Rage Of Bamby set Group 1 sprint target after syndicate celebrates milestone with shock 33-1 victory

Members of the Hot To Trot racing syndicate filled the winner's enclosure in huge numbers after Rage Of Bamby provided the operation with their 100th win.

Set up in 2012, the group had every reason to celebrate after the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained five-year-old scooped just over £48,000 when landing the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes.

The result will open a few more doors for the mare, who was a 33-1 outsider, and connections are dreaming high after her comfortable defeat of King’s Gamble and Regional. 

Racing manager Sam Hoskins said: "We’ll look at the Sprint Cup at Haydock now. She's got nothing to lose as she'll go off to stud at the end of the year. We'll enjoy today because she's won a Group race, but it just shows that you have to have a go."

Rage Of Bamby had beaten just five rivals in three starts before her Group 3 success this season, and Hoskins added: "I can't believe it; I didn’t think it was going to happen.

"I'm so pleased for all of the members because a lot of them have been involved for a long time. It was crazy to come here because it was like a Group 1 race and we didn’t think it was possible."

Course brace

Faye Bramley was full of emotion after seeing Almuhit chalk up another victory at her local track in the 2m½f handicap.

Despite a brutal 30-minute downpour of rain before and after the race, the trainer – who is based at Sir AP McCoy’s pre-training yard in Lambourn – could not contain her delight after the six-year-old landed a second successive course win.

Almuhit (left) held off Scottish Anthem and Artistic Star amidst a Newbury downpourCredit: Edward Whitaker

"AP has helped me loads with placing him in the races and we have a good team, but I’m so proud of him," she said. "We just love him, he’s like the yard pet. If we’d have run into a place then we’d have been over the moon, but we didn’t expect this.

"I just can’t believe it. He’s improved so much and although the wind operation made a difference, switching from hurdles back to the Flat seems to have freshened him up.

"We’ve started to train him a bit harder at home and he’s just such a hardy horse. He loves his work and it makes my job easier."

Promising juvenile

Ralph Beckett is eyeing the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York for Egoli after he won the 6f novice.

The colt won a maiden on the Knavesmire last month and made it two wins from three starts under Rossa Ryan, seeing off Song Of The Clyde by two lengths.

Beckett said: "He's a nice horse and he's in the Gimcrack for a reason. I'd like to go back there, but he might have an entry for the Richmond Stakes too, although I’m not sure Goodwood is his track.

"He was impressive at York last time and he's one to look forward to. There's a bit of size and scope to him and he shouldn’t just be a two-year-old."

Royal score

Royal Dubai made a winning start for Owen Burrows when staying on strongly to take the Listed Steventon Stakes.

The five-year-old, who joined Burrows from Marco Botti last month, defeated Rashabar by a length to register his first success since winning at Meydan in March 2024.

Royal Dubai: beat Rashabar in the Steventon StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Royal Dubai was trying a mile and a half for the first time since he was a three-year-old and Burrows is eyeing a step up in class next. 

"It was a very pleasing performance," the trainer said. "I think we'll stay at this trip, even though they probably didn't go much of a gallop. He's a Listed winner now, so we’ll look at something like the Rose of Lancaster at Haydock.

"I spoke to the owner, who very sportingly left it to me, and I thought at a mile he looked a little exposed. I felt it was worth trying him over this trip. His work has been very pleasing at home and he came in great shape from Marco's."

Perfect start

Oliver Cole made the perfect start to his solo training career when Bela Sonata struck in the concluding 7f fillies' handicap.

The three-year-old filly was the first runner for the yard since Oliver’s father, Paul, retired from training last month.

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