York Review

Every trainer needs a headline horse and Ian Semple has certainly found one in Blues Jazz, who maintained his golden run of form at York.

The South Lanarkshire handler has relied heavily on the five-year-old since his return to the training ranks in May and the in-form gelding, who cost current connections just £2,500, has now won six races, five of them consecutively.

Having won a seller at Hamilton off a mark of 47 in May, Blues Jazz (8-1) put up a career-best performance in claiming the Watt Fences Stakes by two and a quarter lengths off 71.

Owner Robert Reid said: "He is just unbelievable. We'll have a crack at the (Ayr) Bronze Cup now, with his penalty for winning this he should get in fine."


Paul Midgley is in the middle of a real purple patch and his patience with Internationaldebut (12-1) was finally rewarded by victory in the Betfair Supports Go Racing in Yorkshire Stakes.

Midgley has always thought highly of the six-year-old, but he had been unable to coax a win out of him in over two years. However, he benefited from a lightning early pace set by the eventual third Verinco to beat Parisian Pyramid by half a length under Freddie Tylicki.

The trainer said: "We've been expecting him to win for two years now. He's got so much ability - even I can win a gallop on him at home. I said to Freddie, 'You're on the best horse and you keep telling everyone you're the best jockey, so go and prove it!'. We'll probably go to Doncaster on Thursday now."

Bryan Smart's Lady Layla (9-2) looks a filly with a bright future after a good win in the Judith Marshall Memorial Stakes and the trainer said: "She'll be a nice horse next year. She'll get 10 furlongs and she just keeps on finding more. There's plenty more to come so we won't overdo it this year."


Kevin Ryan also has high hopes for Pea Shooter (6-1) after his six-length victory in the Minster Alarms 30th Anniversary EBF Maiden Stakes under Phillip Makin.

The trainer said: "We made a mistake in having him out so early this season, having identified him as such a nice horse. That's it now for this year. He'll be a lovely six-furlong horse next season and I've already got my eye on the big three-year-old sprint at York in June (Bond Tyres Trophy)."

Dettori Out Of Gold Cup

Frankie Dettori will be unable to bid for a hat-trick in Saturday week's William Hill Ayr Gold Cup after incurring a suspension at Haydock on Saturday.

The popular Italian guided Redford to success in the prestigious handicap for David Nicholls 12 months ago, and was also victorious aboard the Clive Cox-trained Jimmy Styles in 2009.

But having been found guilty of careless riding on the unplaced Merchant Of Dubai in the Betfred Bundles Old Borough Cup, he was handed a one-day suspension and will miss the Ayr feature on September 17.

Dettori's agent, Ray Cochrane, said: "To my knowledge, because it's not a Group One day, it can't be changed."

Hoof it Appeal?

Connections of Hoof It are considering launching an appeal after he finished an unlucky third in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The Mick Easterby-trained sprinter, jointly owned by golfer Lee Westwood and his agent Chubby Chandler, was a nose and a head behind the winner, Dream Ahead, and runner-up Bated Breath.

Easterby's four-year-old was, however, forced left inside the final furlong by Dream Ahead, after which a protracted stewards' inquiry was called.

The placings remained unaltered, but Easterby may still contest the decision.

He said: "I thought he was very unlucky, and we are considering appealing.


"There was definitely interference, and the stewards said they couldn't be certain the interference affected the result.

"But when you are talking in terms of a head and a nose, it is very, very harsh.

"The stewards have been a bit timid, for me, but on the other hand, I wouldn't want to be a steward."

Easterby added that Hoof It was unlikely to run in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup and could go to France for the Prix de l'Abbaye and to Ascot for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.

A run at the Breeders' Cup is also not on the agenda, as the trainer would prefer to wait a year.

Salisbury Review

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.

Get Well Soon Hayley

Hayley Turner has undergone successful surgery on her broken ankle, but faces a long battle to return to the saddle this season.

Turner was unseated from Rose Aurora on the way to the start at Bath on Wednesday and was initially thought to have escaped serious injury. But having gone to Bath's Royal United Hospital, an X-ray showed she suffered a broken left ankle.


