Horse Racing
Sea Of Rain could pour it on in May Hill at Doncaster
Jim Bolger landed the Betfred May Hill Stakes with Turret Rocks in 2015 and 11 years on is back at Doncaster attempting to repeat that feat with improving Curragh scorer Sea Of Rain.
The daughter of Naval Crown produced a career-best when accounting for Joseph O’Brien’s reopposing Ballyskeagh in Group Three company late last month and having since been snapped up by Newtown Anner Stud, could have more to come on Town Moor.
“She put up a good performance in the Group Three and we bought her after that and we’ll find out on Thursday if it was good business,” said PJ Colville, representing the owners.
“She looks an uncomplicated filly and the mile will suit her well. Good to soft should be fine and we look to have a nice draw near the middle.
“Charlie Appleby’s horse will be tough to beat and she looks really promising, but after that it looks fairly open.
“It’s another step up again, but we think she’s up to it. She’s been learning on the job and her last run was her best run so far and that is always a positive. She seems to be going the right way, but we’ll have a go and see what happens.”
As highlighted by Colville, it is the Godolphin candidate Musical Times that has hit plenty of right notes in two starts so far and now bids to follow in the footsteps of Desert Flower who claimed this two years ago before going on to secure Classic honours the following season.
Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “It was always the plan to give Musical Times a break following her win at Yarmouth and she has done nicely for it.
“She is taking on some more experienced rivals here but the step up to a mile shouldn’t be an issue and I am hopeful that she can continue her progression.”
Andrew Balding’s Scommessa Sicura finished second to Musical Times in her Newmarket debut and the daughter of Cracksman soon opened her account back on the July course on her next outing.
Part-owned by Chelsea and England’s Reece James, Scommessa Sicura then bumped into another high-ranking Appleby juvenile, Quest For Stars, when a neck second in the Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury.
As form lines intermingle, Brian Meehan’s Tall Trees was second to the former at Newmarket, then third in Listed company at Sandown before getting off the mark when returned to Esher recently.
She will head to Doncaster with Breeders’ Cup ambitions in mind, while John and Thady Gosden’s Beguiled was third in a smart Goodwood maiden that has since seen the form franked before winning cosily at the second attempt.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Eabha somewhat defied expectation her second in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood and could relish this step up to a mile.
Meanwhile, Sir Mark Prescott’s Martinet was third in the Sweet Solera Stakes last month, but the Heath House handler is unsure conditions in South Yorkshire will suit.
Prescott said: “She’s rather small and I don’t think the softer ground will help her, but she has black type and is a winner and unlikely to grow much through the winter so this is more in hope than expectation.
“She’s entitled to run but I feel the softer ground probably won’t play to her strengths, whereas Consent, who we run in the Park Hill, will want it soft.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Speckles, David Simcock’s Thuritha and William Stone’s Tie A Navyribbon complete the field.
