Racing: Grant books trip to Paris
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Calypso Grant could be off to Longchamp in Paris for the Poule D'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) after winning the Masaka Stakes at Kempton yesterday. Pat Eddery's mount, a daughter of Danehill, led over a furlong out to beat Lycility by a length and a half.
Peter Harris, Calypso Grant's trainer, said: "She is entered in the French 1,000 Guineas and their Oaks and will have to win more than this Listed race to go there, but she is on course. She did it easily and quickened well."
Five of the seven runners for the Easter Stakes are entered for Classics, but Pelham, the winner by four lengths, has no such pretensions. Ridden by Dane O'Neill, completing a double earlier initiated by Wrekin Pilot in the EBF Watford Maiden Stakes, Pelham (6-1) led over a furlong from home and was soon clear to score from Groom's Gordon and Papua.
Sylvester Kirk, representing the winning trainer Richard Hannon, said: "He isn't in any of the Classics. To be honest, we didn't think he would stay a mile but he has done it so easily."
The owner Derek Lucie-Smith, said: "I was hoping to get third at best. Now perhaps I can sell him to America, although he is in the Norwegian 2,000 Guineas which is not really a Classic by any stretch of the imagination."
At Haydock, the bargain buy Superior Premium provided Richard Fahey, his trainer, and Tony Culhane, his jockey, with their first success in a Listed race in the Field Marshal Stakes.
Culhane, 28, gave a victory salute as Superior Premium came home one and a three-quarters length clear of Myrmidon. He said: "This is a great day for me. I've got to the stage where it's nice to have a big win and I'm delighted that my dad, Pat, was here to watch me."
Culhane, earlier successful on Sugar Mill, had ridden a confident race, taking Superior Premium to the front with under two furlongs to travel. Several of the field attempted challenges but the jockey had kept enough up his sleeve to ensure victory.
Fahey said: "I thought he would win, but you can never be too confident when you are training your first Listed race winner. I bought this horse for 2,500 guineas as a yearling and I wish I had 10 more like him. He's very tough and a super horse to train. It's difficult to find races for him and his next race may be abroad."
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