The Friday Social

Always a popular affair, this year’s Friday Social meeting at Chester provided an ultra-competitive seven-race card, with each contest having ten runners declared to race. The most valuable contest of the afternoon came at 2:50pm in the Chester Selling Stakes, where the winner Manila Thriller sold post-race for a huge £32,000, on a day where Ground conditions remained Good throughout.

Race 1 – The Friday Social Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap (Class 4, 4yo+, 7f)

Fending off all challengers from the front, Outrun The Storm (9/4F) rewarded favourite-backers in tenacious fashion when taking the opening race by a head, all out to hold on under Eireann Cagney for the red-hot Richard Fahey stable. Leading from pillar to post, Outrun The Storm was always in charge of the opener, setting a solid tempo towards the head of affairs through the first couple of furlongs. Still in control around the home turn, Outrun The Storm readily kicked on when challenged by champion amateur Patrick Mullins aboard Red Mirage (10/3) in the final furlong, staying on nicely to hold off the late thrust of On A Session (9/2) in the shadows of the post. Now with three winners confirmed for the season, Eireann Cagney is operating at an impressive 16% strike-rate in 2024!

Race 2 – The Camden Stout Handicap (Class 5, 3yo, 6f)

Overcoming a wide berth in Stall 11, Old Chums (9/2) provided Tom Dascombe with yet another winner on the Roodee in the second race, delivered perfectly by Pierre-Louis Jamin to score by 1 ½ lengths. Racing out wide in the early stages, Old Chums was handled expertly by his young jockey throughout Race 2, cutting to the inside rail after a couple of furlongs before switching wide on the turn into the straight. Once in the clear with a furlong to go, Old Chums accelerated in superb style under Jamin, comfortably holding off the staying-on Infinity Blue (22/1) and Onigiri (14/1) in taking fashion towards the line. Also successful in the Prix Eclipse (Group 3) aboard Dawn Charger last year, Pierre-Louis Jamin looks to be in for another successful season, now with 14 winners on the board!

Race 3 – The Chester Selling Stakes (IRE Incentive Race) (Class 4, 2yo, 7f)

Threading the eye of a needle to score by just a nose, Manila Thriller (13/2) proved to be a different proposition on his second racecourse start, staying on under Connor Beasley in the final furlong to take the spoils for Jack Channon. Towards the rear in the early stages, Manila Thriller made a couple of places before reaching the home turn, still with six lengths to find on the leaders with a couple of furlongs to go. Switched towards the centre of the track upon entering the home straight, Manila Thriller found her second wind, running on strongly in the final furlong to mow down Oasis Sunrise (13/2) right on the line, with market leader Dukes Of Haather (Evs F) a slightly unlucky third. A winning owner who has twice enjoyed success with Seedless at Chester’s sister track Bangor-On-Dee, Richard Kent also scored in the 2011 Summit Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) with Royal Bonsai!

Race 4 – The Pure Homes Handicap (Class 4, 3yo, 1m 2 ½f)

A most impressive performance came in the fourth race of the afternoon when Rebaatt (100/30) scooted clear by 6 ½ lengths to victory under Cieren Fallon, providing master trainer William Haggas with yet another winning handicapper to follow. Smuggled in amongst horses towards the back of the pack, Rebaatt looked to have a fair bit of work to do with just under three furlongs to race, Cieren Fallon opting to switch his mount out wide around the home bend in search of a clearer pathway. Benefitting almost immediately from his new position, Rebaatt flew down the home straight in emphatic style, merely toying with his rivals on his way to a sparkling victory; Double Jump (18/1) and Volto Di Medusa (18/1) filled the places in behind. A winning owner with a plethora of big race wins, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum also took this year’s Qipco 1,000 Guineas with Elmalka!

Race 5 – The Close Brothers Handicap (Div I) (Class 5, 4yo+, 7 ½f)

Relatively unfancied in the market, Berkshire Phantom (16/1) silenced the doubters in the fifth race of the day when staying on stoutly to score by a neck under Andrew Mullen, bringing home first prize for budding trainer Fionn McSharry. Another to race towards the rear, Berkshire Phantom wouldn’t have offered his supporters much hope with half a mile left to race, stuck behind a wall of opposition around the home turn and looking to be going nowhere fast. However, his mount apparently full of running with just under a furlong to go, Andrew Mullen delivered Berkshire Phantom to perfection, weaving his way between weakening rivals and getting up on the line to survive a three-way photo finish ahead of Khathak (8/1) and Indie Skies (5/2 F). A former employee of Richar Fahey’s, Fionn McSharry has already notched 3 winners for the season since taking up her sole trainer’s license!

Race 6 – The Close Brothers Handicap (Div II) (Class 5, 4yo+, 7 ½f)

Usually a rare sight on the Roodee, the penultimate race of the day saw an impressive last-to-first victory, the winning horse coming the in the shape of Touchwood (9/1) who ran on gamely to score by a neck under James Sullivan for the Ruth Carr stable. Slowly away, Touchwood dwelt in rear through the opening five furlongs, James Sullivan biding his time before attempting to make some ground on the chasing pack at the two-furlong marker. With the leaders unable to maintain their position upon entering the straight, the pace collapse enabled Touchwood to make rapid headway down the centre of the track, running on strongly in the final furlong to deny My Honey B (8/1) in the closing stages, with Once Adaay (7/1) two lengths back in third. Always dangerous when teaming up, Sullivan and Carr are perhaps best known for their many victories with top miler Sovereign Debt!

Race 7 – The London Essence Handicap (Class 4, 3yo, 7 ½f)

Unfazed by the wall of horses in front of him around the home turn, Native King (17/2) ran out a comfortable 1 ¼ length victor in the final race, delivered widest of all by Paul Mulrennan to provide Hugo Palmer with yet another winner at his local track. Meeting traffic problems from flag-fall, victory always looked to be a tall order for Native King in the finale, all but trapped in second-last place as Juantorena (10/1) led the field towards home. Switched to the far outside by Mulrennan around the final turn, Native King showed a remarkably willing attitude to get the job done down the home straight, disintegrating the lead set by Juantorena with every stride before striking the front at the half-furlong pole and accelerating away impressively. Previously successful with future Grade 1-winning hurdler Mengli Khan, Hugo Palmer and Vefa Ibrahim Araci look to have another smart one!

Race report by Adam Perkins