THE YARD continued the good run of form this month when Villette and Blaze Of Hearts (pictured) won at Kempton yesterday to land a 38/1 double for the stable.
The first leg was sparked by the Sixties Icon 4yo filly, Villette, in a mile and a quarter handicap and this versatile filly who has won from a mile to a mile and a half was gaining her fifth success in just thirteen career starts. Ridden for the first time by Robert Havlin, who rides principally for John Gosden, she was making a quick reappearance after running just six days ago at Kempton.
Ridden positively, the 11/2 second favourite tracked the leaders and quickened on the outside in the last furlong to lead near the finish and was a length and three-quarters up on the runner-up, Guvenor’s Choice.
This was her third win in her last five starts and her third career win at Kempton, her other two successes having come at Leicester and Newmarket. She’s a pleasure to own and train and there’s sure to be more to come from this improving filly, who was rated 81 yesterday but who is sure to go up in the handicap.
Blaze Of Hearts, by contrast, although a previous three-times winner, was recording his first victory on the all-weather and was dropped back to 7f for the first time since his debut back in October 2015.
Going off at 5/1, he came from behind to lead in the final strides and won by a neck from Treachorous under a strong ride from Robert Winston, who has steered him to three of his four victories. Congratulations to owner Roger Beadle, perhaps better known for owning Lucymai but for whom this was his second win with the 5yo son of Canford Cliffs.
Blaze’s win was the seventh this month and the stable’s 37th success this year which means 2018 is numerically the third best ever season, two behind the record 39 winners in 2013….but there is still a month to go!