Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Leicester Review
Richard Mullen was relieved to escape injury from a fall and then weigh in safely with all the tack after being unseated from Flying Power yards after crossing the line in front at Leicester.
David Lanigan's 6-1 shot ditched his jockey after making all the running in the Real Beer Agency Handicap, pulling out more to hold Spensley by half a length with Sagredo a similar distance back in third.
After getting rid of Mullen, the winner galloped down the track, but he was soon caught and the rider hitched a lift to the far side to remove the tack so that he could weigh in.
The jockey said: "He saw the gap as we pulled up, he's gone to run out there, he slipped and unseated me, but I'm all in one piece. The jump boys have worse falls and get up straight away, so it would have looked a bit soft if I hadn't have got up from that one. I had to collect the tack and luckily it's all in one piece."
It was success all round for George Baker in the John Smith's Handicap as the horse, trainer, jockey and owner all share that name. The horse was winning for the fourth time, but it was the first time with Baker in the saddle and the 5-2 favourite had to work hard to keep Cornus at bay by a short head.
The jockey said: "It's the first time I've won on him so it's nice to do it, although it's a bit of a gimmick. I always thought I was going to hold on. He was pricking his ears with half a furlong to run. It's nice to have a winner for George."
Wyndham Wave justified strong support into 9-2 joint-favourite to open his account at the second attempt in the Newfoundpool WMC Maiden Auction Stakes. Rod Millman's youngster travelled well in the hands of the trainer's son James and went on to beat Cresta Star by a length and a quarter.
"He's a shell of a horse yet. He will make a lovely three-year-old as he's still tall and lean and he wasn't the easiest horse to break in," said Millman.
Money also spoke volumes about Mount Hollow (11-2), who overcame a slow start to win the John Liddington Group Handicap. Graham Gibbons left the blindfold on until the gates opened, which meant the six-year-old missed the kick, but he soon had him a good position and won well by a length and a quarter from Sairaam.
"We were praying for rain as he does want a bit of ease in the ground and I almost thought about not running him," said trainer Reg Hollinshead's son Andrew. "One day at Wolverhampton he went underneath the stalls, so he has to have it (the hood) left on for quite a long time."