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York Ebor day review: Jim Crowley's dream week continues

Mustashry ridden by Jim Crowley (right) wins the Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes
Image: Mustashry ridden by Jim Crowley (right) wins the Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes

Mustashry wore down long-time leader Forest Ranger to take the Group Three Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes.

Sir Michael Stoute's four-year-old backed up a win at Chelmsford 11 days earlier with a hard-fought success in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Forest Ranger made a bold bid to make all the running over the nine furlongs and had most of the field off the bridle when he increased the tempo from two furlongs out.

But the 5-2 favourite got on top close home to gain the verdict by three-quarters of a length. Sovereign Debt was third.

Winning jockey Jim Crowley said: "He did very well to win at Chelmsford the other day and he's not got too many miles on the clock.

"I always felt I had plenty of horse underneath me. He's a nice horse."

Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold said: "We've always thought highly of him and he's finally getting to show his potential.

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"He kept on getting held up by a splint, but he's a late-maturing type.

"Sir Michael always thought he'd stay 10 furlongs, I wasn't sure looking at his pedigree, but it looks like it would be well within his compass.

"We'll consider all the options for him now and hopefully he'll be around another year."

When asked if a supplementary entry for the Champion Stakes would be considered, Gold said: "I'd have to talk to Sir Michael, he might want to take it softly with him this year and he may think that would be too much of a leap."

James Doyle brought Secret Advisor with a well-timed run to land a gamble in the Betfred Melrose Handicap.

The 5-1 favourite made up a lot of ground in the closing stages on the far rail to nail his stablemate Bin Battuta in the dying strides.

Tor was at the forefront of a strong pace that fell apart at the business end of the mile and three-quarters.

Bin Battuta looked like landing the spoils after getting the better of Here And Now, but the Charlie Appleby-trained Secret Advisor delivered a sucker punch to score by a neck and lead home a Godolphin one-two.

Here And Now was a neck away in third, with On To Victory a length and a half back in fourth.

Doyle said: "If you drew a line from his run at Goodwood, where the ground was too soft, he should have been clear favourite anyway.

"He put up a good performance at Royal Ascot and I rode him work the other day on the Limekilns. I was blowing the other day as he's hard work. He's lazy, but he didn't half pick up late on.

"It was a good performance there because we were strung out. I wanted to go up the middle, but I got hampered and the race got away from me so I went over what I thought was the least favoured part of the track."

Alex Merriam, Appleby's assistant, said: "James said that he met trouble in running so he's done well to win in the end.

"He's been consistent this season and deserved that. You could forget his last run at Goodwood as he hated the ground.

"He's a horse for next year, that could be it for this season."

Sands Of Mali caused a 14-1 surprise to give trainer Richard Fahey his first win in the Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes.

The son of Panis stepped up considerably on his Nottingham success three weeks ago to land the Group Two prize. Paul Hanagan had him smartly out of the stalls and Sands Of Mali kept up the gallop to hold off Invincible Army.

Cardsharp and Headway dead-heated for third place.

Sands Of Mali was given a quote of 50-1 with Paddy Power for the Qipco 2000 Guineas and is 16s for the Commonwealth Cup with Sky Bet.

Hanagan said: "He's a bit inexperienced, but he pinged the gates and showed a great cruising speed. He took some pulling up.

"I think this year is just a bonus with him, he's only going to improve."

Fahey said: "That's brilliant, I've been second in it three times I think, even with Ribchester, so I've been desperate to tick it off my list.

"I couldn't believe it when he got beat first time, but that's racing.

"I know he was 14-1 but he didn't know that, we've always really liked him. "This is a big deal for us, I'm chuffed." He went on:

"He's in everything, like the Middle Park and what have you, it looks a big shout entering these horses when they've only won a maiden but you have to do it."

Trainer James Tate said of the runner-up: "I'm feeling mixed emotions, nobody likes finishing second. Having beaten Cardsharp and Headway, it represents a step up on his form.

"He's a big horse and can only keep on improving. We will look at the Mill Reef and the Middle Park, but we want to avoid soft ground."

William Haggas' said of Headway: "I'm satisfied, I wouldn't say I was happy. Judging on that run I think it's time to step him up in trip."

Sound And Silence came from the rear of the field to land the Julia Graves Roses Stakes.

Winner of the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, the Exceed And Excel colt had flopped when stepped up to six furlongs for the July Stakes at Newmarket.

He relished the drop back to the minimum trip to complete a double for trainer Charlie Appleby, jockey James Doyle and owners Godolphin after Secret Advisor's win in the Melrose Handicap.

Sound And Silence (9-2) came through strongly in the final furlong to go on and score by half a length from Abel Handy with Out Of The Flames a neck away in third.

Doyle said: "He's a fair horse. Obviously it was a good performance at Ascot in the Windsor Castle.

"He's clearly a nice horse, very fast and has got a lot of toe. Things didn't work out in the July Stakes.

"He's all about speed. He might get six one day, but I think we're all right where we are."

Appleby's' assistant Alex Merriam said: "Five furlongs is quite obviously his trip, I don't think he stayed at Newmarket.

"He's shown plenty of speed there and I've just spoken to Charlie who mentioned the Flying Childers could be next at Doncaster.

"He's at his best on fast ground so we were delighted the ground dried up."

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