Tag Archive for: thirsk

Bobby Bennu ready to step up in class after Thirsk victory

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Bobby Bennu took his record to two wins from three outings when coming out on top in a tight finish in what looked an above-average contest at Thirsk.

Trained by Roger Varian, the gelded son of Phoenix Of Spain had finished second on his debut then bolted up by seven lengths at Chester.

Up against William Haggas’ 11-length Newcastle winner Germanic in the Army Benevolent Fund EBF Novice Stakes, Silvestre de Sousa was hard at work some way out as Tom Marquand loomed up seemingly travelling better.

David O’Meara’s debutante Barefoot Warrior was also closing in on the market leaders but Bobby Bennu (evens favourite) was not for passing and held on to win by a short head and a neck.

“I thought ours and the Haggas horse set a pretty high standard to be honest and they had a real ding-dong battle up the straight,” said Tim Palin of owners Middleham Park Racing.

“His determination won the day and I loved the way he really stuck his neck out.

“He had teething troubles last year which was why he didn’t run, but he’s always worked well and been held in pretty high regard.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does, I know there’s a seven-furlong 0-95 handicap at Goodwood, but Roger might want to wait until August to run him again. He deserves to run in a nice race now, though.”

Raphael Freire registered his first winner in Britain with Li Ban in the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

Amo Racing’s private trainer had drawn a blank with his first 14 runners since being granted a licence by the British Horseracing Authority last month and had a couple of lofty early runners at Royal Ascot.

But he got off the mark for Kia Joorabchian’s operation as fellow Brazilian Silvestre de Sousa won by two and a half lengths on the 9-4 joint-favourite on Li Ban, who was also led up by a Brazilian groom.

“This is a big moment,” the jockey said. “Raphael is a private trainer now for Amo Racing and it’s nice to get the first one on board.

“I got to know him over here and I know Kia and it’s good for the whole team. I’m just delighted to have the opportunity to deliver for them.”

Freire, a former jockey, had previously been assistant trainer to Dominic Ffrench Davis and trained himself in Norway.

Adrian Nicholls’ Ingleby Archie (4-1) followed up a recent Redcar victory when holding off Scoops Ahoy by a neck in the JW 4X4 Northallerton Handicap.

“He was getting warm in the saddling boxes and while it was humid in there I admitted to his owner it was a bit of a worry,” said Nicholls.

“On last year’s form he does look quite well handicapped, but it took him a couple of runs to get going but you know what it’s like, he won at Redcar, he’s got his confidence back.

“When he ran at Southwell (1-8 favourite) it looked like a case of just going down and coming back, but he got beaten, so it just shows you.”



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Macarone on a mission for Rob Burrow Racing Club at Thirsk

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Yorkshire handler Craig Lidster admits he has been humbled by the chance to train Macarone for the Rob Burrow Racing Club as he sets his sights on a fitting Pontefract date later this month.

Burrow’s battle with motor neurone disease has touched the hearts of the nation and has also left a lasting impression on the Easingwold-based handler, who has relished the opportunity to train for the racing club that raises money for charity in the former England and Leeds Rhinos star’s name.

Lidster has recorded 30 winners so far in his fledgling training career, but none meant as much to him as Macarone’s maiden triumph at Beverley last month, which came on his first start in the Rob Burrow Racing Club colours.

And although injuring his back on the gallops a day before Macarone broke his duck, Lidster was trackside to witness the son of Havana Grey open his account in the hands of Paul Hanagan, who not long afterwards announced his retirement from the saddle.

Training for Rob Burrow has been humbling for Yorkshire handler Craig Lidster
Training for Rob Burrow has been humbling for Yorkshire handler Craig Lidster (Mike Egerton/PA)

He said: “We were thrilled to bits to get that win at Beverley and it was special as it was one of Paul’s last rides.

“It’s an honour to train for Rob. People asked me before Macarone won what was the pinnacle of my training career and I would say watching Julie Camacho and Steve Brown win Group Ones with Shaquille because they are very good friends of mine.

“But to go and top that with Macarone winning for the Rob Burrow Racing Club was a massive pleasure and humbling.

“I had broken my back the day before (in an accident on the gallops) and people were saying ‘what are you doing here?’. But when you turn around and see people in a worse situation than you, there was no way I was going to miss that in a million years.”

Having now got off the mark, Macarone will now attempt to climb the ratings at Thirsk in a bid to secure his place in a Pontefract nursery later this month.

It would be an appropriate climax to the youngster’s juvenile campaign with the race taking place in Burrow’s home town and at the closest racecourse to Leeds where he made his name in the Rhinos’ jersey.

“He is going to go to Thirsk on Monday,” continued Lidster.

“The main target is Pontefract on September 28 which is Rob’s home track so we would like to get Macarone to Rob’s home turf. The race is a 0-78 so we would like to come up the weights a bit to make sure we get in there.

