RACING: David Elsworth's team have hit the ground running for the start of the turf Flat season and the trainer completed a 350 to 1 treble on the opening day of Newmarket's Craven meeting yesterday.
With stable stars Cape Columbine and Norse Dancer set to run today, things could yet get even better for Elsworth. But these three winners alone should give him plenty to think about over the coming weeks, despite the first two being given long-odds quotes for their respective Classic engagements.
Top Gear was priced up as long as 50 to 1 with Totesport and Ladbrokes for the Vodafone Derby after landing the Museum Maiden Stakes.
The Robellino colt (5 to 1) had to be stoked up by owner Penny Sheen's son-in-law, Ian Mongan, with two furlongs still to run. But he responded well to his rider's encouragement and stayed on steadily to take up the lead at the furlong-pole and stretch nicely clear and score by a length and a quarter from Signatory.
"He's entered in the Dante and we'll have to consider running him there now," said the successful trainer.
"The ground was a bit on the firm side for him today, but he's done the job nicely, he's the best three-year-old distance colt I have got."
Having ridden in the race, Frankie Dettori gave up his remaining rides on the card, telling the clerk of the scales that he was suffering from exhaustion. The Italian does, however, plan to make a quick return to action at today's meeting.
Elsworth made it two when Richard Quinn brought Tucker with a late challenge to pip favourite Museeb in the Ousden Conditions Stakes.
The latter tried to pinch the race from the front when Richard Hills quickened the tempo just over a furlong out. But Quinn had his 8 to 1 shot travelling well just in behind and switched wide to launch a challenge, rushed home in the final yards to score by half a length, with King Marju third.
The first three were a long way clear of the remainder and Tucker now faces a sizeable hike up in class with his next outing set to be in the UltimatePoker.com 2,000 Guineas at the end of the month.
Seeing quotes of 33 to 1 being handed around by bookmakers after the race (Coral were longest at 40s), Elsworth said: "He's in the Guineas and he'll run in it. I see he's 33 to 1 but he's not bad - he's an exciting little horse."
And it was stable apprentice Liam Keniry who wrapped up the trio when giving Nota Bene (11 to 2) a fine positive ride to take the concluding Exning Handicap.
The improving son of Zafonic, like his stablemates, is now set to be stepped up in grade with Elsworth having pencilled in the Palace House Stakes at the Guineas meeting, before a possible trip to York for the Duke of York Stakes.
