Newmarket report: Outbox springs 50-1 surprise in Jockey Club
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Fri 3 May 2024
Outbox registered his first success for over two years as he ran out a shock 50-1 winner of the William Hill Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.
The nine-year-old was scoring for the eighth time in his career and has long been a stalwart of Archie Watson’s string, but it was a welcome return to form following a spell in the doldrums.
Not for the first time aboard the gelded son of Frankel, regular rider Hollie Doyle seized the initiative from the moment the stalls opened, dictating the pace and kicking on as the runners entered the dip.
She had a willing partner who responded to every urging and although Harry Charlton’s 11-8 favourite Time Lock tried in vain, she was unable to bridge the deficit as Outbox galloped on to a two-and-a-half-length success – his first at Group Two level.
Doyle said: “I was quite surprised and he’s got so much ability, but he’s so quirky.
“He loves being fresh and I got an easy lead and he just got in such a good rhythm, enjoying himself – he’s a Group Two winner now.
“I built the pace between the four (furlong marker) and the three, and then between the three and the two I kind of slipped them a little bit. I knew he’d stay and it’s nice to have him back.
“I’ve had some really good days on him and his last win was the Amir Trophy two years ago so he was due one. He’s nine now and a bit of a yard legend. When he’s good, he’s good.”
Time Lock headed into the race as a track-and-trip winner after securing Group Three honours on the Rowley Mile last September and although she ultimately failed to repeat that success on her return, her trainer was keen to take positives.
Time Lock has been given a summer target of the Yorkshire Oaks (Tim Goode/PA)
She has a main summer target of the Group One Yorkshire Oaks during York’s Ebor meeting and could now head to Royal Ascot for an outing in the Hardwicke Stakes.
“She ran well and Ryan (Moore) was very happy with her, it was just the stop-start pace that didn’t play into her hands,” said Charlton.
“He was hoping the two in front may have pushed on to the leader and then Hollie kept going and quickened away from the three.
“I think the key to her is pace and wherever she gets some pace, she will show her best.
“She could run in something like the Hardwicke, but her main aim is the Yorkshire Oaks.”
Boiling Point rises to occasion
Boiling Point got the mercury rising just in time to book his ticket to Royal Ascot with victory in the William Hill King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket.
Second to Owen Burrows’ Alyanaabi in the Tattersalls Stakes over track and trip last September, he filled the same spot on his return behind Ten Bob Tony during the Craven meeting.
However, Roger Varian’s colt clearly improved for that early-season pipe-opener, with the 11-8 favourite getting motoring late in the day to hunt down Richard Hughes’ Queen Of Zafeen and then outbattle Bold Style at the finish.
Varian is keen to stick at the seven-furlong distance for now with the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid-owned winner, with the Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting highlighted as his next target.
Varian said: “He nearly won the Group Three here (Tattersalls Stakes, last season) and he got away with it today, he will be better on good to firm ground.
“I was delighted with my horse and I thought the further he went, the better he was and crossing the line he was a good winner.
“To me he needed every yard of it and he has now had two quick races, but I would quite like to speak to the owner and put him away for the Jersey at Ascot – then we will see if he is a seven-furlong horse or whether we step him up to a mile afterwards.
“Through the winter I always thought he was a Jersey horse and today he has done nothing to dissuade me from that plan. I think the stiff seven furlongs on fast ground at Ascot will really suit him.”
Both Varian and Boiling Point’s rider James Doyle are no strangers to big-race glory, but this Listed win represents the duo’s first important strike together since linking up at the beginning of the season.
James Doyle was successful aboard Boiling Point (Adam Davy/PA)
The Carlburg Stables handler recognised the importance of cementing their relationship with this first high-profile success at the track and also expressed his delight in providing the son of Too Darn Hot’s owner with his second Listed win of the afternoon.
“It’s important and in any new relationship you want success early, so in that respect it is great,” continued Varian.
“It’s lovely to have nice winner for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid as well, who has been a great supporter of me over the years.
“So from both of those points of view and for the team at home, it is great. This is a game about winning and with the law of averages a lot of the time you don’t. But it’s important to win and I’m delighted for James and for the owner.”
Volterra (7-4 favourite) completed a treble for the owner in the closing William Hill Extra Place Races Handicap, adding to Caviar Heights’ earlier success.
Sea Just In Time impresses
Sea Just In Time will have gone into plenty of notebooks with an impressive display on debut for William Haggas.
Sea Just In Time impressed on debut (Adam Davy/PA)
The daughter of Sea The Stars – who holds entries for both the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Irish Oaks – was sent off an 11-2 chance in the hands of Tom Marquand and galloped home in the Darley Maiden Fillies’ Stakes to score by four and three-quarter lengths.
“She’s nice and we’ve always thought she was nice, but she’s done that pretty well, I was quite impressed by her,” said Maureen Haggas.
“There’s no hurry and I don’t know where she will go next, but she will probably need three weeks until she runs again and then we might try to win a Listed race with her and go from there.
“There’s lots of things later in the year, Irish Oaks and things like that. Sea Of Class was second in a maiden here before going on to a Listed race and then the Irish Oaks, so there’s lots of races if she’s good enough.”
Dynasty delivers
Noble Dynasty enjoyed escaping the heat of Meydan for the more dreary conditions on the Rowley Mile when making all in the seven-furlong William Hill Epic Boost Handicap.
Noble Dynasty made a winning return to the UK (Adam Davy/PA)
Charlie Appleby’s charge was fifth in his sole outing at Meydan, but was back to his best to register his sixth career success at odds of 5-1 in the hands of William Buick.
Appleby said: “He needed it at Meydan and he travelled into the race well, but to be fair the conditions and race set-up was good for him today. He loves to get his toe in and he loves to lead.
“It’s a job he does at home very well and William was keen to get out on the lead and it worked out well.
“He was a horse we had planned for a programme in Dubai but ended up doing other jobs out there, but I’m pleased to get him back and he’s a grand horse to wheel out every so often.”
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