Cox unleashes dark destroyer
British trainer Clive Cox realised one of his ambitions when he won the Northern Rock Gosforth Park Cup with Out After Dark at Newcastle this evening.
“When I was with Mikey Heaton-Ellis we used to aim Lord High Admiral at the race, so I’ve always been very keen to win it, and Out After Dark fitted the bill,” explained Cox, who had stayed at home.
“And as long as he was OK after winning at Beverley on Tuesday, we were going to have a go.”
As expected, the runners split into two groups in the five-furlong dash, with eight racing on either side of the track.
The far side, headed by Cape Royal and then Fictional, appeared to have the edge over their rivals on the stand rail, headed by Whinhill House and Out After Dark.
Chookie Heiton (25-1) finished well to lead on the far side, but 16-year-old Adam Kirby had Cox’s gelding in top gear and the well-backed 5-1 shot flew home to catch his rival in the shadow of the post and land the £17,400 first prize by a neck.
Fictional (16-1) was the same distance back in third, with Native Title fourth at 16-1.
Cox was impressed with Kirby’s handling of his four-year-old.
He added: “He’s a superstar in the making. He’s only 16 but he can really ride, and that’s twice he’s won on him now.”
Kirby, enjoying his biggest win, said: “He’s a great horse. I just showed him the winning post and he took me there – he did the running.
“I rode him three starts ago when he won at Beverley, and he’s done it very well today – thanks to Mr Cox for letting me ride him again.”
First Rhapsody (7-2), just caught over seven furlongs at Carlisle 10 days ago, appreciated the shorter trip in the motorshow.uk.com Maiden Fillies’ Stakes to go one better under good apprentice Phillip Makin.
After greeting his winner, trainer Tim Etherington said: “I tried her over a mile, and last time over a stiff seven at Carlisle she just got pipped. Today we found out that she needed Newcastle’s stiff six.”
There was a turn-up in the cantorspreadfair.com Handicap when 16-1 chance Mister Arjay proved too good for his rivals under a good ride from Ewan Whillans.
Jake Black and Kristiansand disputed the early lead, but once in the home straight Whillans produced Brian Ellison’s charge to hit the front over two furlongs out.
Mister Arjay was strongly pressed in the closing stages of the amateur riders’ contest by The Rip, but he had enough in reserve to hold on by half a length.
“He’s been disappointing, but he wanted this fast ground,” Ellison said. “You could have fancied him tonight, but it was all down to amateur riders.
“We won this race for his owner, Keith Middleton, a couple ago with Scramble.”
The winner was a chance mount for Whillans after original jockey James Best injured his knee in a fall on the gallops this morning.
