3 minute read
Karl Burke's Night Raider showed plenty of natural dash to make all the running in the HKJC World Pool Palace at Newmarket on Saturday.
The speedy Night Raider displayed his customary early dash to bound into an early advantage and as the field moved on down into the dip, he still held a healthy advantage.
Rumstar emerged out of the pack to give chase and briefly looked like running him down, but Night Raider found plenty late on to prevail by half a length, providing owners Wathnan Racing and James Doyle with a sprint double on the day after Flora Of Bermuda struck in the opener.
"We tried to turn him into a miler, but he was just too keen, too free and too fractious," said Burke.
"Gelding him has really made a man of him – in a perverse sort of way! He's 10 kilos lighter than he was last year and he looked tremendous in the paddock.
"I knew if he jumped quick and got in a lovely rhythm, he'd handle the undulations and he did.
"He was fractious in the stalls last year as a full horse and I think gelding him has calmed him down.
"He's been working really nicely; he does a lot of his work on his own as he's a horse you don't need to buzz up and work him with other horses. That was a great result, Richard Brown from Wathan will be delighted because he's had huge faith in him."
A trip to Royal Ascot now looks on the cards, although Burke remains undecided as to whether he will tackle the five-furlong King Charles III Stakes, for which he was cut to 16/1 (from 40s) by Paddy Power, or the six-furlong Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes, which he is now a 25/1 chance for with the same firm.
Burke added: "I would think we'd go to Ascot (King Charles III Stakes), he is in the York race (Minster Stakes), but it might come too quick.
"I think he will stay six (furlongs) and it will be interesting to see what James (Doyle) says, but I wouldn't have thought we'd turn him round that quick."
Rumstar couldn't quite manage to peg the winner back to defend his crown, but trainer Johnny Portman was left taking positives from the performance.
He said: "He's run a blinder and every bit as well as when he won it. It was a shame he had to come over, and he had a good spot on the far side but I'm very proud of him.
"It's lovely to see him back and running a big race and yes it's gutting he didn't win but he loves this track. He loves a stiff five furlongs and an easy five is a bit sharp for him, while six furlongs is not ideal.
"We'll look towards Ascot now and see, there's very few options and the owners don't like travelling which limits things a little. But I'm very proud to have him and he's a special horse.
"They all get their turn in this division, and the winner is a good horse, so hopefully it will be our day soon."
It wasn't to be for the former Aussie-trained sprinter Asfoora as she weakened into tenth on her first start with Lemos de Souza's name next to her on the racecard.
"Oisin said she blew up and as we've seen before she takes a couple of races to get fully fit," said the trainer.
"I think over an easy five furlongs she could have got a place, but here is a stiff five and if you are not 100 per cent fit it will catch you out.
"I personally think the easier the five furlongs it is the better she is, but she does need to be fit. On form she was the best horse in the race, but she needed to be fit to run to her true form.
"Hopefully we can roll into Haydock now which will be right up her street, and I think she will show her best there."