Tears flow as 2.7 million guineas colt takes first steps on trail to Royal Ascot

Tuesday: Yarmouth

Big-ticket item Akhu Najla was certainly not weighed down by the expectations that come with a price tag of 2.7 million guineas when scoring handsomely at the second attempt to earn a quote of 14-1 for the St James's Palace Stakes.

Trainer Roger Varian and breeder Colin Murfitt were in attendance on the North Denes where the son of Kingman put on a show to match his profile in the mile maiden.

David Egan, who is retained by Bahraini owners KHK Racing, moved the three-year-old to the stands' rail, from where the 8-11 favourite left his rivals trailing to score by six and a half lengths.

Akhu Najla is a half-brother to Galileo Gold, who won the St James's Palace Stakes in 2016, and will now be aimed at Sandown's Listed Heron Stakes next month before heading to Royal Ascot, a route successfully taken by Without Parole in 2018.

Egan said: "He could be very special and hopefully as good as his brother. Jefferson Smith rides him at home and has done a great job with him over winter. He has a lot of speed and feels like a miler at the moment."

Breeder Colin Murfitt, owner of Pantile Stud in Cambridgeshire, sold the colt to connections at the Tattersalls October Sales in 2020.

"I couldn't see much of the finish as I had tears in my eyes," Murfitt said. "It's a brilliant result for us and fair play to Roger and his team. At home we have two half-sisters to this fellow, a yearling by Too Darn Hot and a foal by Frankel."

First for Frankie

Frankie Dettori made his first Yarmouth ride of 2022 a winning one when Shining Al Danah outshone some fancied Newmarket counterparts in the 7f maiden fillies' stakes.

Shining Al Danah and Frankie Dettori after winning the 7f fillies' maiden

The 5-2 chance made all up the stands' rail to register at the second time of asking after a dry run at the Craven Meeting a fortnight ago.

Philip Robinson, racing manager to winning owner Saeed Jaber, was not averse to the stands' rail trick in his riding days and said: "She didn't handle the undulations at Newmarket and found this flatter track better for her and was always going like the winner."

Fee pays

Grace McEntee and Contingency Fee go together like Yarmouth and ice cream and the pair registered their 12th success together in the 1m3½f handicap.

The 4-1 chance bossed the four-runner field from the start and fought off all comers to score a first win of 2022 from outsider Russian Virtue.

Grace McEntee : won the opener on Contingency Fee

The winning jockey said: "Contingency Fee was the first horse I won on for my Dad so it is very special. He enjoyed himself out there today, with the tailwind in the straight helping."

Bennett first

Charlie Bennett rode his first winner at the track at the 34th attempt when Pledge Of Honour held off four rivals in the 1m2f handicap.

"Trainer Dean Ivory has been very good to me and I ride out there as well as Jim Boyle," Bennett said. "It's tough out there but hopefully things will get going."

Results, replays and analysis

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