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Sir Ron Priestley outbattles Al Aasy at Newmarket

Updated / Thursday, 8 Jul 2021 17:01
Sir Ron Priestley (red and yellow silks) repels Al Aasy at Newmarket's July course
Sir Ron Priestley (red and yellow silks) repels Al Aasy at Newmarket's July course

Sir Ron Priestley returned to winning ways when seeing off the persistent challenge of Al Aasy in the Princess of Wales's Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.

Franny Norton set out to make all on Mark Johnston’s five-year-old, who is a half-brother to Gold Cup-winning stablemate Subjectivist.

With two furlongs to run, Sir Ron Priestley was being ridden – but not as vigorously as Highest Ground, who dropped away.

The odds-on favourite Al Aasy, normally a very smooth traveller, came off the bridle earlier than normal but still moved up to challenge as they met the rising ground.

In typical Johnston style, Sir Ron Priestley kept on battling against the rail – but Jim Crowley had still to ask for everything on Al Aasy.

However, as the line neared it, became obvious Al Aasy was up against a very determined opponent and would have to settle for second again – just as he did in last month’s Coronation Cup at Epsom.

Sir Ron Priestley prevailed by a neck as a 100-30 shot.

Johnston was relieved to see his 2019 St Leger runner-up return to his best after two lacklustre efforts of late, at this same Group Two level, since his victory in Newmarket's Jockey Club Stakes.

"You couldn’t have any expectations, because he has had two disappointing runs – there’s no getting away from it," said the Middleham trainer.

"After he won on the Rowley Mile course earlier in the year, we thought he’d be going a mile and six plus – so I didn’t really expect him to be here today.

"But those two runs left us scratching our heads – we’re still scratching our heads."

The most likely explanation remains elusive for Johnston.

He said: "The easy answer is to say it’s the ground, and he needs a fast surface, but if you don’t like the ground you don’t like it throughout the race – not just in the last furlong or two – and at York this horse travelled to the front two out like he was going to walk all over them, and he didn’t get home.

"He was second in the St Leger and had a year off, and we were dreaming of Cup races. Now, we just don’t know (trip-wise) – we’ve got a very open mind."

Lusail (15-2) took his career record to three wins from four outings in the Tattersalls July Stakes.

Richard Hannon's two-year-old broke smartly for Pat Dobbs and led the main group down the centre, but Graham Lee was keen to get the rail on Project Dante.

When that rival began to weaken a furlong and a half from home, Lusail was left in front – but the race was just beginning in earnest.

Tom Dascombe’s Sam Maximus, Alan King’s previously unbeaten Asymmetric and Hugo Palmer’s Ebro River all came to throw down a challenge – with the four in line at one point.

Ebro River was first to crack, not for the first time hanging badly, and Sam Maximus then began to tire.

There was not much in it as they crossed the line. But Lusail, who was emulating his sire Mehmas as a winner of this race, held off Asymmetric by a head – with the same back to Sam Maximus.

Lusail was vindicating Hannon’s judgement in reverting to this trip, after winning over a furlong further at Newmarket last month.

"It was a big shout to bring him back to six furlongs, but he’s done it very well," the Marlborough trainer added.

"He’s come back in trip – he’s extremely relaxed, and I think we’ll take him to Goodwood.

"Whether we go there for the six (Richmond Stakes) or the seven-furlong race (Vintage Stakes), we’ll talk to the (owners) Al Shaqab team and see.

"He was just working okay in the spring. When I took him to York he hadn’t really come in his coat, and I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing, but he went there and won.

"He still looks like that now, but he’s just like his sire Mehmas in that he’s very honest and chilled out – and he will get further.

"I don’t think he’s just a two-year-old."

Yibir (6-4F) added his name to Charlie Appleby's team of smart three-year-olds when winning the Bahrain Trophy.

Appleby won the Cazoo Derby at Epsom with Adayar and the Irish Derby at the Curragh with Hurricane Lane, and at the start of this season Yibir was probably held in just as high regard as those two.

He ended last year by winning the prestigious Haynes, Hanson & Clark conditions race at Newbury and held Classic aspirations himself.

Immediately behind Adayar when third at Sandown and second to Lone Eagle at Goodwood, this Group Three assignment was a first for the son of Dubawi since being gelded and also a first try at a mile and five furlongs.

Gear Up tried to make all, but he soon looked a sitting duck and with over a furlong to run James Doyle hit the front on the favourite who comfortably saw off the previously unbeaten Mandoob by two and a half lengths.

Appleby said: "On the dam’s side of his pedigree, stepping him up in trip was always going to help him, but we tried it with Wild Illusion (sister) and she didn’t actually get the mile and a half.

"We’ve always felt this horse was a bit awkward in the last furlong or so of his races and he’s been gelded since his last start – we felt we weren’t getting the full potential out of him.

"I wouldn’t say it’s changed his home work as he’s always been a good work horse, but we thought coming into today, if we could just ride him cold, I felt he’d have the class to take himself there comfortably enough."

Baaeed (10-11F) maintained his unbeaten record with a thoroughly impressive display in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.

A full-brother to the high-class middle-distance performer Hukum, the William Haggas-trained three-year-old looked an exciting prospect when making a winning debut at Leicester – and confirmed that impression with a dominant display over this course and distance last month.

The Sea The Stars colt faced a far from straightforward task stepping up to Listed class, with St James's Palace Stakes fourth Maximal and one-time Classic hope One Ruler among his four rivals, but he ultimately swept them aside with relative ease.

Always travelling well in the hands of Jim Crowley, the heavily-backed favourite cruised into contention before readily extending four lengths clear, with Maximal a clear second ahead of One Ruler in third.

"He’s looking talented," said Haggas.

"He’s got speed and his brother is a mile-and-a-halfer, so he’s an exciting horse.

"His pedigree says he could step up to a mile and a quarter, but his style of racing doesn’t really say that. We’ll see, (but) I don’t think there’s any hurry to step him up in trip.

"I thought it was a really good Listed contest today, so to do that – come from the back and show a nice turn of foot – is a good sign."

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