WANTAGE trainer Henry Candy could drop Music Master back to the minimum trip for the Nunthorpe Stakes at York next month after his charge swooped late to land the Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Hackwood Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
Fergus Sweeney got the four-year-old home in the final strides of the six-furlong contest to beat last year’s winner, Heeraat, by a neck.
And Candy said of the 3-1 favourite: “The problem today was there was no early pace and he sort of hesitated a bit when Fergus pulled him out to go.
“He is fairly new to sprinting because stupidly I tried to get him to go seven furlongs.
“I think a race like the Nunthorpe will suit him – if not we’ll look very stupid.”
Music Master had finished fourth to Slade Power in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on his previous start, and Candy added: “I’m delighted. The horse deserves it. He was very unlucky at Ascot to be in the wrong place.
“I don’t say he would have beaten the winner, but he was never able to get into the race at any stage.”
Music Master could take on Tiggy Wiggy in the Nunthorpe after running out an impressive winner of the feature Weatherbys Super Sprint.
The Richard Hannon-trained 5-2 favourite, who was second in Royal Ascot’s Queen Mary last month, did not see another rival as she stormed out of the stalls and posted a six-length success.
West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon plans to step Amralah up in class after his charge sprang a 16-1 surprise in the Listed Doom Bar Stakes.
The four-year-old, ridden by Andrea Atzeni, dug deep to hold off Vancouverite by a short head, with Al Kazeem, returning to the track after proving subfertile at stud, back in fourth.
Channon said: “He’s just had little niggles over the years and we have played around with his trip from a mile and a half to a mile and a quarter.
“He ran a blinder last time out and people thought it was a fluke. “We have probably got to step up to Group 3s and Group 2s, and have a go at them now.”
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