Lightning strike turns thoughts to Abbaye challenge

Tom Clover’s sprinter is on a steep upward curve.

Rogue Lightning looks a sprinter going places and could take his chance in Prix de l’Abbaye following a cosy victory in the Betfred Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster.

Tom Clover’s three-year-old is improving at a rate of knots and since being gelded is unbeaten in three outings.

His last victory came in a valuable Ascot handicap and upped to Listed class on Town Moor he faced only three rivals.

However, one of those was Raasel, a very solid 110-rated sprinter who arrived off the back of a good win at Haydock last week. But he was always fighting a losing battle as Danny Tudhope coaxed Rogue Lightning (9-4) home for a three-quarters of a length success from the even-money favourite.

“He’s always been a horse that we’ve liked,” said Clover. “It’s just fantastic for The Rogues Gallery (winning syndicate) as we’ve got 55 of them here today, Doncaster have been brilliant with them and gave them a box.

Members of the Rogues Gallery syndicate
Members of the Rogues Gallery syndicate (Nigel French/PA)

“To have a runner at the St Leger meeting with so many here, it means an awful lot.

“We actually put him in the Prix de l’Abbaye with the five-furlong division looking so open. He’s very fast, he’s got so much speed and he’s just a lovely horse. Gelding has obviously helped, he was very keen but relaxes a bit better now.

“If he gets in the Abbaye we’ll probably go.”

Poet Master (9-2) looks another very nice prospect for Karl Burke and took his record to three wins from just four outings in the Betfred City Of Doncaster Handicap.

Poet Master won in fine style
Poet Master won in fine style (Nigel French/PA)

Well beaten on his handicap debut at Haydock, he seemed suited by dropping back down to seven furlongs from a mile.

Always handy under Sam James, he saw off his rival for the lead, Dark Thirty, and held the challenge of Zouky by two and three-quarter lengths.

James said: “It felt like we went a good gallop, but I was always travelling comfortably the whole way, in my comfort zone.

“I think the better the race he runs in the better he’ll be but he still needs to learn about the game, he was a little bit on it and I struggled to pull him up afterwards but he’s obviously got plenty of ability.

“He’s just got his own ideas a bit and even though he’d won a couple, he’s still green. To me it didn’t feel like he was in love with the ground, but he was still able to travel.

“He’s probably a very decent horse and he’d have to be black type now, the faster they go the easier he’ll win.”

Swift Salian (7-2) ran out a very easy winner of the I Love Julie Parkes Nursery Handicap for David and Nicola Barron.

Fresh from winning a Grade One in Canada on Saturday evening, it looked like William Buick had come to Town Moore especially for Charlie Appleby’s State Of Desire but he was a major disappointment.

Swift Salian kicked clear under Connor Beasley well over a furlong out to win by three and a quarter lengths.

Ala Kaifi justified 100-30 favouritism under Kieran Shoemark in the Hippo Carpet Protector Handicap for Ismail Mohammed.

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