Race Report - 1st July 2011
2.00 The Michael Stothard And Charlotte Boczkariw Cardsave Maiden Stakes (7f)
EASY OVER, whose re-appearance run at Ripon last month was promising, was sent off the short-priced favourite and won with a fair amount in hand for Ed McMahon and Seb Sanders. The son of Dr Fong was always travelling sweetly on the outside of the pack before asserting inside the final two furlongs. The step up in trip was clearly in his favour and he looks a bright prospect for handicaps now. Winning owner Doug Allen gave jockey Sanders his first career winner 21 years ago on a horse called Band On The Run, who won the Victoria Cup at Ascot during a long career. Mr Allen has similar ambitions with Easy Over.
2.30 The Barrie Baily And Charlene Thornborrow Cardsave Claiming Stakes (1m Str)
Charlie Cool, dropping in class, was expected to make light work of his opposition and travelled smoothly for much of the race. However, outsider HIGH FIVE SOCIETY began to east away at his lead well inside the final furlong and got up to win well. Trained locally by Roy Bowring in Sherwood Forest, the seven-year-old was ridden by apprentice Ryan Clark.
3.00 The Earl Of Doncaster Hotel Maiden Fillies' Stakes (7f)
Sir Henry Cecil's PANOPTIC had been improving with every run and the form of her recent second over course and distance had worked out well, with the winner Jonny Castle taking a hot handicap off an official rating of 84. Panoptic was given a positive ride by Ian Mongan and never looked like being reeled in, despite idling slightly inside the final furlong. Crystal High, who was always in the firing line, did well to plug on for second while Cheherazad bounced back from a disappointing effort at Warwick to stay on in third.
3.35 The Martin Franks And Adrian Smith Cardsave Handicap (7f)
Luca Cumani's Saint Pierre was all the rage for this ultra-competitive handicap but couldn't land a blow. Instead, the game front-runner REEL BUDDY STAR stuck on to gain a well deserved success after a string of creditable placed efforts for George Moore. The six-year-old kept on finding for Danny Tudhope to fend off the persistent Webbow, with Kajima shaping well in third. Zero Money looked menacing in first-time blinkers but didn't seem to see out the trip in them.
4.10 The Gaye Turton And Chris Bailey-Stonall Cardsave Fillies' Handicap (5f)
HYPNOSIS was reluctant to load but bounced out the gates to make all for Noel Wilson and apprentice pilot Neil Farley. This was Wilson's fifth winner in a fortnight - a good strike rate for a small yard. Favourite Beauty Pageant ran better than she did at Carlisle on easier ground last time but couldn't get past the winner despite being well placed throughout. Finishing well on the outside was Absa Lutte, who confirmed the form of her Haydock second and looks capable of winning off this sort of mark with conditions in her favour.
4.45 The Direct Traffic Management Handicap (1m4f)
David Lanigan said his horses had been running below expectation due to spores found in the feed room at his Newmarket yard. With the problem clearly eradicated, LEADER OF THE LAND stretched to a plucky victory to give the trainer a second consecutive win in this race. Favourite Stagecoach Danman made the best of his way home but never looked like shaking off the winner, who appreciated the strong gallop.
5.15 The Pland Stainless Handicap (1m4f)
The 10-year-old FOSSGATE rolled back the years for the third time in a row to win this finale in the hands of his regular partner Amy Ryan. Trained in Middleham by James Bethell, the gelding was produced with a perfectly timed run to defy a 4lb rise and hold the staying on Harvey's Hope. The runner-up is lightly raced on the Flat and could win a similar race this summer.
