Newmarket report: Amichi wins £100,000 Somerville Auction Stakes

Owner Laurence Bellman might have wondered what he had let himself in for with Amichi (11-2) following a tricky start to his career but all that was forgotten after he secured victory in the £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes at Newmarket today.

Having beaten just two rivals home on his debut at Newbury last month, the Ed Walker-trained son of Guitaifan made it two wins from his last two starts when following up his Kempton Park success with victory in the inaugural running of the six-furlong event.

Hitting the front over a furlong from home the 15,500 guineas purchase stuck to the task in hand tenaciously under Ray Dawson before prevailing by three-quarters of a length from Miss Jungle Cat to land the £54,110 first prize.

Bellman, who is involved in more than 30 horses, said: “It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve got to thank Ed Sackville and Ed Walker. They have always liked him. He was very frisky once he started getting on the gallops.

“His first race he was so naughty and completely didn’t know what was happening so he had to be gelded straight away - literally two days afterwards.

“We were quite surprised how well he ran at Kempton and obviously he had to come to this race afterwards.

“He is still quite a baby but he will stay further although he has got speed. You had to come for the sales race as he was eligible for it.

“I didn’t think it was a deep race. I didn’t think he would win but I hoped he would run well. I’m just so delighted.

“I’ve got another good horse called Popmaster and with Ed Sackville I’ve just found a mini Popmaster and they got him. He is a very good buy and I think I’ve got the best two Guitafan’s around at the moment.

“I nearly called him Mini Popmaster but Amichi is my nickname for Ed Sackville and he said it is about time you named a horse after me after I’ve got you all these horses.

“I’m sure we will go for that (£150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes on the Rowley Mile on October 1st) but he is a three year old really. I’m delighted and this is wonderful prize money.”

James Horton admitted it was “fantastic” to secure a Listed winner in his first season training following the last gasp success of Sam Maximus in the Jenningsbet Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket this afternoon.

Campaigned at Group race level on his previous two starts, the Showcasing colt, who finished third over course and distance in last year’s Group Two Tattersalls July Stakes, made a triumphant return to Listed company with victory in the six-furlong feature.

Racing among the main group situated on the stands side the 14-1 chance looked to continue his winless run this season with jockey PJ McDonald appearing to be travelling far less smoothly than a number of his rivals.

However, as the field hit the rising ground on the climb to the line Sam Maximus went into over drive before forging ahead in the closing strides to deny Vadream by a head.

Horton, who is based at Middleham in North Yorkshire, said: “It is fantastic. He showed good form last year and he showed good form here last year. He has been put in the deep end a little bit this year purely because there haven’t been any other options.

“We thought he was in good form and we thought the rain Newmarket had and the bit of juice in the ground would help him.

“Coming back to a track he has run arguably his best race ever on we thought might work out for him and it has all fallen together nicely.

“It was a wonderful ride by PJ (McDonald) as a furlong out he looked in trouble and he has really grabbed hold off him and got him to the line.

“If you had said to me at the start of the year we would have a Listed winner and 12 winners, I would have taken your hand off.”

While it will be Horton, who spent a number of years as assistant to Sir Michael Stoute before taking out a trainer’s license, that will receive all the plaudits, he was quick to thank his team back home for the work they have put in this season.

Horton, who trains exclusively for owners John and Jess Dance, added: “We had a yard full of maidens at the beginning of the year with a handful of older horses and they have really stepped up so fair play to them.

“The guys at home have worked very hard and it is a brand new team. Everyone has pulled together and there have been good days and bad days but everyone is on good form and they are working hard which is great.

“John and Jess Dance are in this to have Saturday runners and nice horses and to be winning on Saturday at places like Newmarket and York. That is what it has been all about.

“PJ has been a massive asset as he comes in three or four mornings a week. Everyone has wanted this to work and they have tried very hard to make it work and it is a big team effort and thank God it is working.”

James Fanshawe breathed a sigh of relief after Endeared signed off his career in Britain on a winning note after finally getting off the mark at the fourth attempt in the Jenningsbet British EBF Novice Stakes.

Appearing to appreciate the drop back to six furlongs the son of Dark Angel will head to Hong Kong, where he will spend the rest of his racing career, on the back of a victory after holding last time out Haydock Park scorer Charyn at bay by a neck

Fanshawe said of the successful 11-8 Favourite: “He always looked like a nice horse and he was a bit unlucky not to have won before today.

“He got stuck in the mud last time at Chester and everything just caught him out but I think the winner (Frankness) is a good filly.

“He is off to Hong Kong now and his owner Ben Wong is a big supporter of mine.

“He was purchased as a yearling but you have to get them qualified to run out there. That was more stressful than trying to win a Group race.

“I’m sure he will do very well out there.”

Space Tracker might have seen his colours lowered for the first time last time out at Windsor, but the Richard Hughes-trained gelding resumed his progression when proving two and a quarter lengths too strong for Roach Power in the Jenningsbet Handicap (7f).

Federico Barberini, racing manager to owner Khalifa Dasmal, said of the 7-2 winner: “We were expecting him to run well and Richard Hughes likes him. Last time out he just found one too good for him.

“He goes on any ground and he clearly doesn’t mind the soft. I think it was just a freakish performance from the winner last time out.

“He is a big horse with plenty of scope and he is not the finished article. There are a lot of options open to him.”