Sandown wrap: Shuwari gives Sangster landmark success

Rookie trainer Ollie Sansgter celebrated a day to savour after Shuwari cemented her position at the ‘top of the pile’ of his string when securing the first-season handler his biggest success so far in the European Bloodstock News EBF Star Stakes.

Arriving on the back of a debut victory at Newbury last month, the daughter of New Bay maintained her unbeaten record with a tenacious victory in the Listed feature.

Moving well throughout the seven-furlong prize in the hands of jockey Oisin Murphy, the 9-4 second favourite admirably stuck to her task inside the final two furlongs to battle out an exciting finish with Soprano and Fallen Angel.

With little to choose between the three, it was only in the closing strides that Shuwari asserted her dominance to get the better of the argument and pull away to score by half a length from Fallen Angel.

Sangster said: “I’m delighted. Oisin gave her a lovely ride. I was on the fence this morning (about running her) having seen the report from last night, but I spoke to John O’Connor, one of the partners at Ballylinch (Stud) that stand New Bay and he was fairly confident they do go on the ground so we thought we would take our chance.

“If she didn’t handle it we would have given her an easy race, but she dug deep and we are delighted.

“Oisin was thrilled, naturally, although he said it was probably not ideal ground but that she is a very tenacious and courageous filly. Hopefully we might have some nice targets later in the year.

“She has a great attitude and is a straightforward horse to train at home and that is good on the race day. I’ve some nice juveniles but she is at the top at the pile at the moment.

“We have a small team and everyone works really hard. These results are great for a big team let alone a small team.”

Although Classic aspirations and an outing in next year’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas might seem distant at the moment, Sangster has a number of potential Group race contests in mind for Shuwari before the season is out.

He added: “Having a runner in a Listed race is an achievement in itself. The Group Three Prestige Stakes at Goodwood might be for her.

“I suppose something like the Rockfel Stakes (might be for her), and maybe the Fillies’ Mile, but that is ambitious and we will see how we progress between now and then. She is a filly that will not have lots of racing this year but hopefully a couple more starts.

“I’d like to think she will stay the mile next year as her dam (Lady Pimpernel) is by Sir Percy so I suspect she will stay. She strikes me as a filly that will stay as she relaxes well and she finishes out well to.

“I suspect there is a bit of stamina in there, but I think the speed comes from her class. I was going to start her over six. I’m lucky to have a horse like this in the yard. It is nice to have good support and nice horses to work with.”

Charlie Appleby will waste no time in stepping Arabian Crown up in both trip and class after earmarking the Betfair Daily Tips On Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes as a potential target following his latest success at Sandown Park today.

The son of Dubawi finished third when sent off the 5-4 favourite on his racecourse debut over course and distance 20 days ago, however there was no denying him on this occasion in the Martin Densham Memorial British EBF Maiden Stakes.

Having made up plenty of ground from the rear last time before finishing third behind Starlore the 4-7 favourite raced much more prominently on this occasion after making a much sharper start from the stalls.

Although joined by debutant Kings Valley inside the final quarter of a mile of the seven-furlong prize the odds-on favourite soon mastered that rival before holding off Navy Jack by two lengths under William Buick.

An outing in either the Listed mile prize at Haydock Park on September 9th or the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stonehenge Stakes, which is staged at the same level over the same trip, at Salisbury on August 16th will now be on the agenda for Arabian Crown.

Appleby, speaking away from the track, said: “Stepping him up to the mile will most definitely be the next step.

“Something like the Ascendant at Haydock Park or the Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury are two races that we have used before.

“I’ve spoken to Alex (Merriam, assistant trainer) who is at Sandown and we are all on the same page that stepping him up to a mile is the way forward.

“Both of those two races will now be looked at on his next start.”

Libra Tiger rediscovered his roar under Hollie Doyle after scoring for the first time since making a winning stable debut back at Kempton Park in January when bursting through late on to land the opening Racing TV Handicap. 

After filling the runner’s up spot on his last three starts the Ed Walker-trained four-year-old gained an overdue second win to his name on his return to five furlongs when threading his way through rivals before prevailing by a length and a half.

Doyle said of the successful 7-4 favourite: “I think he has been quite a frustrating horse bumping into horses. He deserved to win today. 

“I rode him at Newbury over six furlongs and I said to Ed he has got plenty of speed for five and he has found the right race for him and it has paid off. 

“He is a strong traveller and I got the gist last time that he probably wants dropping in and getting there as late as possible.

“I couldn’t have got there much later and he still had a little think about things. He has got talent but getting it out of him is a different thing.

“I think he is pretty versatile ground wise, but I think it was the step down to five on soft ground slowed everything else down.”