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Bright future predicted for Johnston winner
Royal Ascot may have been all too much for Iffraaz but he showed he has a bright future after returning to winning ways in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Yarmouth.
Finishing down the field in the Windsor Castle Stakes last time out, the Mark Johnston-trained son of Iffraaj bounced back to form with victory in a race claimed 12 months ago by stablemate and subsequent Vintage Stakes winner, Dark Vision.
Briefly looking in trouble, the 7-4 favourite, who holds an entry in next month's Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, soon found a smart change of gear to make his first start over six furlongs a winning one, defeating Incinerator by two lengths.
Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said: "There was a moment of worry around two furlongs out as he looked like he was in a little bit of trouble, but the last furlong he stayed on very strongly and hit the line well.
"He looked more comfortable over six furlongs. He is a lovely horse and is a serious tank when you look at him.
"We liked him enough to send him to Royal Ascot second time out, but in hindsight it was probably over the wrong trip and a bit too soon for him to cope with it mentally.
"If he gets a reasonable mark we will look at a nursery, if not a conditions race or maybe at a stretch the Listed Rose Bowl at Newbury."
Jamie Spencer enjoyed his first winner back since making a brief visit to Canada at the weekend when steering the James Tate-trained Coastline (8-1) to a first victory by half a length in the Mickey T 70th Birthday Handicap.
The former champion jockey said: "She liked the ground – the trip (a mile) was a little bit of a unknown and it is as far as she would want to go.
"There was a very strong headwind and it worked in her favour covering her up. She learnt a lot from her last run."
On his defeat aboard Federal Law at in the Queen's Plate at Woodbine on Sunday, he added: "It was a long trip. He looked a good chance on paper, but he just didn't stay."
John Jenkins celebrated his first winner at the course in more than four years after Tilsworth Rose (14-1) got her head in front for the first time in her career in the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Handicap.
Jenkins said: "She has taken a bit of time to get the hang of things, but she will hopefully win again now. She is quite an excitable filly, but the more racing she has done the more she is getting the hang of it.
"I was leading trainer here years ago, but I don't know what has happened to me – I think the last time I had a winner here I had a treble, but that was a long time ago!"
Richard Spencer will contemplate giving Magical Ride the chance to complete a swift hat-trick after he made it two wins inside a week at the Norfolk when taking the Download The MansionBet App Handicap by a neck.
Spencer said of the 8-13 winner: "He is entered over various trips here, at Catterick and Kempton. He is in a good place at the moment and it seems silly to give him a break when he is winning as it took a long time to get to this point."
