Weekend Review / Timeform / 31 August 2009 / Leave a comment

Timeform gives us their assessment on the weekend's action....

"Delegator has still got something to do to prove himself top-class, this race doing little more than showing his well-being since having left Brian Meehan, and the QEII at Ascot in September will give a better guide to where he stands in the three-year-old pecking order."

At Goodwood on Saturday, Delegator recorded his second success in pattern company in the Group 2 Celebration Mile. Not seen since second to Mastercraftsman in the St James's Palace Stakes, Saeed Bin Suroor's colt was always going well and unleashed a powerful turn of foot in the final furlong, landing the odds by a comfortable length and a half from Zacinto. Delegator has still got something to do to prove himself top-class, this race doing little more than showing his well-being since having left Brian Meehan, and the QEII at Ascot in September will give a better guide to where he stands in the three-year-old pecking order. Zacinto had plenty to find on bare form but emerged with plenty of credit considering he failed to settle. Sir Michael Stoute's three-year-old has earned a big reputation for what he's done so far in his handful of visits to the course and is very much a pattern winner in waiting.

Elsewhere on the card, Sent From Heaven confirmed herself a useful filly when winning the Group 3 Prestige Stakes over seven furlongs, although she did not have to improve on her Sweet Solera second and there are still doubts surrounding her temperament. Barry Hill's two-year old looked set to win decisively when going two lengths clear over a furlong out, but idled in front and only narrowly held the fast-finishing Mudaaraah, who is still going the right way and is well up to winning in pattern company against her own sex.

Over at Windsor, Saeed Bin Suroor recorded his second Group success of the day with Campanologist in the Winter Hill Stakes. In what was an up-to-standard renewal for the course's feature race of the season, the four-year-old didn't have to run quite to his best to gain a first win of the year and was no more than pushed out near the line. He holds a Champion Stakes entry, though further success at this or Group 2 level seems a slightly more realistic target. Bankable was slightly below his best in second, arriving with a promising run once switched two furlongs out but unable to sustain his challenge.

Kingdom Of Fife ran well in third and is likely to be competitive at this level again.
Beverley, Redcar, Cartmel and Newmarket also staged Saturday cards. Palace Moon left the impression he was in form in the Hungerford earlier in the month and, back sprinting, was able to prove it in the Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket, albeit still without looking the same horse he did at Doncaster in March. At Cartmel, the Tim Vaughan-trained Shanballa became the umpteenth to make a winning start for his stable in the beginners' chase, jumping well for a chasing debutant and impressing with the way he powered clear on the run-in.

At the Curragh on Sunday, Termagant held off well-regarded representatives of Coolmore and Godolphin to win the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. Kevin Pendergast's filly stepped up considerably on the form which had seen her claim the scalp of the subsequent Silver Flash winner, Cabaret, at Leopardstown on her debut, and in the process confirmed herself the leading two-year-old filly in Ireland. She is entered in the Fillies' Mile but reportedly won't run again this season, with the Irish 1000 Guineas her long-term target. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Famous showed useful form in second, turning the tables on stable-companion Lillie Langtry, the latter seeming ill-at-east on the heavy ground.

Tags: Delegator, Frankie Dettori, racing bets, Timeform