Her agent Guy Jewell said: "I've spoken briefly to Hayley and she's had the operation and is comfortable. I think she'll see the doctor again in the morning when he's on his rounds and then I'd imagine she'll be on her way home tomorrow morning or tomorrow afternoon."

Jewell continued: "I think she'll be out for six to eight weeks, although sportsmen and women are usually back quicker than the norm.

"You would imagine France and Margot Did (Prix de l'Abbaye, October 2) would come too soon, unfortunately.

"Her first priority is to get back fit and then we'll start looking for a target."

Swinburne Quits

Walter Swinburn is to quit the training ranks on October 31.

The former jockey, who will forever be remembered for his association with Derby winner Shergar, won the blue riband Classic as a rider on two other occasions.

Swinburn took over the training licence from his father-in-law, Peter Harris, in November 2004, and has sent out over 260 winners from his yard in Tring, Hertfordshire. The 50-year-old landed one of the biggest victories of his training career earlier this season when Julienas won the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot.

Mark Dixon, an owner with Swinburn for a number of years with the likes of Staying On, second in the Hampton Court Stakes of 2008 and the Huxley Stakes of 2009, was left disappointed by the news.

"I'm surprised, but, on the other hand, I'm not surprised. A tremendous amount of his owners are syndicates and they haven't been very successful - you only have to look at the results. I'm sorry, actually, as I thought he was in it for the long haul," said Dixon.

"The best horse I had with him was Staying On, but he had problems. It wasn't as if Walter did anything wrong. He was going to be bought by a Sheikh but he didn't pass a vet's test and after that he went downhill. It was nobody's fault, he was very nearly a very good horse and I think Walter handled him very well.

"He doesn't push them, he conditions them well - they are never stressed."

Swinburn has only registered 25 winners to date this season, with his decision to retire reportedly related to the current economic climate.

Stotsfold was a real flag-bearer for the yard before his death last year. The gelding won four times at Group Three level, including the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last May.

He had finished third in the Arlington Million in 2009 and was being prepared to go back to America when he died of colic last August. Stotsfold was owned, like a strong percentage of Swinburn's horses, by Harris.

Dick Poole Fillies Stakes Preview

Hopes are high in the Inetrobil camp that a drop in class will see her return to winning ways in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes at Salisbury on Thursday.

The Kevin Ryan-trained juvenile looked an exciting prospect when bolting up by six lengths on her debut at Redcar, after which she was subsequently purchased by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.


Since then she has been competing in top-class events, and ran with great credit to be second in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and fourth in the Cherry Hinton at Newmarket. She was all at sea on soft ground at York in the Lowther Stakes, but Harry Herbert, spokesman for the owners, hopes the quicker surface will be more in her favour at Salisbury.

He said: "She should he helped by the drop in class and we think you can put a line through the York run. She just couldn't handle the ground at all, that was clear to see. It should be lovely ground at Salisbury and we're hopeful as she'd worked very well going into York and has been in great form since.

"This looks the right sort of spot for her, so hopefully she can be competitive and can prove the York race all wrong. She's been second in the Albany and fourth in the Cherry Hinton so she's a very decent filly. She's getting stronger, so hopefully this race will tell us more."


Brian Meehan enjoyed a lucrative Bank Holiday weekend, with several winners, and runs Hidden Passion. However, he is aware she will have to up her game considerably to get involved.

A statement posted on his website, www.brianmeehanatmanton.com, read: "(She is a) speedy filly who ran another excellent race when narrowly beaten in a warm conditions race at Chester. An extra furlong and a rise in class to Listed company make a place claim a possible outcome."

Richard Hannon admitted to being slightly surprised by Dreamwriter's six-length debut success at Newbury, but feels she is well up to this level.


"She is one of the least experienced fillies in the race, having had just the one run at Newbury, but she could not have been more impressive when winning that maiden by six lengths, coming from last to first and showing a lightning gear-change to shoot through the gaps," the Wiltshire handler told his website, www.richardhannonracing.tv.


Tom Dascombe said of his contender Misty Conquest: "If she can reproduce her Pontefract run where she beat the Gimcrack winner I think she'd hose up, but he (Caspar Netscher) has probably come on a good deal since then. She's done little wrong and deserves her chance. I don't really know what else to do with her. I hope she can build on what she has done so far."