Sanders treble seals century
Title-chasing Seb Sanders breezed past the century mark in record time with an opportune treble at Brighton.
The Midlander is so determined not to lose momentum against his jockeys’ championship rival Jamie Spencer that he has taken the rare step of appealing against a two-day ban incurred at Goodwood last week.
He will be at the British Horseracing Authority on Thursday morning attempting to get a careless riding suspension aboard Lake Poet turned over.
But concentrating on what he does best, Sanders got the 100 up in the Step Change Bars Selling Handicap, which was started by tape with one of the stalls delayed arriving to the course.
His ride, King’s Ransom (11-4 joint-favourite) for the Willie Muir yard, had to be switched towards the centre of the track to make his run, but he settled the event in a matter of strides, racing six lengths clear.
“That’s my fastest hundred, I think my previous quickest was some time in late August,” said Sanders.
“July was a bit slow for me, but I’ve really picked up in the last two or three weeks.”
He continued: “I’ve never appealed before – you normally take the rough with the smooth – and I’m quite nervous about it but I think I’ve got a case.
“I’m not nervous about the title though. The only worry will be the back-end of September and October when my stables are winding down, so my agent will have to be at his best.”
While Spencer, in action at Yarmouth, always has his fans, the huge crowd through the turnstiles at the seaside venue were certainly supporting Sanders when he reached 99.
Although many came to see Chas n Dave playing live or watch Phil ’The Power’ Taylor in an exhibition darts match, racegoers piled into Recalcitrant in the Jack Sandhu Pub Co Handicap and sent him off a well-backed 5-1 chance.
Sanders was at work from some way out, pushing his mount to the lead inside the two-furlong marker before getting the better of a lengthy duel with Cape Diamond by a neck.
Trainer Simon Dow was not sure where the money had come from for his horse, but Sanders is now five from 12 rides for the Epsom handler this term.
Dow said: “I think it must have been the ’Seb factor’.
“There was no obvious other reason he was so heavily supported, but he was running well over a mile and a half without getting home. The owner suggested dropping him back to 10 furlongs and it’s worked out.”
King’s Ransom was sold for 13,700 guineas to Steve Gollings.
The three-timer came for Sanders’ boss Sir Mark Prescott, whose 6-5 favourite Caravel ended up a very easy winner of the South East Leisure Group Handicap.
The feature race of the day was the £29,500 John Smith’s Brighton Mile Challenge Trophy and it allowed Travis Block and 3-1 favourite Kasumi to atone for a narrow defeat at Glorious Goodwood.
Block had been slightly criticised for going for home too early last week, but kept his mount handy again.
For the last two furlongs Kasumi really looked up against it, especially when Tender The Great drew alongside, but somehow she kept pulling out more and repelled her rival by a neck.
Trainer Hughie Morrison was not present, leaving his assistant Hugo Palmer to do the honours.
He said: “It was a great ride and they both deserved it after last week. She’s very tough and is owned by the boss’s sister and bred by the family. They were all watching on television.”
Current champion jockey Ryan Moore’s title challenge was derailed by injury earlier in the year but he got in on the act at his home track with a daring run up the far rail to steer 7-4 favourite Buckie Massa home in the Pulse Bar Sprint Handicap.
Clive Brittain is famed for his ability to cause upsets in big races and the old maestro was at it again at a much lower level in the Terminus At Hailsham EBF Median Auction Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Fly Kiss (25-1) had shown little in her first three starts but horses never know their price and although she only had two necks in hand over Smokey Rye and Coral Shores, the manner of her victory was a little more decisive than the bare facts.
