Big targets for Electric Storm following ‘unlucky’ Deauville defeat

Cloud Cover was also narrowly denied at Chelmsford.

James Tate was left cursing his luck after being narrowly denied in big races at both Chelmsford and Deauville on Sunday.

The lightly-raced Electric Storm took a significant step forward to be beaten just a short neck by Richard Hannon’s Shouldvebeenaring in the Group Three Prix de Ris-Orangis, while stablemate Cloud Cover was also narrowly denied on the all-weather in Essex.

The latter, making her first appearance since winning on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle, found only Vetiver a neck too good in the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes.

“It was a frustrating Sunday, shall we say,” said Tate.

“I suppose the fact neither were favourite and they both hit the board, earning black type, is good but it was a bit frustrating because neither got clear passages and were beaten in photo finishes.

“Ryan (Moore) certainly felt Electric Storm was unlucky. He took her into the middle, probably further back than he wanted to be, then there was no room there so he went for a gap between the middle and the outer and he couldn’t get through so then he went outside.

“She still actually got to the front but then Richard’s horse on the other side did her. Any which way you look at it she was a bit unlucky, especially as she is so lightly-raced, so she’s obviously pretty good.

“We’ve left her in a couple of five-furlong races (Sapphire Stakes and Flying Five), but they are both at the Curragh which is a stiff five, we didn’t enter her in the likes of the King George at Goodwood or the Nunthorpe (at York). I think we’re looking at the Haydock Sprint Cup and Ascot on Champions Day as she goes on soft ground.

“It would be nice to pick up a Group race as well and not just go for the top, top races.”

Cloud Cover was a winner on All-Weather Finals Day at Newcastle
Cloud Cover was a winner on All-Weather Finals Day at Newcastle (Richard Sellers/PA)

Of Cloud Cover, the trainer added: “She’s not a black type winner so we were really hoping she might win as she’s so effective on synthetic surfaces.

“She went for a gap through the middle, which is how she likes to be ridden, and then Neil (Callan) switched late to the inside rail, which is possibly not the favoured place and she was just a neck away (from victory).

“We have to be pleased that she got black type but we feel frustrated by a neck.

“If she’s just an all-weather filly there is a fillies’ Listed race at Deauville in November which would be the obvious race, the question is do we try her on the grass in the meantime, so we’ll see how she is in the next few days and decide that.”

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