Mecca's Mate wins ar Ayr
Mecca's Mate, winner of the Listed EBF Land O'Burns Fillies' Stakes two years ago, served up a repeat performance under a perfectly-judged ride from Tony Hamilton at Ayr.
The David Barker-trained mare was being ridden along approaching the final furlong, but kept responding to Hamilton's encouragement to collar Morinqua in the last 75 yards and then hold Final Dynasty's challenge by a head.
Barker, who trains Mecca's Mate and his other money-spinning mare Sierra Vista for Darlington businessman David Metcalfe, said: "She has got to have a lead right to the line really and I told Tony to ride her for luck. It all worked out - he gave her a peach of a ride.
"The plan now is to run her in a Group Three (Summer Stakes) at York on Friday. I think she deserves to run in a race like that over six furlongs."
Hamilton was gaining his first Listed-race success and he said after the 8-1 triumph: "David told me to ride Mecca's Mate with confidence.
"They went very fast in front today and that suited. I went too soon on her when she was just beaten at Newcastle on her last run but one."
Graham Gibbons was suspended for three days for not riding Pivotal's Princess for outright sixth place, the mare having dead-heated for that spot with Coconut Moon.
Apprentice Greg Fairley was in cracking form, completing his first treble - at odds of 2,222-1 - on Neil's Legacy, Quicks The Word and Tizzy May.
It had been a long wait to saddle another winner for Tommy Cuthbert, who combines training with the role of racecourse blacksmith at Ayr, so he had plenty to celebrate after Quicks The Word made all in the Ladies Night On Saturday 11 August Handicap.
Cuthbert had gone 1,500 days since last visiting the winner's enclosure and he said: "We got him two years ago last March for £1,500 and then he got a bit of a leg.
"But he has been running well and deserved this."
Fairley had earlier helped Linda Perratt end a lean spell of her own when he rode Neil's Legacy (12-1) to victory in the Campbeltown Bar Stewart Scott Memorial Handicap, passing the post with two and a half lengths to spare over stable companion Mystical Ayr.
Perratt, whose yard is situated across the road from the course, was sending out her first winner for 271 days and said: "I have been on the cold list so long, I was getting frostbite! It is nice to break our duck for the season."
Fairley made it three when landing the Black Bottle Handicap on Brian Ellison's 8-1 chance Tizzy May.
Mick Mullineaux stunned punters when he completed a 1,325-1 double with Danzig Fox, the 50-1 winner of the Slater Menswear Median Auction Maiden Stakes under Richard Mullen, and The History Man, 25-1, who was ridden to victory by the trainer's daughter Michelle in the Kidzplay Amateur Riders' Handicap.
Mullineaux said of Danzig Fox: "The win is no surprise to me.
"He is the only two-year-old I have, but he has been working well with older horses. He takes everything in his stride and I will give him some time off now."
Following The History Man's success, Mullineaux added: "That is Michelle's fourth winner and the horse never looked like being beaten."
Simon Whitworth was suspended for one day, July 19, for careless riding on Rub Of The Relic, runner-up in the race won by Danzig Fox.
There seemed to be plenty of confidence behind the chance of Exit Strategy in the Race For Life Handicap and backed from 8-1 to 5-1 favourite, he ran out an easy winner in the hands of Paul Mulrennan.
He had five lengths to spare over Mangano and trainer William Haggas's wife Maureen said: "He is in the sales this week but I don't know if we will hang on to him now, that will be for the boss to decide."
