Night Raider seemed to reach a new level of maturity on the Rowley Mile, delivering a commanding win in the HKJC World Pool Palace House Stakes. The Karl Burke‑trained colt, a son of Dark Angel and owned by Wathnan Racing, has always been held in high regard, yet his most recent triumph dated back to 2024 and he underwent gelding during the winter break.
That operation appears to have been a turning point; the gelding emerged from the Newmarket preliminaries composed and, after a clean break from the stalls, surged ahead to claim a half‑length victory at 9‑1 odds, leaving last year’s champion Rumstar, the market favourite, a length behind. Burke explained the change in approach, saying, "We tried to turn him into a miler, but he was just too keen, too free and too fractious. Gelding him has really made a man of him – in a perverse sort of way!
He's ten kilos lighter than he was last year and he looked tremendous in the paddock. I knew if he jumped quick and got in a lovely 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 added that the horse has been training exceptionally well, often working solo because he does not need the stimulus of other horses. "That was a great result," Burke said, noting that jockey Richard Brown from Wathan will be thrilled after placing huge confidence in the colt.
Looking ahead, Burke hinted at a possible run in the King Charles III Stakes at Ascot, although the Minster Stakes at York might come too soon. "I think he'll 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," he remarked. Meanwhile, Jonathan Portman reflected on Rumstar’s near‑miss in defending his Palace House title.
The 7‑2 favourite finished just short, prompting Portman to say, "He's run 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 and running 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 sprinter Asfoora disappointed on the day, with trainer Lemos De Souza, temporarily overseeing the horse for Henry Dwyer, attributing the lackluster effort to insufficient match fitness. "Oisin (Murphy) said she blew up and as we've seen before she takes a couple of races to get fully fit," Souza said. "I think over an easy five furlongs she could have got a place, but here is a stiff five and if you are not 100 per cent fit it will catch you out.
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 when Erzindjan captured the Betfred Suffolk Stakes. The eight‑year‑old, who finished fourth in the Cambridgeshire last autumn, went off at 17‑2 under Ray Dawson and edged John and Thady Gosden’s Fifth Column by a half‑length.
Kent praised the performance, noting the horse’s strong showing in the Cambridgeshire and the John Smith’s Cup last year. "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 impressive performances on the Rowley Mile.
Flora Of Bermuda opened the day by winning the Oddschecker Ellen Chaloner Stakes, holding off Rosy Affair in the final stages. The mare, dropping back to Listed level after campaigning at the top tier throughout the previous season, started at 7‑2 under James Doyle. As the six‑furlong race unfolded, Rosy Affair, trained by George Boughey, surged to the front, but Flora of Bermuda rallied to win by a head. Balding praised the filly, saying, "She's deserved that, she's so versatile in terms of ground and conditions and it was great to see her get 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 winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting was cut to 16‑1 from 20s by bookmakers, underscoring the unpredictable nature of sprinting contests.
Balding added, "I think we'll be straight to Ascot now what with the brief for Wathnan horses so we'll look forward to that." The Kingsclere stable struck again when 4‑6 favourite Double Rush followed up his dominant performance on track and over distance last month with another impressive win in the Betfred Handicap, this time under Shane Foley. "He's a very nice and that all went smoothly, he did it very well," Balding said. "This was very much the plan after last time, it was early closing (entries) 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 day of thrilling narratives, from Night Raider’s resurgence after gelding to seasoned campaigners like Rumstar and Asfoora seeking to rediscover form, and emerging talents such as Flora Of Bermuda confirming their class. The upcoming Royal meeting at Ascot promises further intrigue as connections plot their next moves, while trainers like Kent and Balding look to build on their recent successes and target higher‑grade opportunities in the summer calendar.