Bargain buy Mother Of Dragons aiming for fairytale success

Joseph Tuite is hoping to hit the jackpot with bargain buy Mother Of Dragons in the £200,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury.

The youngster only cost €2,000, but the trainer persuaded Qatar Racing to buy her off him before she ran.

Second on her first two outings, she was then not beaten too far in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, despite being a 100-1 chance.

She gets in here off bottom weight, and Tuite said: "The filly is in good shape and we are looking forward to it.

"I thought she ran well at Ascot. We were not disappointed and ever since then we have been aiming at the Super Sprint.

"We get in the race off a very raceable weight, that's for sure, and there doesn't appear to be a Tiggy Wiggy or the likes turning up this time. It doesn't look that way at the moment anyway.

"I am very happy with mine and off 8st with Jimmy Quinn on board, I wouldn't swap her."

Richard Hannon's father won the race seven times and the current licence holder managed to grab a first win with Tiggy Wiggy in 2014.

This season he runs Zalshah in the hands of Ryan Moore, Glaceon (Sean Levey) and Lexington Grace, ridden by the returning Hollie Doyle.

The East Everleigh trainer said in his blog for Stan James: "I've always liked Zalshah and despite not winning yet, he's been placed in his last three runs so should run another big race.

"He's all about speed and his sire Mayson loved soft ground so any rain will be right up his street. Ryan Moore is an obvious plus and I can see him in with a big shout at 33-1.

"Glaceon carries the Tiggy Wiggy colours which is a good start anyway, but her three runs to date would leave her with plenty to find.

"But she's in good form at home and much of these races are about luck in running and if she gets some of that, expect to see her finishing well.

"We're putting the blinkers on Lexington Grace to sharpen her up racing back over five furlongs. This is a big ask, and realistically she is up against it but they don't win races stood in their boxes and this is a valuable prize worth having a go at."

July Cup-winning trainer Clive Cox was set to be double-handed but while he was forced to scratch Snazzy Jazzy following a bad scope, he is represented by the once-raced filly Swing Out Sister, fifth of seven at Nottingham a fortnight ago.

"I'd just be a little concerned if it went too soft for her," said Cox.

"She made a pleasing debut when she wasn't beaten far and I felt she deserved a crack at this as she's got a nice pedigree and I'd expect to see her take a good leap forward for her first run."

The only unbeaten runner in the field is Michael Dods' Time Trail, who has won at Beverley and Catterick.

"She has won her two starts narrowly so far. She did well on debut at Beverley and then struggled a little bit under the penalty at Catterick," said Dods.

"I think the handicapper has probably got her where she should be at the moment. She has to step up if she is going to be competitive, but we feel it is worth having a go."

Richard Fahey is another trainer usually strongly represented and his leading contender would appear to be Maggies Angel, the mount of Paul Hanagan.

Second in the Hilary Needler and a Newmarket Listed race, she only carries 8st 6lb.

Fahey also runs Requinto Dawn, who was the winner of a division of the Brocklesby at Doncaster, Bengali Boys, Danehill Desert and Inviolable Spirit.

Stan Moore excels with bargain buys and could have another in the shape of Debutante's Ball.

"Debutante's Ball is in great form. She won her maiden nicely and then ran well from a bad draw at Ascot," said Moore.

"She ran a really good race in France in the Group Three, and has only got to carry 8st 1lb on Saturday. I think she will put up a big show.

"She won't really mind the ground as it was good to soft when she won at Chepstow. She is a tough, genuine filly who goes on any ground.

"I think it is a very open race this year. Corinthia Knight looks one of the standouts, as does Richard Fahey's filly, but there doesn't seem to be a Tiggy Wiggy or Mrs Danvers in there."

Lynn's Memory will always be fondly remembered by Joseph O'Brien as his first winner as a trainer on British soil, but owner Nick Bradley feels more hopeful than confident.

"She won at Bath and was Joseph's first winner here and she wasn't beaten too far in a Listed race last time to say the jockey stopped riding once her chance had gone," said Bradley.

"I'm not sure stall one is great, to be honest, and she needs the ground to dry out.

"There's so much money on offer that once you've paid to stay in you may as well run.

"She's got loads of boot and will be up there, it's if she can hang on."


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