Alfie storms to Castle success
Alfie Flits, a classy bumper horse, continues to progress after switching to the Flat and he made it two out of three under a confident ride from Dean McKeown at Pontefract.
McKeown produced him to lead over a furlong out and the 5-6 shot went away to beat Camrose by two and a half lengths with Lost Soldier Three three-quarters of a length away in third in the Listed totesport.com Pontefract Castle Stakes.
Trainer Alan Swinbank, who owns the gelding in partnership with soccer stars Gary Flitcroft and Dominic Matteo, said: “He is not a firm ground horse but we got away with it today, they have done a good job with the going.
“We have thought about giving him six weeks off, but there is a mile and a quarter Listed race at Roscommon in three weeks’ time and if the ground was right we could go there.
“I bought him in July last year from Shadwell Stud for 15,500 guineas and he is a very good horse. We have time on our side and we don’t know where he could finish up – we might think about the Irish St Leger at some stage, but not this year.”
Paul Fessey has quickly got back among the winners on his return to action following a 28-day suspension and he gave David Barron’s Mistress Twister a cracking ride to land the £45,000 totepool Fillies’ Stakes.
Miss Provvidence made the running but Flying Clarets had looked a serious threat when she got a smack over the head from the whip of the leader’s rider.
She understandably recoiled from that and lost her pitch leaving Mistress Twister (5-1) to stake her claim on the outside and Gaelic Princess on the inside with Miss Provvidence between them.
But Mistress Twister finished strongest to touch off Gaelic Princess by a neck with Miss Provvidence one and a quarter lengths away in third and Flying Clarets a length and a half further back in fourth.
Fessey said: “I came back on Wednesday night at Ripon and the boss (Ann Duffield) put me on a winner there. She has been very good to me and so has David (Barron). I can’t thank them enough.
“I also had a winner at Redcar on Friday so hopefully I can keep making up for lost time – it was a very frustrating spell.
“I was really walking my box in the last fortnight and was pleased that the World Cup started and helped take my mind off it.”
Barron said: “She is in terrific fettle at the moment, her run at York last time was a write-off, she had no chance from the draw.”
Paul Hanagan is riding at the very top of his form and having topped a half-century for the year at Ayr yesterday he completed a 271\-1 treble.
His wins came on Karl Burke’s pair Precocious Star (8-1) and Electric Warrior (9-2), both owned by he Market Avenue Racing Club, and the Len Lungo-trained Monolith (9-2), who carried the colours of the Elite Racing Club.
Hanagan brought Precocious Star with a good run to lead a furlong out and go on to beat Weekend Fling by a length. The fast-finishing Blithe was half a length further away in third and the odds-on Malaaq a head back in fourth in the EBF toteplacepot Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Burke said: “She is a nice filly but because she cost only 800 guineas everyone wrote her off.
“She ran a nice race first time out but then got sore shins so we eased off with her – Paul really liked her so hopefully she will go on to better things.”
Richard Hills, who had left the course, was called back by the stewards who were looking into whether he had eased up and lost third place on Malaaq.
They noted his explanation that as Precocious Star had passed him in the closing stages, Malaaq became unbalanced, changing her legs several times.
Monolith’s chance in the toteexacta Pontefract Cup did not look at all bright approaching the home turn, but Hanagan who had been rowing away from some way out kept persevering.
Gallantly answering all his calls, the top weight wore down Our Monogram close home to win by a neck.
Lungo was represented by Jonty Galbraith, who said: “Paul gave the horse a good ride, I think it suited him coming from behind like that and our horses are running well now.”
Kevin Darley, who rode two winners at Royal Ascot, timed things to perfection again as he brought the James Given-trained Burton Ash with a sustained run to get in front in the shadow of the post in the totesport 0800 221 221 Fillies’ Handicap.
Given said: “She will make a lovely brood mare now she has won a race.
“The commentator said about five times before the race that she was still a maiden at the 25th attempt, but to be fair to her ratio of placings is very good.
“Kevin gave her a lovely ride to get her head in front on the line.”
Ed Dunlop’s Fyvie, the 9-4 favourite, had found just one too good for her on her two previous appearances and made it third time lucky in the hands of Daragh O’Donohoe in the totecourse to course Maiden Stakes.
