Gimcrack Stakes effort sees Karl Burke-trained Marshman handed fresh challenge at Newmarket

The Karl Burke-trained son of Harry Angel was one of the talking horses heading into the race, turning out on the Knavesmire quickly having excelled at Thirsk only seven days previously.

Sent off the 9-4 favourite for the six-furlong Group Two contest, he more than lived up to his lofty reputation, quickening clear of stablemate and eventual third Cold Case, before eventually being passed in the closing stages by the impressive winner Noble Style, who kept his own unbeaten record intact.

Marshman could now get the opportunity to turn the tables on his Knavesmire conqueror when lining up on the Rowley Mile on September 24 and Nick Bradley, managing director of Nick Bradley Racing, remains confident that the colt’s syndicate of owners have a top prospect on their hand.

He said: “When Cliff (Lee) asked him to go I thought that was a race-winning move. I’ve not looked at the sectionals yet, but William Buick’s horse was very good going into the race and we’ve probably bumped into a smart horse.

“I was very happy with the performance, it just wasn’t quite the result we wanted.

“The plan now is to go straight to the Middle Park. I don’t know what else will go there, that will sort itself out over the next couple of weeks. But we definitely go there and we go with a massive chance.”

Bradley also reported that Oscula will now take a break following her third in the Prix Daphnis at Deauville on Saturday.

The resolute daughter of Galileo Gold has run nine times since returning at Epsom in June, winning two Group Three prizes and a Listed race, as well as only once finishing outside of the first three.

She will now be freshened up with the Prix de la Foret her main target for the backend of the season.

“She made the running at Deauville which wasn’t really the plan,” Bradley continued. “We thought we would be able to get a lead from Texas and that didn’t happen which wasn’t ideal.

“Ideally she would have been able to get a bit of cover and come with a late run, but she ran her heart out to the line.

“She’ll have a tiny break now and we’ll start working back from the Prix de la Foret. She’ll get an entry in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, but the Foret is plan A.”

James Tate insists Royal Aclaim will come back “bigger and better” after finishing sixth in the Nunthorpe at York last week.

Having previously scored on all three starts, including a visually impressive success in the Listed City Walls over the same five-furlong course and distance, Royal Aclaim was sent off the 5-2 favourite under Andrea Atzeni.

However, the race developed away from the far rail, where she was drawn in stall two, with Highfield Princess powering away for a clear-cut success.

Tate reported the daughter of Aclaim to be in good shape following her five-and-three-quarter-length defeat.

He said: “She is fine. We were probably just caught on the wrong side of the track and the leap – a step up into Group One company, with her inexperience – she was just caught a little bit in the wrong place more than anything.

“I think those two things just caught her out. Watching the replay of the end of the race, Andrea was trying to pull her up and she was still trying to chase the winner. Her wheels were spinning a little bit.”

James Doyle hopes to be back in action soon after injuring his left hand at Salisbury on Friday.

The 34-year-old rider, who is retained by Godolphin, was unseated when Fox Vardy lost his action in the mile-and-three-quarter handicap.

I hope to be back race-riding at some point next month,” Doyle said on Twitter yersterday.