Newmarket Friday

PENSANDO A Te (Marco Botti/Silvestre de Sousa) sprung a 15/2 surprise in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes, denying warm favourite Light Of Dawn (Karl Burke/James Doyle) by a short-head. Ruby Moon (Richard & Peter Fahey/Oisin Orr) was only a head farther away in third in another rousing finish on the Rowley Mile.

Slowly away and held up last, the daughter of Blackbeard was produced on the near side over a furlong from home and finished strongly to lead in the final strides. Light Of Dawn had regained the advantage inside the last furlong after racing keenly, while Ruby Moon bustled them up all the way to the line.

TALK Of New York (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) made no mistake as the 4/9 favourite in the Group 2 Joel Stakes on Friday, beating The Lost King (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) by four and three-quarter lengths, with Persica (Richard Hannon/James Doyle) third.

A listed winner at Sandown in May, Talk Of New York finished third behind Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes before a lesser effort at Goodwood. This run confirmed all the promise he showed at Ascot and there is a possibility that he could be supplemented for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes there on Champions Day.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said: “What he achieved in the St James’s Palace Stakes we had to come here with confidence. You have got to put a line through Goodwood - it was just one of those days, and we have been there before. His preparation coming here looked good.”

Unwilling to commit to Champions Day, Appleby gave an idea of the long-term plan for the classy miler by adding: “He is a horse that I’m very much working back from next year’s Breeders’ Cup. Whether he can achieve what Notable Speech has done, he has got a big mountain to climb, but he is going the right way now.”

Coedana prevails in close finish

Coedana (Edward Bethell/Connor Beasley) landed the Group 3 Princess Royal Stakes at an SP of 10/3, beating favourite Inis Mor (David Menuisier/Ryan Moore) by half a length. Long-time leader Venetia (Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan) was a head away in third in a race where the first four home were covered by less than a length.

Venetia opened a sizeable advantage mid-race, but Coedana made sustained progress from the rear on the near side and joined issue inside the final furlong before asserting in the closing strides, showing plenty of resolve as Inis Mor rallied strongly.

Newmarket Thursday

NEWMARKET’S Cambridgeshire meeting opened on Thursday on ground described as good, good to firm in places, and the feature contest was the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes, which went to 13/2 chance Fuel The Jet (Tom Clover/Neil Callan).

The son of Space Blues beat Notable Dream (Marco Botti/Silvestre de Sousa) by three-quarters of a length, with 3/1 favourite Mezzo Forte (William Haggas/Ryan Moore) a further length back in third.

Fuel The Jet stumbled leaving the stalls and raced keenly after being steadied towards the rear, but he made smooth progress wide of rivals from two furlongs out. He took over entering the final furlong, edged right under pressure and kept on well, always doing enough as Notable Dream rallied into second.

Winner of a nursery at Doncaster a fortnight earlier, the improving Fuel The Jet was gaining his third career win and a first success at group level.

Gregory back to his best

Gregory (John & Thady Gosden/James Doyle) justified 4/7 favouritism in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl, beating Goblet Of Fire (Nicky Henderson/Saffie Osborne) by 11 lengths, with rank outsider Peace Belle (Jennie Candlish/George Wood) edged out of the runners-up spot by just half a length.

Settled in touch behind the keen-going leader Burdett Road, Gregory travelled strongly into contention before sweeping to the front over two furlongs out and quickly drawing clear without needing to be asked for everything.

Goblet Of Fire stayed on for a remote second, but the winner was in a different league to his rivals on the day.

Thady Gosden spoke afterwards, saying: “He won at Royal Ascot the same year that Courage Mon Ami won the Ascot Gold Cup in the early days of Wathnan Racing so it is fantastic that he is still here winning stakes races for them.

“We will very possibly roll the dice at Ascot [for the British Champions Long Distance Cup] as the two miles suits him well. He is by Golden Horn, and he loves that fast ground. We will discuss all plans with the Wathnan management and make a decision from there.”