Thursday 21 August 2014 17:54, UK
A review of the rest of the action from the second day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York.
William Haggas repeated his feat of 12 months previous by saddling the first and third in the valuable DBS Premier Yearling Stakes as Mubtaghaa took the opener at York.
Owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, he was overlooked by retained jockey Paul Hanagan in favour of Markaz who was withdrawn down at the start after playing up in the stalls.
Kool Kompany was sent off favourite having mixed it in the highest company of late but he appeared to find things happening a bit quick early in the race.
Mubtaghaa (12/1) and Silvestre de Sousa made their challenge down the centre of the track with New Providence on the far side but there was a length and a half separating them at the line.
Haggas' Valley Of Fire stayed on to take third with favourite Kool Kompany out of the places.
Haggas said: "I suppose its been the plan for about a month and I didn't run after the July Stakes for fear of picking up a penalty. He wasn't suited by the ground there and could just never get his feet out - I knew he was better than that.
"It's lovely to have a winner when the boss (Sheikh Hamdan) is here. I think I've got him in the Mill Reef so that's something to look at.
"He's a very genuine horse with a lot of ability and to be honest I couldn't believe that neither Paul Hanagan nor Dane O'Neill chose to ride him."
Short Squeeze returned to winning ways thanks to a nerveless last-to-first ride from Pat Smullen.
Smullen had no choice but to drop his mount out in the rear from his draw in stall 18 and he was bringing up the rear turning into the straight.
It was a heartbreaking last furlong to watch for connections of Top Notch Tonto, who hit the front under top weight and appeared to be fighting off all challengers.
Hugo Palmer's four-year-old, who looked so promising last term, changed gear close home and won by a head.
Balducci was third with Bronze Angel fourth.
Palmer said of the 8-1 winner: "He hates having horses around him so I said to Pat to keep him out the back, take as long as you like and come with a long run in the home straight.
"He doesn't like being among horses so you just have to be patient.
"There's a chance he could go to Australia as one of the owners is from there, but he's now qualified for the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot [the new race on the Champions Day card] and then there's Dubai if he didn't go. Things are very much up in there."
Brian Ellison said of Top Notch Tonto: "I knew he was back from his work at home, and he has run a blinder. He's been absolutely storming up the gallops. He can go for a Group Two at the Curragh on September 14 (Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes) now."
Sir Michael Stoute's Bragging made a mockery of her handicap mark of 97 with a three-length win in the eventmasters.co.uk EBF Stallions Fillies' Stakes, looking Pattern-class in the making.
"I don't think we'll be worrying about her handicap mark, we'll have to go up in class with her after that," said Stoute of the 100-30 favourite.
Looking over at owner Khalid Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe, Stoute added: "I need to persuade them to keep her in training as she's a big filly who can only keep on improving."
Godolphin's Wedding Ring (Hughes) unfortunately broke a leg in the race and brought down Artistic Charm (Atzeni). Both jockeys walked back to the weighing room.
