Perfect Alibi hits Newbury target

Switch up in class the plan for handicap scorer.

Perfect Alibi is improving with every run and is set to step up in class following her all-the-way success in the UHY Ross Brooke Chartered Accountants Fillies’ Handicap at Newbury.

Tom Marquand rode the Queen’s three-year-old daughter of Le Havre like she was the best filly in the race and so it proved, as she stayed on nicely to burn off her five rivals in the extended one-mile-and five-furlong contest.

The 5-2 chance, who got off the mark at the same track on her penultimate start, scored by a length and three-quarters from the staying-on Sea Sylph and could now head to York or Doncaster.

Trainer William Haggas was represented by his wife, Maureen, who said: “She did it nicely and Tom gave her a well-judged ride. She is learning and is a beautiful filly.

“You are now going to have to look at races like the Galtres or the Park Hill, something like that.”

Though she had finished down the field in the Queen’s Vase, she had excuses in that Group Two contest.

Haggas added: “She has got a scar on her leg where something went into the back of her at Ascot. She was lucky, she only had the skin taken off.”

The winning rider was impressed, adding: “She filled up straight away and you are having to work her through the gears, she is not trying to go there herself and it is amazing – it makes it so much easier.

“She is more purposeful with her action now and she is really direct. I’m feeling her change with each run.”

Trilium was on the mark at Newbury
Trilium was on the mark at Newbury (Simon Milham/PA)

Richard Hannon will up Trillium in class for her next engagement after she made light work of her 10 rivals in the bet365 British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes under Pat Dobbs.

The No Nay Never juvenile has been runner-up on her Goodwood debut and may head back to the Sussex track after she justified 13-8 favouritism by four lengths in the six-furlong event.

Hannon said: “She is a nice filly. We might take her to the (Group Three) Molecomb or the Sweet Solera (at Newmarket) or something like that.

“Pat said she took a while to pull up, but you can come back in trip with her. She is quite keen and didn’t settle very well last time. I didn’t think she would win like that.

“She travelled well and she tracked them, but last time she saw a lot of daylight.”

Tarjeeh impressed in victory
Tarjeeh impressed in victory (Simon Milham/PA)

Tarjeeh came with a late rattle under Jim Crowley to take the first division of the R & M Electrical EBF Novice Stakes.

Having shaped well on his Windsor debut when fourth, the Churchill colt, bought for 160,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October sales, was upped a furlong and may well be capable of repaying that outlay in due course.

“A lot went wrong at Windsor. He spread a plate in the saddling-up boxes and was drawn on the wide outside. We would have been disappointed today had he not been knocking on the door,” said winning trainer Owen Burrows.

“It looked a hot race. This year he will get a mile and next year he (Crowley) said he will get a mile and quarter.”

Chaldean pleased Andrew Balding
Chaldean pleased Andrew Balding (Simon Milham/PA)

Andrew Balding is a new addition to Juddmonte’s roster this season and the in-form Highclere handler scored in the second division, as Chaldean looked better value than the winning margin of three-quarters of a length suggested after ploughing a lone furrow down the stands’ side before wandering late on.

Partnered by David Probert, the son of Frankel, who cost 550,000 guineas as a foal, looks set for a bright future.

Balding said: “That was a nice performance. He looks like he will stay another furlong, but he will probably stay at seven (furlongs) for the time being. He is a smart horse. I think he would handle slower ground as well, but he wouldn’t want extremes.

“He looks very nice at home and is towards the top of the tree. We are very lucky we have some nice horses, but he is bred to be nice and he looks that way.

“I think he is still a little bit green and didn’t have a lot of company and was slightly stuck on a wing, but he travelled well. He has done the job, that’s the main thing.”

Zain Nights struck gold for the Charlton team
Zain Nights struck gold for the Charlton team (Simon Milham/PA)

Harry and Roger Charlton will step Zain Knights up in trip after he took the mile-and-a-half handicap under a front-running ride from William Buick, who later made it a double when Chateau landed the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes.

After missing a good opportunity over course and distance last time, Zain Knights made no mistake and Roger Charlton said: “We will look for a mile-and-six handicap next time. He will get that standing on his head now.”

Heather Main appears to have found the key to Island Bandit after the well-handicapped Zarak gelding powered to a three-and-three-quarter-length success in the Crossland Employment Solicitors Handicap.

The Wantage handler said: “I’m thrilled that the blinkers worked and I wish I would have put them on him last time. We were just keen to give him a chance, but they sharpened him up. That’s all he needed. It had got a bit frustrating, because we know he has plenty of ability.”

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