Night Raider seemed to mature dramatically 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, races under the colours of Wathnan Racing and has always been held in high regard. However, his last victory prior to this race dated back to 2024, and he underwent a gelding operation over the winter months. The decision to geld the horse appears to have been a turning point.
After a calm and composed preparation at Newmarket, Night Raider broke cleanly from the stalls and surged ahead to claim a half‑length victory at odds of 9‑1. He held off the market favourite and previous year’s winner Rumstar, who finished a length behind.
"We tried to turn him into a miler, but he was just too keen, too free and too fractious," Burke explained. "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 magnificent in the paddock.
I knew if he jumped quick and found a good 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." Burke added that Night Raider now works very well on his own, needing little encouragement from other horses. "That was a great result; Richard Brown from Wathan will be delighted because he’s had huge faith in him," he said.
Looking ahead, Burke hinted at a possible run in the King Charles III Stakes at Ascot, while also noting the horse is entered in the Minster Stakes at York. "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 quickly," he remarked. Meanwhile, Jonathan Portman reflected on his own runner, 7‑2 favourite Rumstar, who narrowly missed defending his Palace House title.
"He ran a blinder and 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 sprinter Asfoora disappointed on the day, with trainer Lemos De Souza, temporarily overseeing the horse for Henry Dwyer, attributing the lackluster performance 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.
Over an easy five furlongs she could have placed, but this was a stiff five and if you aren’t 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," Souza said. Local trainer T.J. Kent celebrated a red‑letter victory as his eight‑year‑old gelding Erzindjan captured the Betfred Suffolk Stakes at 17‑2.
The horse, who finished fourth in the Cambridgeshire in the autumn, was ridden by Ray Dawson and edged out John and Thady Gosden’s Fifth Column by half a length. Kent praised the win as a milestone for his growing operation: "He ran very well in the Cambridgeshire and John Smith’s Cup last year.
I love 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 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 get 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 also enjoyed a 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 by winning the Oddschecker Ellen Chaloner Stakes, holding off Rosy Affair in the final stages. Sent off at 7‑2 under James Doyle, the filly, who had been campaigned at Group level throughout the previous season, dropped down to Listed class for her return and showed why she remains a versatile and reliable competitor. Balding praised her adaptability: "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 hope she will improve through the year and keep having a go at all the big races and hopefully get the luck." The winner’s odds were cut to 16‑1 from 20s for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the festival. Balding confirmed that his stable will now target Ascot, noting the brief for Wathnan horses aligns with that plan. The Kingsclere operation struck again when 4‑6 favourite Double Rush followed up his earlier victory with a convincing win in the Betfred Handicap, this time under Shane Foley.
"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, 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, the Newmarket meeting delivered a mix of seasoned campaigners confirming their class and younger horses showing promise after key changes such as gelding or stepping down in distance.
The performances set the stage for an exciting Royal Ascot, where many of the winners and placers from the Palace House Stakes and other Newmarket contests will look to replicate their success on the grand stage.