The second evening meeting of the week at Ffos Las was held in pleasant, sunny conditions. The going was good to firm, good in places after watering. There was a series of close finishes; the first four races were all won by a neck.
Racing began with a 6f nursery. The handicap good thing, Sir Arthur Dayne, ran on late without looking likely to catch the Archie Watson-trained fashion Free (9/2). Hollie Doyle had her prominent all the way and she took the lead at the two pole. Come On Girl belied her long odds and a slow start to come third, beaten two necks.
A 6f contest for two-year-old novices followed. Point Of Order, for the Watson and Doyle combination, was very quickly away and set a decent gallop, with the Sylvester Kirk-trained Hubert (3/1) in second place. The order remained the same until the last few strides, when Luke Morris’s persistent efforts aboard Hubert forced him ahead. He won by a neck.
The 1m4f maiden featured a 1/6 favourite in the form of Paths Of Glory, despite his admittedly superior form being on softer ground. Hugo Palmer’s lightly raced four-year-old ran second until coasting into the lead inside the last half mile. When asked to go clear by Jack Mitchell, he promptly did so. The hurdler All Yours finished with a flourish to get within a neck, but Mitchell had been nursing his mount on the fast ground. The rest were well behind.
Four of the five runners in the 7f race led at one point or another in the final two and a half furlongs. The last of them was Lucky Louie (15/8), whose trainer Roger Teal wanted him to be held up as late as possible. Rossa Ryan followed orders precisely and hit the front a couple of strides before the line to deprive Ghaith of the spoils.
Bug Boy (13/2) had gone close in his two most recent outings and gained a deserved success in the 1m2f race for Devon trainer Paul George. Coming from last to first on the outside under Rhiain Ingram, he took the lead half a furlong out. Verify tried to go with him but couldn’t sustain his effort, going down by a length and a quarter.
Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle completed doubles with Inspired Thought (5/4) in the four-runner 6f handicap. The filly was winning her fifth race from eight starts, all since the beginning of April. She wasn’t helped by being impeded soon after the start by the eventual second, Swiss Pride, but didn’t have too much difficulty in taking the lead a furlong out. She ran on to score decisively, by a length and three quarters She could run again on Monday.
A 5f dash ended the card. Perfect Charm (6/5 fav), who’d led all the way over course and distance on Monday made it a treble for Watson and Doyle. Enjoying a solo passage against the stand rail, she disputed the running until emerging as the definite leader a furlong and a half out. The in-form filly galloped on stoutly to deny Spot Lite by half a length.
