Williams back with a bang

Darren Williams struck gold under the Wolverhampton floodlights with his first ride since July 2006.

Williams was suspended from riding pending the outcome of legal proceedings after charges were brought against him by City Of London Police.

Last December he was acquitted, along with five other individuals, including fellow jockeys Kieren Fallon and Fergal Lynch, of conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers by a jury at the Old Bailey.

Having successfully reapplied for his licence in January, the jockey made a victorious comeback at Dunstall Park when the Karl Burke-trained Arkando landed the wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk Selling Stakes.

Williams has been riding out regularly at Burke’s Middleham base as well as for owner Willie McKay in South Yorkshire.

“It’s been a long time but I always wanted to wait for something that I could definitely win with,” said the jockey.

“I rode this filly in some work at Karl’s and I’m pleased it’s been for him.

“Willie has been supportive, letting me ride out for him, and I’m going to try my utmost to get established again.”

Burke, whose Arkando was Williams’ only ride of the night, added: “I’m very pleased for Darren, who has been ready to ride for several weeks.

“He’s been champing at the bit to get back and I’ll try to help him as much as I can.”

BRASSIL – NICK CAN GO THE DISTANCE

Connections of Nickname are confident he can make a seamless transition up to three miles in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Trainer Martin Brassil said: “I’ve always had it in the back of my mind to step him up in trip, especially the way he has been finishing his races this year.

“I’ve thought for some time that two and a half miles could be his best trip but things worked out for him so well last year.

“They were going such a fast gallop in those two-mile races that they were playing into his hands as he was just staying on.

“He had never run over two miles until I got him, he had always run over further.

“He probably needed the really soft ground over two but he might not need it so soft over further.

“It’s great to have a runner in a race as good as this.”

There will not be a dry eye in the house if Beef Or Salmon can lift a fourth Irish Hennessy.

Michael Hourigan’s grand old servant already has 10 wins at the highest level to his name, a feat only surpassed by Moscow Flyer in recent times.

His last Grade One triumph came in the Hennessy 12 months ago when the 12-year-old collared British challenger The Listener inside the final 100 yards to leave his proud trainer overwhelmed.

“It was a brilliant reception he got last year when he won his 10th Grade One and it would be great if he could win it for a fourth time,” said Hourigan.

Beef Or Salmon was just over five lengths behind Denman in the Lexus Chase on his last start but Hourigan believes he can improve on that performance.

“He’s in good form and he worked well this morning. We’ve got our fingers crossed for him and hopefully his age doesn’t come in to it,” added the County Limerick handler.

“He didn’t have the best preparation going into the Lexus but nothing has gone wrong this time.

“It’s a cracking race. Mister Top Notch could be the one to beat, he is improving fast.”

The Listener once again takes on Beef Or Salmon.

After his stroll around Down Royal to win the two-and-a-half-mile John Durkan Memorial Chase, there is a school of thought which suggests he may be better over shorter trips than the three miles of the Hennessy.

“We got here last night, he’s had a spin round the track and he travelled well,” said Nick Mitchell, Robert and Sally Alner’s assistant.

“He’s settled well and he seems in good form.

“There’s cloud-cover forecast so as long as it doesn’t dry out too much and they get spots of rain, the ground should be fine.

“I know where people are coming from about his stamina but he won the Lexus on heavy ground and only just got beat in this last year.

“I’m of the opinion that he gets three miles on an easy track.

“I’d say it’s the most competitive Grade One three-mile chase of the season so far, certianly in betting terms.”

LEE SURGERY A SUCCESS

Ferdy Murphy has issued a relatively upbeat bulletin on stable jockey Graham Lee, who suffered a sickening injury at Huntingdon on Thursday.

Lee took a heavy fall from Cash King in the Betfredpoker Novices’ Handicap Chase and was kicked by another runner as he lay on the ground.

He fractured his jaw in two places but initial reports that he was set to miss the Cheltenham Festival may have been premature.

“We’ve got some good news, the surgeon said the breaks were very clean and the surgery went fantastic – they could not be happier with him,” said Murphy.

“The normal process is about six weeks for such an injury but with Graham being a jockey and being as fit as he is that could be shorter.

“If that was the case it would be absolutely fantastic. Hopefully he’ll be back for Cheltenham and if not, Aintree.

“I remember Robert Winston having the same injury and his was a bad break and he was out for three of four months so we are thrilled the breaks are clean and the surgery went fantastic.

“It’s all a little bit better than it was last night.”

THINK TEAM EYE DELOITTE PRIZE

Connections of Whatuthink hope his performance in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday will guide them towards his Cheltenham objective.

The six-year-old, trained by Oliver McKiernan, holds entries in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle.

He showed his class when beating Forpadydeplasterer and Cork All Star over two miles at the Dublin track six weeks ago but there is an extra two furlongs to travel this time.

“He came out of the race well. He seems to be 100% at the minute. We thought we’d let him take his chance,” said McKiernan’s assistant, Adrian Keatley.

“It might be a little but close to Cheltenham, but he’s come out of his races well enough so we’ll take our chance.

“I’d say the main danger would be the horse that finished second to us (Forpadydeplasterer).

“He ran novicey that day and it was only his second run over hurdles.

“He hung in behind our fellow and if he can cut that out he’d be the one we are all going to have to beat this time.

