Sawwaah wins Claiming Stakes

Sawwaah, who looked far from enthusiastic when third at Musselburgh on Monday, consented to put his best foot forward to win Yvonne Ritchie Memorial Claiming Stakes.

David Nicholls’ quirky eight-year-old was given a good ride by the trainer’s son, Adrian, to beat Ionian Spring by a length and a quarter.

Sawwaah was held up on the inside and Nicholls junior kept on the rail and he enjoyed a trouble-free passage to hit the front two furlongs out, and quickening clear the 8-1 chance poached a lead which proved decisive.

“Sawwaah always wanted fast ground but he’s struggling with his old legs and a bit of dig in the ground has maybe helped him. He looked frustrating on Monday but to be fair to him he never looked like getting beat today,” said the trainer.