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Five Things We Learned from Saturday's racing

Magical Memory comes home to win the bet365 Hackwood Stakes
Image: Magical Memory comes home to win the bet365 Hackwood Stakes

Here are five things we learned from Saturday's racing as winning connections target further big race success.

1. MAGICAL MEMORIES

When Magical Memory beat just one home at Royal Ascot, you could have been forgiven for thinking his days as a force at the top level were coming to an end. But Charlie Hills looks to have played a blinder in sending him to Haydock for the small race he won there and he looked almost as good as ever in winning the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury. All sorts of options are now open, possibly leading to a tilt at the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly on Arc day.

2. SUPER SALES-MAN FAHEY

Richard Fahey's training talents are well documented by now, but further proof he is at the top of his game came in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury, where Bengali Boys bounded to a runaway success. The North Yorkshire stable has now won this £200,000 prize three out of the last five years. For good measure, Fahey also had the third, Maggies Angel, who was sent off favourite.

3. CUMANI STILL HAS IT

Many people might have questioned Luca Cumani for running a 79-rated filly in a Listed race but once again the wily Italian was proved spot on as she rallied gamely to win the Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket. A half-sister to Postponed, whom Cumani trained with great credit until the owner removed all his horses, she is now a very valuable filly. The fact Cumani is already talking about Champions Day for her suggests he rates her highly indeed.

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4. TEMPTRESS PROMISES PLENTY

Marco Botti remains one of the brightest young talents in the training ranks, but, like many, he could do a with a real headline horse. He might just have found one in the shape of Capla Temptress, who took her record to two wins from as many starts at Newmarket. She scored with any amount in hand in the soft-ground seven-furlong affair, having won on the all-weather at Chelmsford first time out.

5. CONSTABLE IN THE GALWAY PICTURE

It seems a long, long time ago that John Constable was running for Aidan O'Brien, but he is still only a six-year-old and is now thriving with Evan Williams at his Llancarfan base in the Vale of Glamorgan. Having taken the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May, he bagged another big handicap pot at Market Rasen in the Summer Hurdle, prompting thoughts to turn to the Galway Hurdle. That is another step up again, of course, but Williams knows the time of the day and if he goes to Ireland on Thursday week he must be respected.

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