“Our fellow seems to stay well. He won a bumper over two miles three in bottomless ground at Naas last year and he showed all the signs of a stayer.

“Hopefully he’ll go to Cheltenham, but we don’t know which race yet.

“We have him in the two novice races but we have to wait on the ground conditions and how he fares on Sunday.”

SEPTET SEEK MORIARTY SPOILS

A high-class field of seven take their chance in the Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

In what is arguably the best novice chase run in Ireland this season, three previous Grade One winners are in the line-up in addition to Willie Mullins’ progressive J’y Vole and the well-regarded Big Zeb.

Liam Burke’s Thyne Again won at the highest level only two weeks ago when he strolled to a 15-length victory in the Irish Arkle.

“He came out of his last race very well and though we are stepping up in trip, I don’t think that will be a problem,” said Burke.

“He’s only seven and he’s lightly raced but he had to miss last season.

“I don’t think the trip should bother him. He won over two-mile-six over hurdles and while that wouldn’t have been a great race, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“I always thought he was a stayer but it hasn’t worked out that way.

“It looks a cracking race but Willie’s mare (J’y Vole) is getting all the allowances.

“She has been winning uncontested up to now so I wouldn’t know how good she would be.

“She won’t get it all her own way on Sunday though.”

Another reason why J’y Vole will not be getting things all her own way is Edward O’Grady’s Sky’s The Limit.

The grey was one of the most striking winners at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006 when he won the Coral Cup as a five-year-old.

Things did not quite go according to plan last term but he returned with a vengeance this season, with two Grade one wins already in the bag.

“He’s a good jumper and I suppose the fact that he didn’t win over fences last year has helped him this season,” said his jockey Andrew McNamara.

“But he’s done nothing wrong this year and I’d be hoping that conditions and trip should suit on Sunday.

“He won over two miles last time but I think he is a middle-distance horse - he’s obviously got plenty of class.”

The other Grade One winner over fences is Jim Dreaper’s Notre Pere, who tipped up at Leopardstown last time out.

Abbeybraney and Oulart complete the septet.

LIFE’S A BEACH FOR BIN SUROOR

Saeed bin Suroor saddled four winners on the fifth night of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival – with the highlight being Cocoa Beach’s success in the UAE 1000 Guineas.

The Chilean-bred filly, ridden by Ted Durcan, turned the tables on stablemate Fiesta Lady, who went down by five and a quarter lengths in the hands of Frankie Dettori.

Durcan said: “She is a lovely filly and has travelled much better.

“I was always going to get there and that was a good effort as the other filly (Fiesta Lady) is decent.”

Gravitas and Dettori won the opening Meydan City Stakes for the all-conquering Godolphin team.

Their famous blue silks were later carried to victory by Jalil in the Meydan Marina Stakes.

The four-year-old son of Storm Cat, who cost 9.7million as a yearling, was winning for the second time and broke the track record under Kerrin McEvoy.

Bin Suroor said: “Gravitas was unlucky last time, while Jalil is a progressive type who has only run five times.”

Dettori also steered the Bin Suroor-trained Third Set to a facile two-and-a-half-length success in the Meydan Business Park Stakes and looks the type to improve.

The UK finally opened their Carnival account courtesy of John Balding’s Turn On The Style, who did the business for Paul Mulrennan in the six-furlong Meydan Stakes.

Balding said: “We knew he could win here and he is a really good horse.

“To come all this way and win first time is just unbelievable.

“For a small yard it does not get much better.”

SPEEDY CARR NO BANGOR

VC Bet introduced Carruthers as the 6-1 second-favourite for the Albert Bartlett Spa Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after a facile victory at Bangor.

Already a Grade Two winner over timber, Mark Bradstock’s five-year-old was sent off the 2-9 favourite for the Hampton Veterinary Group Novices’ Hurdle.

Despite giving weight away to all seven rivals, Mattie Batchelor’s mount never looked like relinquishing an early lead and defeated A Glass In Thyne by an eased-down 25 lengths.

Totesport cut Carruthers to 6-1 from 7s for the Spa, while Paddy Power gave him a quote of 16-1 for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle.

WETHERBY CANCEL CHASE EVENTS

Wetherby have cancelled their scheduled races over fences on Monday for a second successive meeting.

A contingency plan was already in place whereby a seven-race card consisting of six hurdle events and a bumper will instead be staged.

“Parts of the chase course are still waterlogged from the rain we had earlier in the week,” said clerk of the course James Sanderson.

“We have a month’s gap to our next meeting so with a bit luck luck conditions will dry sufficiently to enable us to get some machinery on to the course to carry out some remedial work.”

CHELTENHAM OFF TRIX AGENDA

Money Trix has met with a setback which has ruled him out of the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham next month.

The lightly-raced grey was generally available at 12-1 for the staying novice championship at the Festival.

He made a successful chasing debut less than four weeks ago at Newcastle after being off the track for 21 months.

“He won’t be running for a couple of weeks and he won’t be going to Cheltenham either,” said trainer Nicky Richards.

“He has a slight problem. I hope it’s not serious but we’ll know more in a couple of weeks. We’ll just see how the treatment goes and then take it from there.

“I don’t want anybody backing him for the Royal & SunAlliance. I hope we might get him back on the track before the end of the season.”