Middleham Park hearing the Classic call after another Glasgow success

There was plenty of good racing on Friday night to get the weekend off to a flyer and it produced stories and horses to note – here's our round up

The Middleham Park Racing dream lives on after Raymond Tusk delivered them another Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton on Friday evening.

Racing manager Tim Palin had dared to dream another success for the syndicate in the Listed feature and the 7-4 favourite got the job done for the owners and trainer Richard Hannon, the same team who had 2016 winner Ventura Storm. That one went on to finish second to Harbour Law in the St Leger later that year and it will be interesting see if this son of High Chaparral can follow in the footsteps.

Raymond Tusk, who was sixth when thrown in at the deep end in the Group 1 Eclipse at Sandown two weeks ago, did not disappoint with a commanding win over this 1m3f trip under Phillip Makin to add his name to top-class previous race winners including as Postponed and Defoe.

Makin was suitably impressed and said: "He is a big and young horse and quite exciting. He's still quite inexperienced and might stay further – he felt like he will improve."

Palin said of the colt, who has Group 1 entries later in the year: "He's in the Prix de Reux at Deauville on August 5 [where he would earn the French premiums] and we'd have one eye on the St Leger if he does stay."

Glasgow Stakes result and race replay

Waarif makes it two £30k races in a row

It proved a good evening for Middleham Park Racing for within minutes of Raymond Tusk's success, their five-year-old Waarif gave them another good prize by taking the £30,000 optional claiming handicap over a mile at Pontefract.

Despite the valuable prize there were only six runners, just one of which, the Jamie Osborne-trained Qassem, took advantage of the 7lb allowance by being entered with a claiming option.

However he never featured as the David O'Meara-trained Waarif made all the running under promising apprentice Conor McGovern. It was the gelding's second good prize in a row as he had returned to form to win the £30,000 Carlisle Bell on his previous start.

Waarif was the second winner of the evening for O'Meara, who is in fine form with 13 winners in the past fortnight, for he had earlier won the 5f handicap with Watchable, who also made all the running under a canny ride from Danny Tudhope.

David O'Meara: yard is going great guns at present

Two to note

Ummalnar(7.10 Newmarket)

With favourite Arabian Gift a big disappointment once again it's hard to know quite what the form is worth, but it was without doubt a taking debut from Sheikhzayedroad's Shamardal half-sister Ummalnar in this mile novice race for fillies.

Described by William Haggas in the spring as a nice big filly who was immature last year but had done well since, she was expected at that time to make her debut in April.

Whatever the reason for the delay, it was worth the wait for she picked up in great style on the wide outside after being patiently ridden and was going right away in the last 50 yards. She's one to keep an eye out for wherever she reappears.

Watch Ummalnar's Newmarket victory

Diva D (6.20 Hamilton)

This filly looks sure to come into her own when stepped up in trip on the evidence of her performance in finishing fourth behind 1-3 favourite Showout in the 6f novice race.

The Mark Johnston-trained daughter of Shamardal earned extra credit for the way she stuck to her task on a track that clearly didn't suit, and the way she closed to the line to nearly nick a place confirmed the evidence of her miler's pedigree.

She should repay her 50,000gns yearling price tag when getting optimum conditions on a more conventional flat galloping track.

Race result, replay and analysis

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