Life’s a Breeze for Mountain following debut win

Mountain Breeze appears to have earned herself a place on Charlie Appleby’s Royal Ascot squad after making a winning debut on Qipco 1000 Guineas day at Newmarket.

Plenty was expected of the daughter of Lope De Vega in the Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes, with punters sending her off a well backed 7-4 favourite.

A half-sister to Appleby’s former star colt Pinatubo, Mountain Breeze travelled strongly throughout the five-furlong contest in the hands of William Buick and picked up smartly out of the dip to score by two and three-quarter lengths from fellow newcomer River Seine.

Appleby said: “I’m very pleased, we came here with plenty of confidence, she’s obviously a half to Pinatubo and her homework had been good.

“Will said it was her class that got her through as she hated every bit of the track. He just held on to her and he said once he levelled off she was always going to pick up and she did that well.

“She’s probably just booked her ticket to Ascot, we’re looking towards the Albany and I might give her another spin beforehand, just for a bit of experience more than anything.”

Richard Hannon was pleased to get on the winner’s board after The Actor (11-4) confirmed debut promise in the Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Novice Stakes.

An eyecatching second on his debut at the Craven meeting three weeks ago, the Harry Angel colt went one better with a neck verdict over Tropical Storm.

Hannon, who on Saturday saddled Rosallion and Haatem to finish second and third in the 2000 Guineas, said of The Actor: “He’s a tough little horse and he’s improved for that first start and I think he’ll be a bit better over six (furlongs). It’s nice to get a winner as it was getting frustrating.

“Obviously at this time of year you’re trying to get a team together for Royal Ascot and he’s definitely a two-year-old you’ve just got to keep on top of mentally. He was a little bit naughty down at the start today Sean (Levey) was saying, but he’s done the job well so I’m pleased with that.”

James Ferguson will work back from the Sky Bet Ebor with Bague d’Or after he kicked off his campaign with victory in the £100,000 William Hill Handicap.

A four-time winner for the now retired Chris Wall, the six-year-old only ran twice during his first season for Ferguson last year, finishing second at York and fourth at Doncaster.

He was a 6-1 for his reappearance and after seeing out the one-mile-six-furlong trip strongly to score by a length and three-quarters from Vaguely Royal under Mickael Barzalona, a return to York for the £500,000 Ebor on August 25 is unsurprisingly a high summer objective.

“He’s done it well, we always knew he was a horse that runs well fresh as he ran well last year after a long lay-off and he’s been thriving at home,” said Ferguson.

“He’s quite a big set horse and I thought he might just come on for the run but he’s done it well, Mickael has given him a lovely ride and a low weight (8st 9lb) has certainly helped him today.

“He clearly stays all day and we’re lucky the weather has stayed dried all weekend as for a Belardo he loves fast ground.

“Obviously with a horse like that you’ve got to work back from the Ebor, but we’ll just see what the handicapper does. York is a lovely track and he ran well there last year, but it’s a long season ahead and we’ll see how he comes out of the race.”