Jane Chapple-Hyam and Peter Harris appear to have another Finals Day contender on their hands after El Bodon made a successful return in a class two sprint at Kempton Park last week.
The trainer-owner combination tasted Finals Day success last season with Salamanca, who upset hot favourite Old Harrovian in the Midnite Easter Classic.
Making his first appearance since August, El Bodon was forwardly placed under Rossa Ryan and stretched out nicely to beat the in-form Coul Angel by just over a length, with the handicapper responding with a 6lb rise to 98.
A winner on the all-weather at Lingfield Park in 2023, the four-year-old had hit the crossbar several times in 10 subsequent starts on turf, most notably finishing second in Newbury’s G3 Greenham Stakes last year.
Ryan said: “El Bodon pinged the lids well. I was able to knock the swing off him and settle him beside Jason [Watson on the leader Berkshire Whisper]. We did not go mad and Hucklesbrook coming around us on the bend injected some pace into the race.
“To be fair to El Bodon, when I needed him to be besides Jason at the two before he stepped on the gas, he was there for me. He stuck it out well and has shown in the past that he gets seven furlongs, which was a help.
“I think there is a nice handicap in this lad, although his form coming into today would suggest that he is a better horse fresh. His form stacks up well and, now he is older, perhaps a gap between races is key.”
Kempton Park also hosted a rematch between Dubai Honour and Shader in the Listed Unibet Wild Flower Stakes, with the latter emphatically reversing the Southwell form for John & Thady Gosden.
Ridden with more restraint this time by Colin Keane, Shader was relentless in the straight as he outgunned Dubai Honour by a length and a half, with Ancient Wisdom five lengths further back in third.
Keane said: “The last day at Southwell, we wanted to use our match practice against Mr Haggas’ horse, but halfway around I knew we were doing the wrong thing.
“The team and Mr Gosden kindly let me do what I wanted tonight. Shader likes this place while also having a gear he can quicken off. The pace was even enough without going mad, but I thought he picked up well.
“I think he can be a proper Stakes horse during the summer on nice ground and a galloping track. He wears cheekpieces, so I think he only ever does just enough and is saving a bit for himself.”
Elsewhere, Justcallmepete gained his biggest success so far as he got up close home in the Timeform Sprint Series Final at Chelmsford. Now a nine-time winner on the all-weather, Tony Carroll’s six-year-old has been raised 3lb to 86.
Progressive juvenile Ten Carat Harry registered his third straight victory of the season in a six-furlong nursery at Southwell. Trained by Jamie Osborne, the son of Ardad has a revised rating of 90 and looks a player in the 3YO division.
Over in Ireland at Dundalk, Instant Appeal completed a three-timer of his own with a comfortable success in a seven-furlong handicap, resulting in a 6lb hike to 94. All roads for the four-year-old lead to the BetMGM Mile final, with trainer Stephen Thorne eyeing a prep run at Dundalk on February 20.
Billy Loughnane, who recently notched a double century for the calendar year, holds a commanding lead in the all-weather champion jockey standings, with his total of 38 wins placing him 10 clear of closest challenger Rossa Ryan.
Tony Carroll leads the way with 23 successes as he looks to retain the all-weather trainer title, although John & Thady Gosden (21 wins), Ian Williams (18) and James Owen (15) are well in the hunt as the second half of the season approaches.
