Bahia breezes home at Ponte

Rae Guest has ambitious plans for Bahia Breeze after the filly put up a game display to land the Weatherbys Bank Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract.

There was a slow early pace in the Listed contest and with two of the eight furlongs to go Robert Winston seized the initiative on the four-year-old and booted the 5-4 favourite into the lead.

She was strongly pressed on either side by Mamela and Imperialistic but she had enough in reserve to hold on by half a length and a head.

“It was a muddling race and she wants a good pace and to come late. So she’s done well to win and Robert has had her in the right place,” said Guest.

“She’ll be entered in any mile fillies’ Group or Listed races. She’ll be in the Group Ones like the Falmouth as well because she was eighth in the 1000 Guineas last year.”

Winston, who won the race 12 months ago on Red Bloom, added: “I went on because the pace wasn't very generous and she was the best filly in the race. There’ll be a Group race in her somewhere along the line.”

Full House, better known for his exploits over fences, produced a gutsy effort to land the Tony Bethell Memorial Handicap under a determined drive from Kevin Darley.

Paul Webber’s versatile seven-year-old relished the fast surface but he needed every yard of the two miles and one furlong to peg back the runner-up, Prairie Sun, close home for a neck verdict.

“He’s an out-and-out stayer,” said Darley. “He’s one of those horses you can sit on all day but when you let him go he doesn’t really find very much.

“He was travelling well enough and then he only found a length. He just kept plugging away and outstayed the second.”

Full House has now won three Flat races, once over hurdles and four chases.

Formal Decree, who opened his account at Pontefract last month, followed up with a six-length success in the Dixons Renault Handicap.

“He came to me in January and has progressed,” said trainer Alan Swinbank. “He’s a nice horse and he’s going the right way but how good he is you wouldn’t know.”

Pretty Majestic put a disappointing run at Redcar behind her with an emphatic victory in the Renault Vans Maiden Auction Fillies’ Stakes.

Mick Channon’s youngster finished a good second on her debut only to be beaten into fourth at odds-on next time.

But the 2-1 favourite made no mistake here with an impressive three-length call over Angeletta in the hands of Eddie Creighton.

There was a stirring finish to the Reg Vardy Renault Handicap when Namir finished fast for Graham Gibbons to land the spoils by a short head from Trick Cyclist.

Owner Simon Mapletoft said: “I must admit I thought we were second. The fast ground was a concern but the key to him has been the stiff finish. He’s in at Hamilton tomorrow and all being well he'll go there.”

Dvinsky, a close second at Chepstow last time, went one better in the Sunwin Renault Handicap when Robbie Fitzpatrick got Declan Carroll’s gelding home by three-quarters of a length from Geojimali.