Hickory Lad a Woodcote wonder for Phillip Makin Phillip Makin can look forward to making big-race plans for Hickory Lad after seeing his star juvenile lead his rivals a merry dance in the Oddschecker British EBF Woodcote Stakes at Epsom. Second on his Thirsk debut before landing cramped odds on his second start at Musselburgh, he was last seen finishing best of the rest behind the speedy Adonius in the Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes at Chester. The James Garfield colt was a 100-30 shot stepping up to six furlongs for the first time and after being sent straight to the front by Sam James he never saw another rival, with Alpe d’Huez a three-and-a-quarter-length second and Rlasthope just a short head behind in third. Makin said: “He never looked in any bother really. Obviously with it being over six we were wondering if he’d get home, but it looked like the further he went the better he went. “I don’t know if the trip brought out that much improvement, he ran very well at Chester from a tricky draw. He certainly didn’t mind the trip.” While the Yorkshire trainer will campaign Hickory Lad at a higher level later this summer, he is unsure about an appearance at Royal Ascot. “I don’t know about Ascot. We came here instead of it really. Obviously the conditions of the Windsor Castle have changed so I don’t know,” he added. “I was surprised how well he did win, but it was a nice surprise. Sam just said he bolted up. He’s got a great attitude and he’s very easy to train.” Naana’s Shadow made the long trip from the Scottish borders worthwhile with a facile success in the Win With Zyn 3YO “Dash” Handicap. Trained near Galashiels by Katie Scott after changing hands for 20,000 guineas late last year, the Havana Grey filly opened her account for her new connections at Catterick in April before placing third in a stronger race at York last month. She was the 7-2 favourite for the Oaks day opener and dominated from the off under Oisin Murphy, with victory sewn up by time Call Margot got going late in the day to get within three-quarters of a length at the line. Scott said: “We had a horse a couple of years ago finish fifth in this so when this filly won at Catterick my head girl said she was a similar type so we should give this a bash again. To have a winner here today is massive for a yard like ours. “We’ve only got 21 horses but we’re full at that. That means we don’t have many chances to showcase what we can do, but we’ve got a couple of fast fillies in the yard in her and Figjam who runs on Saturday at Musselburgh. “For a small team we’re producing above what we should be and I suppose the target for her now will be some black type in the summer.” She added: “I ran the London Marathon for Racing Welfare but I’m not as fast as Naana’s Shadow!” Sallaal turned the Betfred “Nifty 50” Handicap into a procession for Roger Varian and Ray Dawson. A 5-2 favourite after making late gains to finish an eyecatching second at this track in late April, the well-bred son of Frankel and top-class racemare Nahrain rewarded his supporters in devastating fashion, looking every inch the proverbial Group horse in a handicap as he careered away to win by six and a half lengths from his chief market rival Respond. Varian said: “The last day made today. We had to educate him because he was a bit soft last year. We had to get him to drop his head to see if he got the trip and of course the winner got loose and we couldn’t reel him in but that made today I think. “We always rated this horse very highly and he just didn’t quite put it together. We were running him over a mile because he was a bit free. “We’ll look for a Pattern race now. He’s in a race in Ireland (International Stakes, Curragh) and there’s a Listed race over 10 furlongs at Sandown on Eclipse day we could look at.”
