Night Raider seemed to come into his own on the Rowley Mile, delivering a commanding performance in the HKJC World Pool Palace House Stakes. The Karl Burke‑trained colt, a son of Dark Angel, races under the banner of Wathnan Racing and has long been held in high esteem. His most recent win before this triumph dated back to 2024, and he underwent gelding during the winter months.
The operation appears to have worked wonders. Night Raider approached the Newmarket preliminaries with composure, broke cleanly from the stalls, and surged ahead to claim a half‑length win at 9‑1 odds. The market favourite, last year’s champion Rumstar, finished a length behind. Burke explained the change in the horse’s demeanor: "We tried to turn him into a miler, but he was too keen, too free and too fractious.
Gelding him has really made a man of him – in a perverse sort of way! He's about ten kilos lighter than he was last year and looked tremendous in the paddock. I knew if he jumped quick and got a nice rhythm he’d handle the undulations, and he did. He was fractious in the stalls last year as a whole horse and I think gelding him has calmed him down." The trainer also praised the colt’s independent work ethic: "He's been working really nicely, he does a lot of his work on his own as he's a horse you don’t need to buzz up and work him with other horses.
That was a great result, Richard Brown from Wathan will be delighted because he's had huge faith in him." Looking ahead, Burke hinted at future targets: "I would think we'd go to Ascot for the King Charles III Stakes. He is entered in the York Minster Stakes but that might come too quickly. I think he will stay six furlongs and it will be interesting to see what James (Doyle) says, but I wouldn’t have thought we’d turn him round that quick." Another contender, Rumstar, was unable to defend his Palace House crown, finishing just short of the winner.
Trainer Jonathan Portman expressed pride despite the loss: "He ran a blinder and every bit as well as when he won it. It was a shame he had to come over and he had a good spot on the far side, but I'm very proud of him. It's lovely to see him back in a big race and yes, it’s gutting he didn’t win but he loves this track.
He loves a stiff five furlongs and an easy five is a bit sharp for him, while six furlongs is not ideal. We'll look towards Ascot now and see – there are very few options and the owners don’t like travelling which limits things a little. But I’m very proud to have him and he's a special horse." Australian speedster Asfoora disappointed on the day, with trainer Lemos De Souza, temporarily overseeing her preparation for Henry Dwyer, attributing the performance to a lack of match fitness.
He noted, "Oisin (Murphy) said she blew up and as we’ve seen before she takes a couple of races to get fully fit. Over an easy five furlongs she could have placed, but this was a stiff five and if you’re not 100% fit it will catch you out. I personally think the easier the five furlongs the better she is, but she needs to be fit.
On form she was the best horse in the race, but she needed to be fit to run to her true form. Hopefully we can roll into Haydock (Temple Stakes) now which will be right up her street and I think she will show her best there." Local trainer T.J.
Kent celebrated a red‑letter win with Erzindjan in the Betfred Suffolk Stakes. The eight‑year‑old, a fourth‑place finisher in the Cambridgeshire last autumn, started at 17‑2 under jockey Ray Dawson and edged out John and Thady Gosden’s Fifth Column by half a length. Kent said, "He ran very well in the Cambridgeshire and the John Smith’s Cup last year and I’m a lover of York so I enjoy going there if I can. His form had been outstanding, not just with me but with his trainer in Dubai as well, so we thought if he ran up to that level we would have a live chance.
Ray gave him a great ride. It’s nice to have a winner on this day and hopefully it shows we are going in the right direction. As a trainer obviously this is right up there with my biggest wins.
Saturday winners are what any trainer wants and we’ve had a winner at the Shergar Cup and other decent animals, but hopefully this proves if we’re getting nice horses sent to us, as a team we can do the job. I’ll speak to his owner and draw up a plan, but races like the John Smith’s Cup again could be on the agenda. We’ll have a chat and take it from there." Andrew Balding enjoyed an early double on 2000 Guineas day at Newmarket, with Flora Of Bermuda and Double Rush both delivering strong performances on the Rowley Mile.
Flora Of Bermuda opened the day in the Oddschecker Ellen Chaloner Stakes, turning the tables on Rosy Affair in the final stages. Sent off at 7‑2 and ridden by James Doyle, the filly, who had been campaigning at the highest level all of last season, stepped down to Listed class and showed why she remains a consistent performer. When Rosy Affair made a bold move from the front, Flora of Bermuda responded with a determined finish, taking the race by a head.
Balding commented, "She’s deserved that, she’s so versatile in terms of ground and conditions and it was great to see her get a head in front again – it tees us up nicely for the rest of the year. I was worried George’s horse had nicked it from the front, but it was a brilliant ride from James and he timed it just right.
I’d hope she will improve through the year and she’s got to keep having a go at all the big races and hopefully get the luck." The betting market trimmed the odds on the winner to 16‑1 from 20s for the upcoming Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting. Balding added, "I think we’ll be straight to Ascot now with the brief for Wathnan horses so we’ll look forward to that." His other runner, Double Rush, continued his good form at the Kingsclere meeting, securing a convincing win in the Betfred Handicap under Shane Foley after a dominant display over track and distance last month. "He’s a very nice horse and everything went smoothly, he did it very well," Balding said. "This was very much the plan after last time, the entries closed early and we were well in.
It’s an important meeting to have winners at and the team were very keen to run him. The field had cut up a fair bit and I’m thrilled with the way he did it.
Quite possibly he’ll go for a Group race next." Overall, Newmarket delivered a series of compelling stories, from Night Raider’s resurgence after gelding to seasoned veterans proving their class and younger horses stepping up to the challenge. The upcoming Royal meeting promises further intrigue as connections plot their next moves, whether it be Ascot’s prestigious sprints or longer‑distance contests.
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