3 minute read
Dancing Gemini produced a taking display when powering to victory in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster on Friday afternoon.
Roger Teal's chance made a pleasing start to his career when runner-up at Salisbury on debut and probably shaped better than the bare result when fifth behind the potentially top-class Rosallion in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot.
He duly got off the mark when dropped back to maiden company at Newbury last-time-out and connections were proved correct in stepping the nicely-bred son of Camelot back up in grade this afternoon.
Advised at 6/1 in today's daily tipping column, Roger Teal's runner was sent off 5/1 to make a successful step back into Listed company and always travelled kindly under Lewis Edmunds.
Ryan Moore was intent on being prominent on Aidan O'Brien's Battle Cry, but he was soon taken on by the keen-going Kingdom Of Riches, who pulled his way to the front under Rossa Ryan.
Backers of the well-supported 2/1 market leader, War Rooms, would never have been particularly comfortable as Richard Kingscote was forced to exercise his arms from an early stage. To War Rooms' credit, he did stick on well under pressure, but the bird had flown, and Dancing Gemini pulled clear for a taking four-and-a-quarter length success over Gushing Gold (11/1), who kept on resolutely under Oisin Murphy after being prominent throughout.
War Rooms finished back in third.
Teal said: "That was really impressive. We've held him in high regard all year. He did a piece of work last week that was breathtaking, and I knew we had him in good shape heading into today.
"I said to Lewis, 'if we can back up that bit of work, you'll be going past the lollipop in front' and he did. It was a very nice performance.
"We won this with Tip Two Win, and I think he could possibly be as good, he's got a similar profile because he's got speed, with a good turn of foot and a good cruising gear.
"He's in the big one here at the end of the season, but we'll play it by ear and see how he comes out of today. If all is well and the owner is happy, we might take a punt, if not we'll wait for next year when we'll go for a trial before the Guineas.
"Lewis is a very underused jockey – I shouldn't say that because more people will start using him. Fair play to the owner because Rossa Ryan was supposed to ride him last time but got claimed by a bigger stable, but Lewis did a great job at Newbury, and he has again today.
"He handles the soft, when I watched the first, I thought it was a little softer than they thought as they were well strung out, so I said to Lewis, 'don't sit too far off the pace and give him every chance'.
"We really fancied him on his debut but he was slowly away before passing everything bar the winner, but he's come on bundles, he's improving with every race. He'll get a mile no problem."
Edmunds, who was riding his biggest winner to date, added: "That was good, he was very impressive. It's nice to sit on horses like that. I think he's got no end of class and the sky's the limit for him at the minute.
"That's my biggest winner. I've won a sales race but that was something special, the way he's done it."
Paddy Power were the first to react by giving the winner quotes of 20/1 from 66/1 for the Futurity Trophy back here on the 28th of October, while the same firm went 33/1 for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket next season.
