George Boughey beginning to fire and Tiber Flow could be new seven-furlong king - three things we learned this week

Three key takeaways from across the week . . .

Boughey’s string hitting form at the right time

It was a tentative start to the season for George Boughey, who saddled only two winners from 35 runners on turf in April, but his horses are now beginning to hit form and look worth following as we approach Royal Ascot.

Boughey sent out three winners from as many runners on Saturday with Believing’s impressive Achilles Stakes success backed up by a quickfire double at Chepstow.

Following Believing’s win, Boughey indicated the filly may run in both the King Charles III Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting. She is as short as 12-1 for the former and retains scope for improvement over the minimum distance.

Boughey’s Ascot squad could also include Chic Colombine, who was an unlucky loser of the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom this month and has an entry in the Coronation Stakes, albeit she would probably need soft ground to run

Believing could take in the King Charles III Stakes and the Jubilee at Royal AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Koy Koy could prove one of the trainer’s strongest chances of the week in the Royal Hunt Cup. He shaped better than the bare result suggests in both starts this season and is a general 20-1 shot for the competitive mile handicap.  

The stable also has a potentially smart juvenile in Englemere. The daughter of Goken was picked up for just £1,000 as a yearling and is two from three this season, her defeat coming on her debut when chasing home subsequent Listed winner Betty Clover.

Englemere also lowered Carlisle’s juvenile course record when landing a competitive 5f novice last month.  
Joe Eccles

Tiber Flow could threaten Kinross’s seven-furlong dominance

Boughey’s Believing was the most impressive winner at Haydock on Saturday, but not far behind her in that regard was Tiber Flow, who bounced back from an awful fall at York to claim the John of Gaunt Stakes.

Despite two of his first three wins coming over seven furlongs, this was his first try over that distance for almost two years and connections may now have unlocked his optimum trip in what is always a select division.

Timber Flow streaks home in the John of Gaunt Stakes at HaydockCredit: john grossick

The uber-reliable Kinross has made that league his own over the last two years, and while Tiber Flow will still have several pounds to catch up on him even after his Haydock exploits are taken into account, at two years younger he has the potential to improve further.

The useful yardstick Pogo was third, giving the John of Gaunt form a solid look, and Tiber Flow could be a big player in races like the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood later in the season.
Sam Hendry

Oisin Murphy new favourite to regain jockeys' title

It is early days, but Oisin Murphy has set his stall out with a flying start to the jockeys’ championship and could be tricky to peg back, with bet365 impressed enough to shorten him to 1-2 to regain the title.

Watching William Buick waltz to a second straight title last year will have stung Murphy in what was his first season back from his lengthy ban over alcohol and Covid breaches.

Oisin Murphy: has usurped William Buick as favourite in the Flat jockeys' championshipCredit: Edward Whitaker

So far this season he has been riding very much like the man who racked up three straight champion jockey titles, with a treble at Windsor last Monday kicking off a great week in which his Tuesday trip to Lingfield was the only day not to yield a winner.

While Buick had two days' riding overseas, Murphy was able to extend his lead over the reigning champion to 17, with dark horse Rossa Ryan currently the closest challenger.

Murphy is back at Windsor on Monday evening for four more rides and could make hay again at a track where he has a 31 per cent strike-rate this season.
Sam Hendry

The Last Word:

Racing Post Ratings: Believing now an Ascot contender in an open year but further improvement will still be required  

Ante-Post Angles: Royal Ascot odds of 20-1 look too big for this easy winner - the track could be perfect

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