NOTTINGHAM (07 Jun 2006)

Good To Firm

4:40 Victoria Antiques Conditions Stakes (class 2) (3yo+)

[off 4:40] £12,464.00, £3,732.00, £1,866.00, £934.00, £466.00, £234.00 (1m54y) 1m

Comments In Running OR TS RPR

1 Librettist (USA) (5) Saeed Bin Suroor 4 9-1 L Dettori 7/2 110 — —

2 2 Alfie Flits (2) G A Swinbank 4 9-4 Robert Winston 11/2 — —

3 4 My Paris (8) K A Ryan 5 9-1 N Callan 11/4 102 — —

4 2½ Iceman (1) J H M Gosden 4 9-1 Jimmy Fortune 2/1F — —

5 1¾ Indian Steppes (FR) (6) P S McEntee 7 8-10 T Quinn 17/2 89 — —

6 4 Pawan (IRE) (4) Miss A Stokell 6 9-1 b1 Ann Stokell 100/1 74 — —

7 1 Propinquity (3) W R Swinburn 4 9-1 Ted Durcan 40/1 97 — —

8 14 Diamond Heritage (7) S Parr 4 9-1 b Dean McKeown 300/1 39 — —

8 ran TIME 1m 44.04s (slow by 3.24s) TOTAL SP 111%

1st OWNER: Godolphin BRED: Calumet Farm TRAINER: Saeed Bin Suroor

2nd OWNER: Dom Flit

3rd OWNER: J D Spensley & Mrs M A Spensley

TOTE WIN £3.60 PL £1.90, £1.40, £1.70; Ex £24.50; CSF £21.80

ANALYSIS: The feature race, and an intriguing contest with three smart horses returning from long absences taking on a couple of useful handicappers among a mixed bag of rivals.

LIBRETTIST, who was returning from a 20-month absence, made virtually all and, quickening up off a steady gallop shortly after halfway, soon had his rivals in trouble and ran on well to score.

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor reported the colt had done plenty of work, and this performance offered "some hope for the future". He will try to find a Listed race for the son of Danzig next.

Alfie Flits, a former bumper winner dropping half a mile in trip from his Thirsk maiden win, tracked the leaders before keeping on really well in the closing stages.

His trainer was pleased and felt he might have done better if making the running. He is likely to be rated in the low 100s after this, which should enable him to take his chance in the Tote Ebor in August.