Varian predicts bright future for Salisbury winner Lady Hayes

Horse Racing

‘I’m not quite sure where we go next yet, but she has Pattern potential’.

Roger Varian made the perfect start to his association with owner George Bolton as Lady Hayes made a winning debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury.

Sent off at 9-1, the Kodiac filly ensured the Newmarket handler’s first runner for the Royal Ascot-winning owner was a successful one when defying her inexperience to emerge triumphant in the seven-furlong contest.

Despite showing signs of greenness late on, Lady Hayes demonstrated a willing attitude to defeat long-time leader Light Refrain by a length.

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Varian said: “She is a lovely filly and I’m delighted to get my first winner for her owner George Bolton.

“George has had winners in the past, but that is the first I’ve had for him and I’m delighted to do it with his first runner.

“She will improve from today, as she ran a bit green under pressure, while she will stay a mile.”

While plans remain fluid for Lady Hayes, who was introduced at 33-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas by Paddy Power and 50-1 for the same race by Ladbrokes, Varian expects her to step up in class before the season is out.

He added: “I’m not quite sure where we go next yet, but she has Pattern potential. It’s the time of year when you have got to look at stakes-race options and see.

“We will see how she comes out of it, but I would think she deserves to be racing at stakes level at some point in the autumn.”

Star In The Making (16-1) made it two wins from as many appearances at the Wiltshire track when prevailing by half a length in the European Bloodstock News EBF “Lochsong” Fillies’ Handicap.

Winning trainer Clive Cox said: “To be fair to her she has won on the track before, but she has just struggled a bit on the firmer ground. She is a good filly on her maiden form from here and it was good to just produce that kind of run.

“It was perfect for her today as it is soft without being too demanding. She is a very light-framed filly, but she has clearly got a bit of talent.”

He added: “When conditions are right she is very honest and she has got a wonderful pedigree and if she could get some black type it would be marvellous.”

Longlai (8-1) confirmed his superiority over Golden Flame, whom he had behind him at Goodwood last month, when striking gold by a neck in the Shadwell Novice Stakes to initiate a double for trainer Richard Hannon.

The Marlborough handler said: “He doesn’t need to do a lot more this year now he has won one. He could be a nice mile or mile-and-a-quarter horse next year.

“The step up to a mile has definitely helped and he is still unfurnished.”

Hannon completed his brace through Happy Romance (11-4), who claimed the feature Group Three Shadwell Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes by three-quarters of a length to set up a tilt at the Cheveley Park Stakes.

Nasraawy went one better than on his three previous outings on his first start since being gelded with a three-and-a-half-length success in the Racing TV Handicap.

Rider Kieran O’Neill said of the John Gosden-trained 4-1 shot, “He probably didn’t like the ground, but he has shown a bit of class at home. The further he went the better he got. He is a bit of a boy, but he has got ability.”

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