Hurricane Ivor eyes quickfire hat-trick in Rous Stakes

Molly Hunter
October 1, 2021 1:15 pm

Haggas sprinter doubled up at Doncaster and Newbury last month.

Hurricane Ivor will bid for a notable quickfire hat-trick in the Listed Oakman Group Rous Stakes at Ascot.

The four-year-old took the World Trophy Stakes at Newbury last month, defeating the reopposing Tis Marvellous and Significantly in the process and earning himself a 5lb Group Three penalty Saturday’s race.

Just a week earlier, Hurricane Ivor won Doncaster’s Portland Handicap, and trainer William Haggas reports he is still thriving.

Hurricane Ivor (left) winning at Newbury under Tom Marquand (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s very well, so it would be very hard to put him away,” said the Newmarket trainer.

“Where else could we run him?”

“I didn’t want to take him abroad, and we didn’t want to supplement for the Abbaye.

“It’s very hard to put a horse away who is in such clearly great form. It’s a hard task with a penalty, but he’s a gelding – so let’s get on and see.”

Also carrying a penalty, but receiving 2lb from Hurricane Ivoer, is Clive Cox’s Tis Marvellous – who was a Listed winner when breaking the track record in the Beverley Bullet in late August.

He crossed paths with Hurricane Ivor in the World Trophy next time, and was beaten just a length into third.

Tis Marvellous parades in victory at Beverley (Molly Hunter/PA)

“He’s enjoyed a wonderful season, winning at the Shergar Cup and then breaking the course record in the Beverley Bullet,” said Cox.

“He loves it at Ascot – obviously he’s got a penalty to shoulder for that Beverley success, but he’s in great order.

“He would appreciate less rather than more rain on Saturday.

“He’s a superstar, a real yard favourite – and he’s an absolute pleasure to have anything to do with.”

Owen Burrows’ Minzaal will make his long-awaited return to action, after being off the track for more than a year.

The Mehmas colt won last season’s Gimcrack and was then third in the Middle Park Stakes, but suffered an injury afterwards and has been absent since then.

All of his starts to date have been over six furlongs, but his lengthy lay-off and the softening ground persuaded Burrows to choose this shorter trip for his return.

Jim Crowley on board Minzaal on their way to winning the Gimcrack at York (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“We’ve declared him for the five-furlong race – we’ve never run him over five furlongs, but he’s not short of speed,” said the Lambourn trainer.

“He’s not run for over a year – so we thought with the ground getting a little bit soft, it would make sense to try him over a shorter trip.

“He’s really been pleasing me at home in his work, so we hope he’ll go well.”

Elsewhere in the field of nine is 2019 and 2020 winner Dakota Gold – last seen finishing seventh in the Beverley Bullet – with Karl Burke’s Significantly also back in action after finishing sixth in that same race.

Mick Appleby’s King Of Stars is another bidding for hat-trick – having won five-furlong handicaps – and Lawrence Mullaney’s Snazzy Jazzy, Irish challenger Strong Johnson and John Quinn’s Keep Busy complete the field.