Super sub McDonald answers call on difficult Montaly

If there's something strange, about your horse, who you gonna call? PJ McDonald! That's certainly what paid off in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

Even his own nearest and dearest consider Montaly decidedly quirky – trainer Andrew Balding's wife Anna Lisa called him a "pig" after the race.

Neither Oisin Murphy, who won the Chester Cup on him in May, nor William Buick, who rode him into second in a Listed race at Sandown last month, was available, so McDonald got the call.

A jockey who won the Scottish Grand National in his younger days before turning to the Flat might be expected to get the best out of a stayer with a mind of his own, and he proved the point with the narrowest of victories, getting to Dartmouth in the last few strides for a nose win.

"PJ had never sat on him before but he knew he had plenty in the tank all the way to the line," said Anna Lisa Balding. "PJ has ridden for Andrew a bit, he's an excellent horseman and we were lucky to get him on the day."

The jockey himself reflected: "They went a good gallop and I was taken off my feet early in the race. I had to wait and wait but when we came round the bend he came good.

"I didn't know I was going to win but I thought from three out he'd run a big race. And when I crossed the line I still didn't know I'd won. I actually thought I'd finished second so it was a lovely surprise."

It wasn't quite so lovely for connections of close second Dartmouth, but the Queen's racing manager John Warren said: "He's lost nothing in defeat. The winner has come late; had he been in a fight with him it might have been different. It's just great to have a horse with that attitude."

Guineas quote for Dream Today

It was a great day for McDonald, for he was also on board £70,000 maiden winner Dream Today, who was making his debut.

"We knew this would be a good maiden, so we had a gallop between three of them and he was the chosen one," said trainer Mark Johnston, who quickly added: "I won't tell you the others, because one got pretty close!"

Dream Today earns a quote of 33-1 for the 2,000 Guineas after victory in the ConvivialCredit: Edward Whitaker

He also said of Dream Today, a brother to 2,000 Guineas third Al Wukair: "He's a smashing horse with a nice build and lovely pedigree. He'll go for a good race next – win anything above a Class 4 and you've little other choice – but we'll get home and decide whether it's a good race or a top race straight away."

Dream Today was given a quote of 33-1 by Paddy Power for next year's Qipco 2,000 Guineas.

Burrows rekindles Guineas fourth

Six days after Massaat's Hungerford Stakes victory, Owen Burrows welcomed another of his stars back to form.

The 1,000 Guineas fourth Talaayeb, making her first start since being well held at Newbury ten weeks ago, landed the Group 3 Sky Bet City of York Stakes under Chris Hayes.

"That was very pleasing," Burrows said. "It's nice to see her back. It was a great run in the Guineas, then she tried ten furlongs at Newbury and didn't stay.

"I wanted to run her at Goodwood and Haydock but the ground was too soft. Chris said she didn't really enjoy that ground, so it was a tough performance. I'm chuffed to bits.

"She's in the Matron Stakes but that's on September 9 so we'll see about that."

Massaat is reported to have come out of his Newbury success well and is set to bid for either the Prix du Moulin or Prix de la Foret before a tilt at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Crowley does it again

Champion jockey Jim Crowley, who could not ride Talaayeb as she carried only 8st 6lb, notched his second win of the meeting on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Fidaawy, who travelled nearly as well as Ulysses in the opening 1m4f handicap but had to work much harder to prevail.

Owner Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold said: "He's been trained beautifully. He's a horse that needs things to go his way, but Jim said it all went perfectly - for which he wants credit, he gave the horse a peach of a ride - and when he kicked three furlongs out he thought he'd be very hard to catch."

Asked about future plans, Gold added: "We'll leave that to the maestro [Stoute], but one thing we've learned today is he wants a galloping track."

Crowley book-ended the card, also winning the closing 7f handicap on Mojito for William Haggas.

Fancy that

Michael Dods achieved the highly unusual feat of having his two runners dead-heat for first as Holmeswood (Callum Rodriguez) and Intense Romance (Ben Robinson) could not be split in the apprentice handicap.

"That was tremendous," the trainer said. "I didn't want one to get beaten.

"It is great for the owners and it couldn't have worked out better."

THE BUZZ

Daban 'comfortable' after City of York
Daban, who was pulled up in the City of York Stakes and came back in a horse ambulance, was later reported to be "comfortable" in the racecourse stables by veterinary staff.

Thought for the day
Frankie Dettori still wore the armband for leading jockey going into the last race (which was won by Jim Crowley, who now heads the standings), but after the day he had endured with Daban, Lady Aurelia and Doswell, who was withdrawn at the start in the penultimate race, he can't have been feeling the glow that status normally brings.

Results and analysis