Christophe Soumillon got the Derby weekend meeting off to a good start by partnering Hanami to take the Group 2 Audi Pretty Polly Stakes.
There was plenty of interference among the main bunch inside the final quarter mile, but James Toller's charge avoided the trouble by coming down the centre of the track in the straight, leading inside the final furlong to beat Zee Zee Top by a neck.
A stewards enquiry was immediately called into an incident over a furlong out in which the runner-up edged left hampering Stage Shy who in turn was pushed onto Snippets and Jakarta Jade. Snippets finished a further length back in third, but was subsequently promoted to second in favour of Zee Zee Top with the later's rider Brett Doyle receiving a four days suspension for careless riding. Stage Shy's rider Seamus Heffernan was given a one day ban for the same offence.
'Christophe gave her a beautiful ride, and we will see how she comes out of this race before deciding whether to go for the Irish Oaks. She is bred to stay a mile and a half but I'm not really sure if she really gets the trip,' said Toller.
Dermot Weld is considering a tilt at the St Leger with Maharib after Sheikh Hamdan's home-bred colt took the Group 3 IAWS Curragh Cup. After Pat Smullen's mount stayed on well under pressure to beat the wandering Arundel by three quarters of a length, Weld said, 'He's tough and stays well, and if he continues to progress we will have to consider the St Leger at Doncaster.'
The Rosewell House trainer also reports both Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle 'on course to run at the start of August, and we will take it from there.'
Weld and Smullen followed up half-an-hour later in the ten furlongs handicap with Ivowen, who led inside the final furlong to beat the staying on Mwaley by three quarters of a length. 'She is out of a Storm Cat mare and will make a nice broodmare in time. Hopefully she can pick up some black type later in the year,' said Weld.
There was a huge gamble landed in the 30 runner seven furlongs handicap when the Christy Roche-trained Desert Fantasy, backed from 8/1 down to 3/1 favourite, quickened impressively at the furlong pole for Fran Berry to easily beat Tigim by four lengths.
The Mighty Tiger showed the benefit of his debut outing at Newmarket last month when taking the two-year-old maiden in good style. The Storm Cat colt was ridden clear by Michael Kinane inside the final furlong to beat the pace-setting favourite Clock Tower by three lengths. 'He is a lovely relaxed horse, and has come on a lot from his first run,' said trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Middlemarch completed a double for the O'Brien/Kinane team when the Grand Lodge newcomer touched off Tropical Lady by a head in the mile maiden.
Shizao put up a fine weight carrying effort to land the valuable seven furlongs fillies handicap, with Kevin Manning's mount gamely holding on by a neck from Perfect Touch.
Alan Magee
