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UK: Haatem throws hat into Guineas ring with Craven romp

Next month’s English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) looks the very likely next step for the Richard Hannon-trained Haatem (3 c Phoenix Of Spain – Hard Walnut by Cape Cross) after he dominated Thursday’s Craven Stakes (Gr 3, 1m) at Newmarket. Coming into the race as the most experienced runner in the field, having had nine runs as a juvenile, the colt sat behind the pacesetter Cambridge (Dubawi) and, with three furlongs left to run, pounced upon that rival and stayed on strongly to beat Eben Shaddad (Calyx) by three and a half lengths. The Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Sons And Lovers (Study Of Man), who was making just his second start, finished a further two and a quarter lengths back in third. 

UK: Washington Heights goes pillar-to-post in Abernant

Having broken his duck at black-type level in a Listed contest at Sweden’s Bro Park last time out, Washington Heights (4 g Washington DC – Epping Rose by Kodiac) gained a first stakes success on home shores when making all in Thursday’s Abernant Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Newmarket. Providing his trainer with a record-breaking fifth win in the race, the four-year-old son of Washington DC (Zoffany) proved game in the closing stages as he denied the persistent challenge of Mill Stream (Gleneagles) to score by three-quarters of a length. The Karl Burke-trained Spycatcher (Vadamos) ran third, beaten a length by the winner.