Green shoots emerged from a fairly barren season for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum as a Listed win from Sajwah featured among a trio of promising two-year-olds in the owner's blue and white silks at Salisbury.
Group One runners, let alone winners, have not really appeared this year from the Sheikh's usually competitive Shadwell operation. But Sajwah, who made all of the running in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes, and longer-term types Farhaan and Firdaws offer some optimism.
All three were ridden by Richard Hills, who always seemed to have things under control aboard the Charlie Hills-trained Sajwah (8-1) and kept a length and a half in hand over Misty Conquest.
"It has been a very good day - as Richard just said, it was like the old days!" beamed the owner's racing manager, Angus Gold.
"She won well first time and was a bit buzzy at Ascot but then ran well at Newmarket. She's not just a two-year-old - she has the scope to go on next year. She's in the Cheveley Park and we've not got too much else for it at the moment, so we'll certainly look at it."
John Dunlop was notably upbeat about Newmarket maiden winner Farhaan (9-4), who just about evaded the persistent attentions of Mister Music in the EBF Whitsbury Manor Stud Novice Stakes, a race taken by Cityscape and Punctilious in recent years.
"He's from the first crop of Jazil, who won the Belmont Stakes and he'll stay further. I think he's interesting - a very nice type of horse. He wants a mile already, so we'll just see what happens," Dunlop explained.
Hills then helped Firdaws break her duck at the second attempt in the EBF "Norse Dancer" Quidhampton Maiden Fillies' Stakes. Although the 2-5 favourite eventually obliged by two lengths, it came in similarly rugged fashion.
Trainer Roger Varian explained: "She is crying out for a mile, especially as her dam (Eswarah) won the Oaks. The Fillies' Mile (Newmarket) is only 23 days away so we'll have to see about that. She has only won a maiden, so we mustn't get too excited. She could run again, but I definitely feel her future is really next year."
The CGA "Persian Punch" Conditions Stakes was fittingly claimed in good style by Highland Castle (3-1 joint-favourite). The three-year-old is trained by David Elsworth, under whose guidance the great stayer Persian Punch was able to thrive.
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