Back-to-form Huboor keeps Johnston riding high

Huboor strides to victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘Jersey Lily’ Fillies Nursery Handicap at Newmarket under Jim Crowley for trainer Mark Johnston (Nigel French/PA)

Huboor continued trainer Mark Johnston’s personal best year when taking the British Stallion Studs EBF Jersey Lily Fillies’ Nursery Handicap at Newmarket.

The two-year-old was the Middleham trainer’s 228th winner of 2019 as she showed she was better than her mark of 78 with a comfortable success when tackling nursery company for the first time.

On the far side of the course, Huboor (14-1) was never too far off the pace and saw the seven furlongs out well to defeat top-weight Separate by half-a-length in the hands of Jim Crowley.

Johnston said: “Last time at Chester, she missed the break and could never really recover on that track.

“We thought it was mostly down to that.

We weren’t absolutely certain about stepping her up in trip, but I’m sure it has helped her today.

“I can’t say I was always confident, but she kept finding once hitting the rising ground.

“She came back bigger and stronger after her break – and although Chester was a bit of a blip, she has made steady progress through the season.

“We’ll stick at this trip for now, but there aren’t many options for her at this stage of the season.

”

Lady Lynetta made her racecourse experience count as she got off the mark at the third attempt in the Blandford Bloodstock Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Having shown promise in both her starts, the Richard Hughes-trained filly broke well and made all the running – with Sunset Kiss and Princess Bride always prominent.

When Shane Kelly asked her to go and win the race, Lady Lynetta (14-1) quickened away and just had enough in hand to hold Baaqy by half-a-length – with Sunset Kiss a neck away third.

Hughes said: “I was gutted in Goodwood – I thought she would nearly win.

“It was a muddling race, though – so we decided that we needed to just send her on and use her lovely, big stride this time.

“She’s a real galloper – she’s got a lovely attitude, and I can see her getting 10 furlongs next year.

”

Dubai Legacy (9-4 favourite) come through strongly on the near side rail for Oisin Murphy to stamp his authority in the Newmarket Journal And Velvet Magazine Handicap.

The three-year-old, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, relished the rising ground to grab the lead and get home by half-a-length from Spanish City to earn a winter spell in Dubai.

Bin Suroor said: “He has improved physically this year, especially after we gelded him, and I am really looking forward to getting him on the dirt – because he is bred to be a better horse on that surface.

“I trained his sire, Discreet Cat, who was a Grade One winner on dirt – and although I don’t know whether this horse can reach those heights, I do think he can be a stakes horse on that surface.”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Mark Johnston Jim Crowley

Latest