Newmarket Saturday review: Buzz and Oisin Murphy win Cesarewitch
A review of the rest of Saturday's action from Newmarket where Oisin Murphy and Nicky Henderson combined to win the Cesarewitch with Buzz.
Murphy buzzing after Cesarewitch victory
Willie Mullins saddled the last three winners of the Together For Racing International Cesarewitch Handicap and it looked for much of the closing stages of the two miles two furlong contest that he would make it four.
The Irish handler had sent over six runners but it was Burning Victory who carried the mantle for the County Carlow based trainer, going clear with Buzz (8/1) from some way out.
It appeared as though the five-year-old and William Buick were going to prevail but Buick's jockeys' title rival Oisin Murphy and Buzz – making his first appearance since finishing second in the Aintree Hurdle in April – proved the stronger, staying on well to win by a length and a half.
The winner was trained by Nicky Henderson, continuing the good run in the race of horses trained by predominantly jumping yards, who was winning the contest for the third time having first claimed this prestigious staying handicap with top-class hurdler Landing Light 18 years ago, while popular veteran Caracciola added his name to the roll of honour in 2008.
Donald McCain was responsible for fourth home Goobinator with Calling The Wind third, eight and a half lengths adrift of the first two, and Elysian Flame fifth.
It was a welcome victory for Murphy, who had been in the headlines for the wrong reasons on Friday after failing a breathalyser test, following a treble on the card for Buick.
"He's a fantastic horse," Murphy told ITV Racing.
"This has been the plan for a long time so they'll (connections) all be buzzing!
"The ground is getting a bit quick for him but it's great to get in the winner's enclosure on the big days."
When asked about the events that led to him being stood down for Friday's racing, Murphy responded: "I'm very sorry.
"I have many faults but I've just got to try and work on it and do better."
On the success of Buzz, he added: “Nicky told me to try and be in the first half because he stays well, but there was a massive rush on, as you might expect.
“I was drawn low, and he was a little bit hesitant, so I had to take back – and I got on the back of Andrea (Atzeni on Reshoun), who is very good tactically and he knew what was going to happen.
“I followed him until I peeled out, and I thought Will’s horse might hit a brick wall. I couldn’t make my horse go any faster, so when I put my hands back I might have looked confident, but it wasn’t until late that I thought I was going to win.
“It takes some planning, for the horse not to miss a beat over that length of time, but fair play to Nicky.
"I think Nicky had planned this out from his last race over jumps last season so it was five months’ worth of planning.
“He was very good and he travelled through them. The lad leading him up has been riding him out the last couple of years. We have lots of mutual friends and they all fancied him so it was a great result."
Jess Stafford, spokesperson for the winning owners Thurloe Thoroughbreds, said: “It’s so exciting – the horse has improved so much.
“We can look at all the nice races over hurdles now. He’s turned a corner this summer and is more relaxed now.
“I was confident earlier in the week because of the ground, but then it started drying out. We just got away with it.
“He’s got all the big targets now – he’s a proper Grade Two/Grade One horse over hurdles. The race at Aintree is for him – he’s got a huge future.
“Most importantly, 25 per cent of the prize-money goes to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.”
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Lynas points the way for Buick
Point Lynas will head to the Autumn Horses In Training Sale at Tattersalls later this month on the back of a victory after opening his account at the ninth times of asking with a two-length success in the opening Dubai Nursery Handicap over seven furlongs.
Barry Hills, father of winning trainer Charlie, said of the 9/1 chance: “He has been a bit unlucky not to have won a race. He just went a bit too quick at Chester last time. William (Buick) gave him a good ride today."
Buick went on to complete a notable treble with victories aboard Coroebus in the Emirates Autumn Stakes and Native Trail in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes with both colts to the fore in the ante-post betting for next season's Classics.
Buick didn't have a ride in the Dubai British EBF Boadicea Stakes which produced a thrilling finish with She Do (12/1) getting up late home under Callum Shepherd to deny Gale Force Maya, Adaay To Remember and Chocoya.
Victory in the six furlong Listed contest, which came by just a short-head, a neck and a neck, continued the good run of form of trainer Roger Varian.
“She ran very well last week at Ascot in the October Stakes (finished fifth),” said Varian.
“That was a stiff seven furlongs, and at the furlong marker she looked nailed on to be in the three.
“She didn’t quite get the last 100 yards, so we thought we’d come back here for a stiff six – and it suited her.
“She’s had two quick races and has just won a Listed race, so we’ll see how she is.”
Gosden overruled on Champion Stakes
Buick and Barney Roy had to settle for fourth in the closing Group Three Darley Stakes which went to progressive three-year-old Mostahdaf (3/1).
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the Frankel colt had been asked to run in the St James's Palace Stakes in between winning Listed races but struggled to make his presence felt at the top level.
He could, however, have another crack in Group One company if this performance is anything to go by as he ran on strongly despite drifting to his left when asked to go and win the race, keeping on well to beat Cambridgeshire winner Bedouin's Story by a length and three quarters.
John Gosden said: “He’s done nothing wrong during his career.
“He was boxed in when he ran in the St James’s Palace Stakes and never got a run, so that was the end of that.
“His best trip is a mile and a quarter – we’ve always thought that – and I was going to run him in the Champion Stakes at Ascot next week, but I was overruled, and that’s why we ran here.
“He’s a classy horse and probably a horse for next year, but we will have a look at the race in Bahrain (Bahrain International Trophy). We’ll have a talk about that with connections.”
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