Kurious outcome to Sandown feature delights Henry Candy

Watch a full replay of the Scurry Stakes at Sandown plus Lydia Hislop's interview with winning trainer Henry Candy.

Sandown’s Listed Randox Health Scurry Stakes is a test of speed, with its whirr of hooves and a blur of colour. It invariably throws up subsequent Group winners, with the likes of Battaash and Easton Angel taking this five-furlong dash in recent years.

While this year’s renewal did not look a particularly strong one, with just three of the eight-strong field having an official rating above 100 and the top-rated on 106, the authority with which Kurious took the £17,824 prize stamped her as above average.

Leodis Dream set a decent early gallop with Well Done Fox in close attendance, but the Henry Candy-trained filly travelled sweetly towards the outside and under Kieran Shoemark, and the 5-1 chance burst through approaching the two-furlong marker and stayed on in determined fashion.

She looked better the further they went to record a course-and-distance double, with The Cruising Lord, who was keen early and found his path blocked on a couple of occasions when attempting to challenge, making late gains to get within three-quarters of a length of the winner.

Candy said: “I’m delighted. She loves it here. She is an out-and-out five-furlong horse. As soon as you ask her to settle and get six (furlongs), she is just not interested. She is very brave, very game, very straightforward and loves soft ground.

“I have absolutely no idea where she goes next. She could well win a Group race, but it did not look the strongest of races.

“You would not have any grand plans for her. It has got to be five furlongs and give in the ground. That will dictate it. She is not the type who can go again quickly.”

Candy is anticipating a quiet Royal meeting next week.

He said: “I doubt we will have anything and with the way the weather is, I don’t think Limato has a chance of going there.”

He added: “I think it is a great shame the Commonwealth Cup is now colts only and no geldings. If the geldings are better than the colts, why don’t we all know about it?

“I think geldings should be able to run in all races, personally.”