was clearly raring to go for the Bluesquare.com Handicap.
Michael Hills made all the running in determined fashion aboard his father, Barry’s, colt (11 to 2) and found an extra gear in the closing stages to contain Quadrille (100 to 30 favourite).
Richard Hannon continued his domination of the Salinity Conditions Stakes as Retainer (6 to 5 favourite) comfortably made it five wins from the previous seven renewals for the ace juvenile trainer.
Meanwhile, over at Cheltenham, Duc De Regniere ended what trainer Nicky Henderson described as “a great year” by gamely fighting-off I’m So Lucky in the featured Masterson Holdings Silver Trophy Limited Handicap Chase.
The gelding was having only his fifth start since last November but as he eased to a neck verdict over I’m So Lucky under Barry Geraghty, he was chalking-up a third success in that period.
Ouzbeck was having only a third outing of the campaign in the Rundle Co Handicap Chase, but like so many horses encountering the faster ground, he relished conditions to storm back to form for Emma Lavelle and Jack Doyle.
After overcoming a couple of early mistakes, the 17 to 2 chance eased home by three-quarters of a length from Burren Legend after jumping level with that rival at the last.
Puzzlemaster showed the benefit of his expanding experience with a convincing success in the Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
Puzzlemaster (6 to 1) was always going better than Monetary Fund and stretched 10 lengths clear of the favourite in the hands of Tom Scudamore.
There was a 20 to 1 surprise in the StanJames.com Handicap Hurdle as Quartz De Thaix stormed up the hill to beat Pontop five lengths under Aidan Coleman.
