Delight at last for Jarvis
Trainer Alan Jarvis felt vindicated today after 16-1 chance Winners Delight scored at Lingfield Park following a troubled season for the gelding.
The three-year-old took the 12-furlong ladbrokes.com Handicap under Robert Winston, initiating a double for the jockey.
In April, the Didcot handler was stung by a £1,200 (€17,248) fine and the horse was banned from running for 40 days when the Kempton stewards deemed him to have been schooled in public.
After a neck success from King Of Diamonds in the £10,000 (€14,372) feature, Jarvis admitted he had been “furious” with the fine.
“In 30 years I’d never been accused of schooling in public and it made me furious,” he said.
“He had been very difficult as a two-year-old and had sweated up when he got to the races a couple of times – he even knocked a tooth out when we tried to saddle him.
“On his second start as a three-year-old, I told the jockey to settle him at the back and bring him through gradually. He finished ninth and they did me.
“It was ridiculous. They didn’t know what they were talking about.
“As a consequence, they’ve only dropped him a pound all season, so the owners have had to suffer. It isn’t fair on them, but at least we’ve finally managed to get a win into him, so I do feel a measure of vindication.”
Winston completed his brace when powering home Paul Howling’s My Pension (8-1) to a length success in the concluding one-mile Bet Direct At Lingfield Park Classified Stakes.
Ryan Moore was also in double form with Mister Muja and Musical Day (7-2), the latter a spare ride in the second division of the one-mile Bet Direct On 0800 329393 Maiden Auction Stakes for the Brian Meehan stable.
It was Winston who had originally been booked, but he was unable to do the weight.
Mister Muja caused a 20-1 shock in the Bet Direct On The Breeders Cup Maiden Stakes, getting up near the line to nail Grand Ideas by three-quarters of a length.
Winning trainer Peter Harris said: “This is his third run and he bled last time. I’ve trained him out of a field since then, so he probably doesn’t look as good as he should. We’ll have to see what the handicapper does now.”
But Moore received a one-day careless riding ban (November 5) when unplaced Corky caused interference to Lilli Marlane in the one-mile Bet Direct predictor.com Handicap.
The race went to the Jeremy Noseda-trained Sharp Needle (8-1), who gained a third success in his last four starts under an inspired ride from Shane Kelly.
Drawn widest of all in stall 12, Kelly bided his time before unleashing the three-year-old Mark Of Esteem filly off the bend to wear down Slalom and win by half a length.
“She has always been consistent,” said Noseda’s assistant Steve Kingstree. “We did fancy her, but when you are drawn wide, you worry a bit.”
Hughie Morrison is down on last season in terms of winners, but his East Ilsley stable has won more prize money than last term and Postgraduate added to the pot with victory in the six-furlong Littlewoods Bet Direct Novice Stakes.
Steve Drowne’s mount swept up the outside to collar newcomer Excusez Moi.
“Steve said that six is his trip for now,” said Morrison. “That was quite impressive and though he didn’t travel that well, it was due to greenness.
“I haven’t done a lot with the horse and we will probably put him away for next season.”
However, Drowne’s delight was tempered by a two-day careless riding ban (November 5-6) after scrimmaging on the bend.
Newmarket trainer Paul D’Arcy also felt a measure of vindication after Gryskirk landed the first division of the one-mile Bet Direct On 0800 329393 Maiden Auction Stakes under Richard Quinn.
After the three-quarter-length victory form odds-on Kandidate, D’Arcy said: “He has bits and pieces of form that suggested he could win this.
“He has always managed to find a bit of trouble in his previous runs and he had the luck in running today.”
Jeremy Glover seldom leaves the money behind when his horses are backed and Party Princess, gambled from 25-1 to 14-1, took the six-furlong Bet Direct ‘Red To Bet’ On ITV Apprentice Handicap.
After Andy Mullen had landed a two-length victory to make it 13 winners for the season, Glover said: “We’ve always thought a lot of the filly.
“This surface suited her and she’s been running on soft ground, which doesn’t suit her. We came here for this decent ground. But she is in the sales on Wednesday. We might lose her.”
