The automatic Mouttet Mile invitational five-race series got underway with today’s featured eight-and-a half furlongs Ian Levy Cup.

Staged as the ninth race on a programme of 10 races, it was surprising to this writer that Commandant (USA), who eventually failed to finish, was the short-priced even-money favourite over the opposing stablemates Tiz Tok (USA) at 2-1,
Barnaby (USA) offering 5-1 against, and the 2024 Mouttet Mile hero Funcaandun (USA) at the same price of 5-1).

Ridden by former six-time champion Omar Walker, six-year-old mare Atomica (6-1), the 2022-23 Horse of the Year, pursued by 2024 Fillies Guineas heroine Run Julie Run (6-1) made the early running easily, perhaps too easily for her rivals. At the end of four-and-a-half furlongs the famous mare had all except the Tevin Foster-guided US-bred Barnaby (5-1) in trouble.

Atomica quickened to turn for home over two lengths clear but failed by 25 yards and three parts of a length to hold the strong late flourish of the Anthony Nunes-conditioned Barnaby(USA).

In the six-and-half furlong opener, Blu Sensation(6-5), under the spell of veteran reinsman Oniel Mullings, scored by half a length to be the first of three successes on day for second-generation trainer Peter-John Parsard.

The next visit to the winners’ enclosure for Parsard came in race six with maiden three-year-old colt I’m Outstanding (6-5) winning five-furlong straight by two lengths under 2023 champion Reyan Lewis.

In the nightcap to close the trainer’s three-timer, Parsard’s Tigray Express (2-1), in an 11-length, seven-furlong romp, also confirmed the fourth for reigning champion jockey Raddesh Roman.

Favourite at 4-5, Sensational Move (1-1), was Roman’s first as the Gary Subratie-declared five-year-old horse, the first of two for the stable, was over five lengths clear at the end of the five-and-a-half furlongs exertion of race two.

Half an hour later, over a trip of six-and-a-half furlongs, Roman was back in the winners’ enclosure aboard maiden I Am Interested, a six-length winner of race three, saddled by Joseph Thomas.

Roman, in tandem with Subratie, claimed the honours for race seven as 8-5-backed Flybluejet(USA) won the five-and-a-half-furlong gallop by nearly three lengths.

Elsewhere on the card, race four was won by Robert Pearson’s Mighty Gully (10-1), in which the three-year-old filly’s strong finish got her to lead battling front-runners Another One (Shane Ellis) and Bowmore (USA), with Richie Shakes at the final stride to score by a head.

The fifth event went to Galway Bay (2-1), saddled by Rudolph Hardial, with Shakes keeping the nine-year-old horse in the lead over the four furlongs of the straight course to win by three lengths.

For race seven, the former 14-time champion Philip Feanny turned out US-bred Magnificent Force (7-1) in unbeatable form for a hand-ridden seven-length victory margin with veteran Ian Spence at the reins.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Robert Pearson for the performance of Mighty Gully, who was well back in the Hotline Stakes on March 15 after winning on debut, but showed speed, courage, and stamina to score here over colt
Another One, the runner-up in the Sir Howard. This was the Best Winning Gallop, with Richie Shakes’s skills recognised with the Jockeyship Award.