Orne claims Horris Hill success from the front

Orne made every yard of the running to win the rescheduled Betfred Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket.

Saved over from an abandoned Newbury card, the Group Three event looked wide open on paper and so it proved in the race.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Orne had made a winning debut at Kempton and was not totally disgraced when upped in class for the Group Three Autumn Stakes.

The winner of that contest, Ancient Wisdom, subsequently came out and won the Group One Futurity Trophy, so the form looked strong, but Orne was still sent off at 10-1.

He proved difficult to settle in the early stages for Robert Havlin but once he did drop the bit, he was allowed an easy lead.

Going into the dip, Havlin stole another length and, despite drifting close home, held off Witness Stand by a length and a quarter.

“It wasn’t the plan to make the running. He went last in, but he was first out. Normally he doesn’t do a stroke when he is in front. I went on a fresh bit of ground, and he found a rhythm,” said Havlin.

“Just towards the end, he got a little bit lonely and ducked left, but he has done it well in the end.

“It wasn’t the plan to go on the far side as I wanted to drop in and get a lead and get there late. When I ended up in front, I could see there was fresh ground there so I thought I might as well go there.

“He didn’t stay the mile in the Autumn Stakes. He travelled good and he handled the ground, but he just didn’t stay. He could get quicker this horse over the winter. “