Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Review Of Southwell Yesterday...wet!


Southwell's moderate all-weather fare was enlivened by the exploits of Mingun Bell, who now looks destined for far loftier assignments.

The two-year-old colt cruised to victory in the Endurance Ride At Southwell 5th September Novice Stakes under a supremely confident ride by Tom Queally.

Henry Cecil's 5-6 favourite was prominent from the start and effortlessly moved into the lead coming into the home straight, leaving his rivals floundering before scoring by three and three-quarter lengths.

Queally said: "He did it easily and liked the surface. He would have either loved it or hated it - thankfully he loved it. He's got the experience so he knows what he's doing and improves with every run."

Circumvent's win in the southwell-racecourse.co.uk Median Auction Maiden Stakes 30 minutes later may not have had matched Mingun Bell's breezy dominance, but it did showcase the hallmarks of a gutsy fighter.

The Paul Hanagan-ridden 7-1 shot was involved in a three-way scrap along the home straight as Prince Of Vasa and Comedy Hall moved up to offer determined challenges.

Despite being headed by the latter, the Paul Cole-trained newcomer came back for more to collect by a short head.

Oliver Cole, son of the winning trainer, said: "He's always showed a bit of speed at home, but I think in time he'll need a mile. The reason we came here is that he had a sore shin and we thought it's a better surface than the grass."

Sir Mark Prescott's Eloise (9-1) was given a positive ride by Seb Sanders to hold off Spring Quartet, who missed the break by some 15 lengths, in the Book On Line @ southwell-racecourse.co.uk Handicap.

Sanders then made it a double in the concluding Southwell Golf Club Lady Members Handicap when prevailing by a nose on Paul D'Arcy's Calahonda, one of two horses advised yesterday morning, at 12-1