French Master shows true worth with Doncaster triumph

Chris Phillips and Molly Hunter
July 5, 2024 5:19 pm

Son of Frankel claims race won by stablemate Sweet William last term.

French Master put a disappointing racecourse debut at Sandown behind him to run out an impressive winner in the bettingsites.co.uk Safe Betting Sites Novice Stakes at Doncaster.

The Frankel colt missed the break at the Esher course and never recovered but on this occasion he came from off the pace alongside the far-side rail under Robert Havlin as they entered the final furlong.

And when Havlin asked him for an effort, the John and Thady Gosden-trained three-year-old pulled clear to hit the winning line a length and a quarter ahead of Regal Connection at odds of 11-4.

French Master, a full brother to Mohaafeth, comes from off the pace to score for Rab Havlin and the Gosdens at @DoncasterRaces! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/olMMOPNjBL
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 5, 2024

The Normandie Stud colours were carried home by Sweet William in the same race 12 months ago and he went on to score again at Newbury and Goodwood before stepping up in class this season to win the Group Three Henry II Stakes prior to finishing third in the Ascot Gold Cup behind Kyprios.

Havlin said: “We were disappointed with him the last day but he fluffed his lines at the start and it was a good strong pace and he was behind the bridle the whole way, but learning the whole time.

“He wanted a step up in trip and the penny was still dropping as the race was progressing.

“Hopefully he’ll be sharper again the next day. My legs are like jelly, I was never on the bridle. I was slapping the shoulder the whole way round.

“He’s very laid back at home and the penny’s dropping with him and he stayed very well there. I think he’ll get sharper after having a race like that. He could go further but I’d keep him at a mile and a half at the minute.”

Brave Nation enters the winning enclosure — Brave Nation finally got his nose in front (Chris Phillips/PA)

Brave Nation ended a frustrating run of near-misses in the feature bettingsites.co.uk Betting Sites Handicap.

The Michael Bell-trained four-year-old had finished second on his last two starts but Billy Loughnane got him up to edge out Squealer by a nose at 100-30 this time, with Intervention a head back in third.

Loughnane said: “The race went very smoothly for him. They went a nice gallop up top. I was just trying to ride him with as much confidence as I can.

“I didn’t have the ideal passage through but he’s been in great shape.”

Qaasid comes into the winning enclosure — Qaasid got back to winning ways (Chris Phillips/PA)

Qaasid bolted up to win the bettingsites.co.uk New Betting Sites Handicap under a well-judged ride from Ryan Sexton.

The six-year-old had become tough to predict after following victory at Newbury with an indifferent run at York.

But once Sexton switched the Julie Camacho-trained gelding to the centre of the course, he turned on the jets to leave the field in his wake and come home two and three-quarter lengths clear of Stressfree at 11-1.

Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and the assistant trainer, said: “When he’s good, he’s good. He is (hard to predict).

“We were really pleased with him at Newbury and at York it was just a different class of animal and I think they took him out of his comfort zone. Whereas today, he went a long way on the bridle and picked up well and that seemed to suit him.

Qaasid bolts up!@JCamachoRacing‘s six-year-old picks up in telling fashion late on to strike in the hands of Ryan Sexton… pic.twitter.com/NDTtaVxVFD
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 5, 2024

“He’s in the sales next week at Newmarket, so we’ll test the market with him and have a chat with (owner) Martin (Hughes) in the meantime. When you see him win like that, he looks a decent animal.”

Beylerbeyi defied a 5lb penalty to make it a quickfire double on Town Moor and a hat-trick overall when scoring by half a length in the bettingsites.co.uk Fair Betting Sites Handicap.

The Ian Williams-trained four-year-old was penalised for his victory on the same course last week but it made no difference as he came home in the hands of Richard Kingscote at Evens.

Harvanna got her nose in front heading into the final furlong in the AGM Safety Ltd Fillies’ Handicap and kept on in the hands of Sam James to hold off favourite Miss Attitude and land the spoils at 9-4.

Bella Taslina completed a double for Kingscote in the Howarth Timber And Building Supplies Fillies’ Handicap at 11-2 and in the concluding Summer Saturday Series At Doncaster Handicap, Kodi Red took top honours at 12-1.