Sirona eases through to secure smooth success

Sirona justified 6-4 favouritism with the minimum of fuss to win the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai British EBF Rosemary Stakes at Newmarket.

With heavy ground (which was changed to soft after the race) reducing the Listed contest to just a five-runner affair, David Menuisier’s filly was strongly fancied under Ryan Moore to win for the first time this term.

Kieran Shoemark grabbed the rail on Spiritual and briefly looked like slipping the field but Moore kept his mount away from that rival and engaged overdrive.

Sirona quickened up well, handling the testing ground with aplomb, to run out a neck winner from the closing Fair Point.

“The ground was a bit of an unknown, to be honest. I didn’t train the filly until this year and she had been handling fast ground well,” said Menuisier.

“When I saw heavy this morning, I wasn’t sure but I had a word with Jayne (McGivern, owner) and she said give it a try and we did.

“She really deserves this, she’s been knocking on the door all year, so it was important to win this one.

“I don’t know if that is it for this year, it will depend on how she is over the next few weeks with the winter coming. I have no plan but she stays in training next year.”

Paul and Oliver Cole’s Seaplane was entitled to win the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai British EBF “Confined” Maiden Stakes after finishing second on his first two outings but he ran out an emphatic victor.

Sent off the 13-8 favourite, Rossa Ryan bounced him into an early lead and he never saw another rival, coming home four and a half lengths clear of Archivist.

He was cut to 25-1 from 66-1 for the Group One Futurity Stakes at Doncaster on October 26.

Oliver Cole said: “He’s in the Futurity. He’s a nice horse, he’s improved a lot since his last run.

“I thought going into his last race that he was probably one piece of work off, and he’s thrashed them today.

“He’s improved for softer ground, he’s related to Sumo Sam (won Lillie Langtry and Park Hill last year) so he was always going to.

“It will be Doncaster next and he’ll improve for going out in trip next year.”

The plan for Burdett Road (10-1) may have changed after the dual-purpose performer ran out an eight-and-a-half-length winner of the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Godolphin Stakes.

A smart juvenile hurdler last year, trainer James Owen was planning one more run on the level before heading for Cheltenham and the Masterson Hurdle next month.

However, when owner Tim Gredley rang after the race he had grander plans.

“Tim has just mentioned Ascot and the two-mile race on Champions Day – I was thinking more the Masterson Hurdle, so we’ll have to see,” said Owen.

“In fairness to Harry Davies, he rode him at Chester and said we were riding him all wrong, which for a young lad was a big thing to say.

“He wanted to make it today, like he did over hurdles, and it’s clearly what he loves.”