Gavin Lerena
Gavin Lerena took on some testing conditions at Bath on Wednesday to bring Mudajaj home in 6th position in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.
He followed up with a good third on Chelsea Thoroughbreds’ Dr Goodhead for Charlie Hills at Newmarket on Thursday, 18 May and has a good book of rides to look forward to at Newmarket on Friday.
Smart Call also returned to the track after a 16 month layoff and took her chances in the Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes on Day 2 of York’s Dante festival. After the track received 10mm of rain on Wednesday reducing the going to ‘Good To Soft’, Henry Candy and John Gosden both withdrew their charges, Chain Of Daisies and favourite So Mi Dar, cutting the field down to 4 runners.
The race produced something of an upset result with Mrs Barbara Keller’s Blond Me (Andrew Balding / Oisin Murphy) taking the honours 1 1/4 lengths ahead of R J H Geffen’s The Black Princess (John Gosden / Frankie Dettori). Smart Call putting up an eye-catching late run to finish a further neck back in third place, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of stablemate Queen’s Trust.
Sir Michael Stoute was delighted with his South African charge, saying “I’m very pleased with Smart Call. She had not run for 16 months so you would think she would come on for it. She bounces off fast ground, it was pleasing to see her run so well. I’ve no idea where she goes next.”
