Cold Case solves big sales race puzzle at Doncaster

Handy boost for Gimcrack form on Town Moor.

Karl Burke is confident Cold Case can make his mark in Group-race company before the season is out after edging a thrilling renewal of the Weatherbys Scientific GBP 300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster.

On the strength of a third-placed finish in the Gimcrack Stakes at York last month, the Showcasing colt was the 11-4 favourite to claim the majority of the huge prize-money up for grabs on Town Moor.

Favourite-backers were made to sweat, with recent Carlisle victor Alpha Capture finishing with a flourish, but Cold Case clung on by a short head in the hands of Andrea Atzeni.

Paddy Power cut the winner’s odds for both the Middle Park Stakes and the Dewhurst at Newmarket to 20-1 from 33-1, but Burke is in no rush to finalise plans.

He said: “He was very, very gutsy. I must admit, when the (William) Haggas horse (Alpha Capture) came to our girths I thought we were beat, but he’s very game.

“I think he’s actually a better horse taking a lead early, but he winged the gates today and Andrea was adamant he wasn’t going to pull him around if that happened.

“He more or less made the running in the Gimcrack and this performance has franked the Gimcrack form, which is brilliant given we also had the runner-up Marshman.

“This is a lovely colt in his own right and I’m sure he’s a Group horse in the making, but today was a big prize and a big target.”

Asked where he feature in his juvenile pecking order, Burke added: “He’s towards the top of the pile.

“I’ll speak to his owner (Sheikh Mohammed Obaid) and Andrea about where we go next and go from there, but there’s plenty of stamina on the dam’s side and I know Sheikh Mohammed Obaid is very keen to step up in trip. Definitely next year he’ll stay seven furlongs and maybe even a mile.”

Bonny Angel is likely to go in search of some black type on her next start after outclassing her rivals in the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘Carrie Red’ Fillies’ Nursery.

Placed in maidens at Sandown and Newbury earlier in the summer, Clive Cox’s youngster made a successful handicap debut at Leicester three weeks ago and was the 4-1 favourite to follow up.

A 5lb hike for her Leicester triumph proved nowhere near enough to stop the daughter of Cox’s former star sprinter Harry Angel from doubling her tally as she shot four lengths clear under John Fahy.

Cox said: “I’m really, really pleased and having trained Harry Angel, to see his progeny starting to do what we hoped we might do, is great and brings back a lot of memories.

“She doesn’t mind a little bit of ease in the ground and something like the Bosra Sham (Fillies’ Stakes, at Newmarket on October 28) would be on my mind.”

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