MUSTAJED looked a serious candidate for Royal Ascot when giving Lambourn trainer Marcus Tregoning a winner with his first two-year-old runner of the season at Newbury on Wednesday night.
Touted as something above the ordinary and having had his named barked all over the course, the son of Alhaarth was always travelling powerfully down the centre of the course in the Stan James Skytest P368 EBF Maiden Stakes.
When given the chance by Richard Hills, he quickened away to score by a length and three-quarters from Molly Moon.
Tregoning is looking at the Coventry Stakes as a next port of call for Mustajed who, after drifting in the betting, went off a 15-8 favourite.
The trainer said: "I was very pleased with his display because it's our first two-year-old runner and he'll improve.
"He has a fine temperament and, in that respect, is not at all unlike his sire. We fancied him tonight and it's always nice when a well-touted one comes off."
Tregoning added that the month of June would see him introduce a lot more from the juvenile arsenal at Kingwood Stables and that he was especially pleased with his colts.
That grand servant Cape Town brought one of the biggest cheers of the night when coming with a perfectly-timed run under Richard Hughes to land the Stan James Telebetting Conditions Stakes by a length from Leo's Luckyman.
The 5-4 favourite Vintage Premium tried to make all but was in trouble two furlongs out. He faded to finish a further six lengths away.
Richard Hannon will be governed by the weather when placing Cape Town, who must have cut in the ground.
Hannon said: "He was third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas three years ago and has been a good, tough campaigner. We could have done with a bit more juice underfoot but I deduced that this was his last chance before the warmer weather kicked in."
Sparkling Jewel completed a double for Hannon when arriving late on the scene under Dane O'Neill and then holding Best Before in the Stan James 08000 383384 Maiden Stakes.
A big disappointment here was the odds-on Perfect Setting, who weakened in the final furlong to finish fourth.
Newmarket trainer Stuart Williams is keen to get his filly Tychy higher in the ratings in order to be able to run her in better class races. It's not often you here such a ploy but Tychy, who benefited from the strongest of Kieren Fallon rides here, is clearly on the upgrade and has probably not stopped winning.
Fallon was strongly pressed close to home by outsider I Wish but held on to score by a neck.
Master Robbie kept up Mick Channon's fine run of form when justifying 4-1 favouritism in the Stan James Handicap.
The gelding was in complete command in the final furlong and held Fen Gypsy by a length and a quarter.
Channon said: "I think Sam Hitchcott's five-pound claim made all the difference. This horse lost his confidence after getting het up in the stalls at Yarmouth last year and it took a long time for him to forget it."
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