Egan just champion
John Egan’s golden summer showed no hint of a decline at Beverley after Champions Gallery won the £50,000 totesport.com Stakes.
Still basking in the glory of his Ebor victory aboard 100-1 chance Mudawin, the Irish rider proved once again to be the jockey for the big occasion this term when booting home David Elsworth’s charge to a one-length victory.
Despite Egan’s reservations about the ground – officially described as good to soft, good in places – the Dansili colt showed a real appetite for a scrap once powering to the head of affairs after pacemaker Black Beauty downed tools.
A rare tussle ensued between runner-up Pearly King and the 10-1 winner inside the final furlong but Egan was to have the last word as he came from the near side of the track to land the spoils on what was Champions Gallery’s swansong for Elsworth.
The three-year-old will be put in quarantine this week as his owners want him to race in Hong Kong.
“He’s such a nice, strong horse and it will be a shame to lose him,” said Elsworth’s assistant Jeannie Brown.
“He was always going well and got stuck in when he needed to on his first try over 10 furlongs.
“They went a good gallop and I think that helped him as he needs a strong pace, which he didn’t get last time when he ran in a Group Three at Salisbury.”
Baltic King put himself back in the frame for the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock next weekend after winning the totepool Beverley Bullet Sprint.
Hughie Morrison’s six-year-old finished third and second in this Listed contest in 2004 and 2005 respectively and put that experience to good use by storming to a head verdict from Pivotal’s Princess.
Baltic King’s success also put the seal on a memorable week for Nunthorpe-winning rider Kevin Darley, who came in for the ride due to Jimmy Fortune’s illness.
Darley always had his mount in contention as Mr Wolf set a ferocious pace after getting across to the rail from stall six.
Although Pivotal’s Princess picked up the gauntlet a furlong out, this year’s Wokingham winner had too much speed for his nearest challenger and galloped clear of his nearest rival to land the spoils at odds of 7-2.
Bahamian Pirate finished third, a length further in adrift, while market leader Tax Free was fourth.
“He’s been so unlucky in this race for two years now and has never got the gaps when it mattered,” said Morrison.
“He did this time though and deserves to win a race like this.
”He wasn’t right when he came back from France (14th of 17 runners in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville) but that was his true form.
“We’ll see how he is and probably go for the Haydock race now – either that or the Diadem.”