“He’s a nice horse and a nice prospect going forward and with Rob Burrow taking him on, both myself and Steve (Burdett, the horse’s previous owner) were really keen to help Rob in any way we can.

“It’s a massive cause for such a lovely fella and we just couldn’t turn down helping.”



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Majestic chance of Musselburgh winner

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Majestic Beauty is expected to maintain her unbeaten record in the British EBF Ruby Anniversary Novice Stakes at Musselburgh.

Trainer Alice Haynes is in double figures in terms of juvenile winners this season and this daughter of Havana Grey certainly looked the part on her racecourse debut at Catterick in May.

Majestic Beauty was short odds to make a successful start to her career at the North Yorkshire track and soon recovered from a tardy start to win comfortably by two and a half lengths.

Hindsight tells us that form is not too shabby by Catterick standards, with the runner-up Specific Times since landing a nursery at York and third-placed Harvana now a dual winner.

Assuming Haynes has her filly fit enough to do herself justice after nearly three months off the track, she should prove very hard to beat.

Idilico can open his account for the season in the Stobo Castle Ladies Day Gold Cup Handicap.

Dianne Sayer’s eight-year-old is a regular visitor to Musselburgh and has been placed twice already this term.

He was disappointing over hurdles at Perth on his most recent outing, but a return to Flat on a track that suits may yield a return to form. The booking of Joe Fanning suggests connections mean business.

Not many trainers have their horses in better form than John Quinn and Poet’s Magic is taken to continue the trainer’s hot streak in the Gaynor Winyard Trophy Handicap.

The seven-year-old is only a pound above her last winning mark and is tipped to put a below-par first run of the season behind her.

Nibras Angel is out to double her tally in the Robert (Bob) Vickery Memorial Novice Stakes at Thirsk.

Trainer Ismail Mohammed is no stranger to handling high-class fillies, having saddled Zain Claudette to win both the Princess Margaret and the Lowther Stakes a couple of years ago.

Nibras Angel, who carries the same colours as her stablemate, made a big impression when scorching clear on her Lingfield introduction last month and the subsequent success of the third Time’s Eye gives the form a solid enough look.

Mohammed’s filly holds a Group One entry in the Sun Chariot later in the year and while that may be pie in the sky at this stage, she can keep the dream alive with a second victory.

May Blossom can complete her hat-trick for David O’Meara in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Handicap following back-to-back wins in July, while the lightly-raced Crow’s Nest looks a good bet in the Star Sports Festival Of Racing Handicap at Brighton.

The latter looked a winner in waiting when third on his debut at Windsor in May and he duly dotted up at Hamilton next time before successfully defying a penalty at Bath.

Softer ground over six furlongs appeared to blunt his speed at Newmarket on his handicap debut, but he still ran with plenty of credit to finish third and with further improvement anticipated, he looks feasibly treated on his return to a sounder surface.

Haydock punters should side with Karl Burke’s Mannerism in the oakflooringman.com EBF Novice Stakes.

The Caravaggio gelding was beaten just a length when third on his introduction on Merseyside three weeks ago and while the winner Paladin did not cover himself in glory at Goodwood last week, Mannerism’s stablemate Ice Max, who finished fourth, outclassed his rivals at Catterick on Tuesday.

With Tom Marquand in the saddle, Mannerism can add to Burke’s considerable juvenile haul.

SELECTIONS:

BRIGHTON: 2.30 Notre Maison, 3.00 Sparklight, 3.30 Miller Spirit, 4.00 Crow’s Nest, 4.35 Lilkian, 5.05 Harry The Haggler.

HAYDOCK: 5.40 Lenny’s Spirit, 6.15 Mannerism, 6.50 Couplet, 7.25 Alshinfarah, 8.00 Sovereign Queen, 8.35 Unequal Love.

MUSSELBURGH: 2.20 Freak Out, 2.50 MAJESTIC BEAUTY (NAP), 3.20 Idilico, 3.50 Poet’s Magic, 4.20 End Zone, 4.53 War Defender.

NEWMARKET: 4.49 Habrdi, 5.25 Us Navy Jack, 6.00 Broadway Act, 6.35 Jayyash, 7.10 Kingori, 7.45 Astral Spirit, 8.20 Champagne Sarah.

THIRSK: 2.10 Chester Le Streak, 2.40 Bint Havana Grey, 3.10 On Borrowed Time, 3.40 Nibras Angel, 4.10 May Blossom, 4.40 Moulin Booj, 5.10 Prince Achille.

TIPPERARY: 4.45 Double Jabbed, 5.15 Harmony Rose, 5.50 Tamazu, 6.25 Andromeda, 7.00 Bremen, 7.35 First Gentleman, 8.10 Chatterbox.

WEXFORD: 4.55 Dutch Schultz, 5.30 Star Official, 6.05 Jesina, 6.40 Midnight Our Fred, 7.15 Gali Flight, 7.50 Look Dont Touch, 8.25 Meet My Loreley.

DOUBLE: Majestic Beauty and Nibras Angel.



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