Highly-regarded Emissary back to winning ways at Yarmouth

Newmarket could be next stop – and hopes high for next year.

Hugo Palmer can begin to be more ambitious with his plans for Emissary once again following his impressive front-running victory at Yarmouth.

Big things were expected of the Kingman colt – who is a half-brother to 2010 Derby winner Workforce – following his winning debut at Wolverhampton in October. However, until this success, things had failed to go his way in three previous starts this season.

Having filled the runner-up spot in a Listed contest at Goodwood on his comeback, the Khald Abdullah-owned colt finished down the field in the Epsom Classic before beating only one rival home on his handicap debut at Newmarket last month.

Wearing a first-time visor, Emissary bounced back to form in emphatic fashion, making all under James Doyle in the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap over an extended mile and three-quarters to defeat Tritonic by two and three-quarter lengths.

Palmer said: “I looked at his door card last night and I forgot that he was a May foal so things might have just come a bit too soon for him.

“He has shown much more like he did early in the year today, and hopefully this is the first step back in the right direction with him.

“He worked very well for James the other day in the visor. I don’t think he is ungenuine, but the visor has just helped focus him.”

Assessing future targets, the Classic-winning handler earmarked next month’s bet365 Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket as a potential port of call.

He added: “I did put him in the Old Rowley Cup as it was an early closer, so that is a possibility.

“We didn’t run him in the Derby to give everyone a day out, we thought he was a good horse. Today he looked like a good horse for the first time since his debut.

“I think he will be a lovely horse next year and hopefully he will develop into a type for the Hardwicke.”

Robert Havlin and Colony Queen (orange and green) on their way to victory
Robert Havlin and Colony Queen (orange and green) on their way to victory (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Robert Havlin timed his run to perfection aboard Colony Queen as she claimed her third victory of the campaign when getting up by a neck to spring a 40-1 surprise in the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap.

Havlin said of the Steve Gollings-trained winner: “I thought the track would suit her. She is a filly that likes to be on the bridle, but she has toughed it out.

“I thought at the two-pole she found for me and when you put her in a fight she is quite tough. She has been ultra consistent all year.”

Kingmania (5-4) kept up the recent good run of trainer Chris Wall when making it third time lucky with a length success in the Visit attheraces.com Nursery Handicap.

Wall said: “She was still quite green and they didn’t go as quickly as I thought they might do. Just as she settled they quickened up. It took a little while for her to work out what was expected of her, but she won quite nicely in the end.

“She has only won that off 67, but we are on the mark which I’m pleased about.”

Hollie Doyle celebrated a double at the Norfolk track, initiated by the length-and-a-quarter success of Minsky (14-1) in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.

Trainer John Butler said: “We got him out of Joseph O’Brien’s last month and he ran a smart race the other day at Wolverhampton. It looked a hot enough race today, but I think he has done it well. There is improvement left in him and he is for sale.”

The Archie Watson-trained Tagovailoa (13-8) completed Doyle’s brace when prevailing by half a length in the Moulton Nurseries Of Acle Classified Claiming Stakes.

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