What we learned: a thriving young rider, the significance of a big-race result and a jumps trainer to watch

The return of the Racing League and another epic King George at Ascot. It's been a busy week - but what did we learn from the last seven days?

Saffie scales new heights

'Thriving under pressure' was the headline on a Saffie Osborne interview in Thursday's Racing Post and she proved its truth with two more notable performances to round off the week.

The Racing League returned for a third season on Thursday at Yarmouth and the 21-year-old started the same way she ended last year – with a treble. She struck on Chinese Knot (11-2), Stone Circle (17-2) and Alnilam (9-4) to get the Wales and the West team, led by her father Jamie, off to a great start. 

It wasn't quite the same odds as Osborne's concluding 6,539-1 treble in last year's competition, which secured the title for leading jockey and the £20,000 bonus that came with it, but continued her love affair with the competition.

Random Harvest with jockey Saffie Osborne and groom Elouise O'Hart Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Even better was to come at Ascot on Saturday when she gave the Ed Walker-trained Random Harvest a fine ride to land the Group 3 Valiant Stakes. Following up her Chester Cup success in May, the jockey is one of the brightest stars in the weighing room.
Liam Headd

Burrows shows his class with big-race victory

Owen Burrows will not have many better days than Saturday when Hukum delivered a gutsy performance to land the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. As a demonstration of the Lambourn trainer's patience and ability to peak horses for the big day, it could not have been more timely.

Owen Burrows (left) with Hukum and Arif Mohammed at Ascot on Saturday Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Hukum scooped prize-money of more than £700,000 and made it four wins from his last eight runners for Burrows, who has been instrumental in getting the six-year-old back to full fitness after a fracture to his right-hind fetlock last year. Having landed the Group 2 York Stakes with Alflaila on the Knavesmire just 25 minutes earlier, the trainer was left almost speechless when speaking to the media following Hukum's victory.

It has been a challenging year for Burrows, who last year became a public trainer having previously run a private yard for Shadwell. Since the death of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, the operation has scaled back in numbers and Burrows has opened his doors to other owners. Winning these big races is the perfect business advertisement.
Liam Headd

King George result a notable boost for Desert Crown

Hukum stole the headlines with his King George victory, but there would have been plenty of encouragement in the result for the connections of Desert Crown.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Derby winner ties in with the Ascot form, having finished half a length behind Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard in May and two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Saturday's runner-up Westover in last year’s Derby.

A leg infection kept Desert Crown out of the King George, but given how the race panned out it is no stretch to suggest he would have been right in the thick of the action at Ascot.

With Desert Crown having significant scope for improvement after just four starts, his connections will be praying the niggles do not prevent what could turn out to be a fruitful autumn campaign.
Joe Eccles

Haslam reaping McManus rewards

Ben Haslam is enjoying a fine start to the jumps season and moved into double figures with Aramax’s victory at Uttoxeter on Sunday.

The Middleham trainer’s seasonal best tally is 19 in 2020-21 and he is well on course to fly past that total.

Aramax: followed up his Cartmel victory with another success at Uttoxeter on SundayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Six of Haslam’s ten winners this season are owned by JP McManus and all of those were horses who had lost their way for previous yards.

Didtheyleaveuoutto got his head in front for the first time in more than two years when landing a handicap hurdle at Cartmel this month, while Aramax has now won his last two starts having been without a victory since January 2021.

Backing Haslam’s horses blind this season would have yielded a £30 level-stakes profit and in the short term anything representing the yard in the famous green and gold silks is worth a close look.
Joe Eccles

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