Polly’s Mark makes her mark at Ascot
Richard Hughes made up for a near-miss 12 months ago when Polly’s Mark won at Ascot. But only just.
Polly’s Mark had finished a short-head second in the Listed Princess Royal Transformers and Rectifiers Harvest Stakes last season and it looked the same story this time.
Having got the better of a barging match with Dyna Waltz, Polly’s Mark took the lead from Snoqualmie Girl with less than a furlong to run. The filly went a length up but then Ferdoos, who was running a little green on what was only her third run as she hung left from the stick, began cutting back the lead for Philip Robinson.
Back on an even keel in the last hundred yards, Ferdoos cut the lead down to nothing passing the line, with many thinking that she had done enough to get up. But Polly’s Mark got the verdict by a nose, with Snoqualmie Girl one-and-three-quarter lengths third, and Hughes said:
“She deserved that. She’s a tough filly, run in some very good races throughout the year – finishing second and third.”
Hughes admitted that he did not know he had won until the result of the photo-finish was announced. “Wasn’t sure – Robbo wasn’t sure and he knows everything,” Hughes joked. “She was pulling up a little bit, but I think she did just find a little bit when she saw the other one coming.”
The win for Polly’s Mark gave her trainer, Clive Cox, a double on the card, after Winter's Night won Fred Cowley MBE Fillies' Nursery with Luke Morris in the saddle, and another trainer in form is Luca Cumani, who won the EBF Ratcliffes Syndication Classified Stakes with Rock N Roll Ransom.
Cumani’s partnership with Kieren Fallon has been part of the success story but the former champion jockey had an easy time of it as Rock N Roll Ransom won by two-and-a-quarter lengths. “He’s a big baby and he’s just finding his stride now,” Fallon said. “He was a bit unlucky last time her ran, at Sandown, but it was easy for him today. He got a nice slot in second and I could pick it up when I wanted.”
The trainer and jockey have a good chance in the totesport.com Challenge Cup with Axiom, a winner at Goodwood last month, “The yard is flying at the moment – winners most days of the week – it’s helped me to be where I am and let’s hope it continues with Axiom,” Fallon said. “He’s won well at Goodwood although I don’t know about the ground, but we’ll have to see.”
All-weather racing had not even been thought of when Kevin Prendergast started his training career in 1963. But it was at Dundalk that the veteran Irish trainer saddled his 2000th winner with the victory of Tell The Wind in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies’ Maiden.
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