Magic Echo stuns punters
Magic Echo stunned punters when running out a decisive 66-1 winner of the first division of the EBF/Gosforth Decorating & Building Services Maiden Stakes in the hands of Phillip Makin at Newcastle.
The 10 runners split equally into two groups and the far side looked in command inside the final quarter-mile with Comma out in front.
But the Michael Dods-trained Magic Echo quickened to collar her in the last 30 yards and win going away by one and a half lengths.
Godolphin’s Cornflower, who raced on the stands side, started 4-5 favourite but finished only fifth.
Dods, enjoying his best season, was at Newmarket Sales, but Magic Echo’s owner David Batey, who is based near Newton Aycliffe, said: “I also bred Magic Echo so that makes it even better and John Davies, who hopes to take out a trainer’s licence soon, looked after her from when she was a foal until she went to Michael’s stable.
“I backed her at 100-1, she has been improving all the time and we thought she would run well.”
The second division was won more predictably by the Rae Guest-trained 4-5 chance Mimisel, who took up the running under Seb Sanders a furlong and a half from home and went clear to score by three lengths from Onatopp.
Mark Tompkins saddled the third in the first two races but his turn came in the third event when Marvo landed the first division of the Weatherbys Insurance Maiden Stakes under Tom Queally.
Ayr trainer Linda Perratt celebrated her 43rd birthday in the best possible manner when Grey Outlook, with Royston Ffrench on board, ran away with the St James Security Median Auction Maiden Stakes.
Miss Perratt said: “Grey Outlook has been knocking on the door, but things have not been going quite right for her.
“She was entered in a few other races this week, but fortunately we got it right, I thought we would have to have a crack at it when I saw the entries.”
Robert Winston left himself only two short of a century for the turf season when Michael Stoute’s Al Shemali opened his own account at the second attempt and in pleasing style in the second division of the Weatherbys Insurance Maiden Stakes.
The 11-8 favourite struck the front over a furlong out and he stretched out well to see off the challenge of Godolphin’s Gemology, who had third-placed Marriaj fully 11 lengths adrift.
Winston said: “He is only a little horse but you could not be happier by the way he did it. It may not have been a very good race, but the first two came well clear of the rest.”
A big roar went up when the heavily-backed Sudden Impulse struck the front approaching the final furlong of the bet365 Handicap, but apprentice Suzzanne France brought Neville Bycroft’s top-weight Dium Mac with a perfectly-timed run to collar her in the closing stages and edge one and a quarter lengths clear.
France, recording her 16th career success said: “Dium Mac has the ability, but you have to coax it out of him.”
Hayley Turner stole a march on her rivals in the Weatherbys Bank Handicap, electing to race alone on the stands side aboard Forces Sweetheart, who defied top weight to record her fifth win in a row.
The winner is trained by Michael Bell and Turner said: “I rang Mr Bell this morning and he said that as we were drawn 17 right on the stands rails I should stay there.
“I spoke to him again after the second race when it looked as if the ground was quicker on the far side, but he said I should stay on the stands side as we would only end up in the middle of the course if I tacked over.”
