Bow scraps to Gerard glory

Take A Bow came out on top from an exciting three-way tussle for supremacy in the Betfair Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.

Patrick Chamings’ six-year-old has been knocking on the door for some time now but finally gained a fully-deserved Pattern-race success.

Ridden by Jim Crowley and always close to be the pace, Take A Bow looked pencilled in for second behind 5-2 joint favourite Mashaahed, who gained a slight lead from the outside of the field inside the final furlong.

But Crowley’s mount, sent off at odds of 11-1, found a shade more when it mattered and ground out a short-head victory.

Mighty, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam and ridden by John Egan, appeared to be tiring inside the last but came with a rejuvenated late run to collar Mashaahed for second.

Joint-market leader Tam Lin and Sir Michael Stoute’s Papal Bull failed to land a blow.

Chamings said: “He had a spiral fracture but this year he has come back better than ever and has ran three brilliant races.

“He was headed here and fought back, and if ever a horse deserved to win another race this is him – he has been placed in the Cambridgeshire, Listed races and all sorts.”