Lingfield treble for mighty Moore
Former champion jockey Ryan Moore collected more winners in an afternoon at Lingfield than his previous seasonal total as he steered home a 17-1 treble.
Although he might have enjoyed a little more sun and a lot more prize-money if his hat-trick had been in Dubai, where he rode at the weekend, Moore remained as determined as ever as he moved up a gear.
Pick of the three in terms of potential was Geoff Wragg’s Monterrico, backed into the even-money favourite in the Book Your Pontin’s Family Holiday Now Maiden Stakes.
A typically handsome sort from the veteran trainer’s yard, he strode nicely away from Always Cruising to win by a length.
“I think he’ll stay a mile and a half,” said Wragg. “I was thinking about the Dee Stakes at Chester, but I don’t know if he’ll be good enough.”
The There’s No Place Quite Like Pontin’s Selling Stakes was easy pickings for Moore’s mount, Conor Dore’s 11-10 favourite Samuel Charles.
This was a notable drop in class for the 10-year-old, who was allowed an easy lead and just had to be pushed out to take his 19th career victory by three and a half lengths.
What Katie Did (100-30 favourite) took the Go Completely Pontin’s This Summer Handicap.
The Paul Cole-trained colt is proving to be a decent sort on the Polytrack surface and took a prominent interest in the six-furlong dash.
Taking over at the distance pole, he had to be driven along by Moore but won in reasonable style to keep half a length in hand over the fast-finishing Hobson, who charted a particularly wide course.
Richard Hannon has made his habitually sharp start to the season and Hustle maintained the impetus in the feature HBLB Handicap.
The chestnut colt’s only victory from four juvenile starts came at the Surrey track last September and he was again greeted by a good dozen members of the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing syndicate.
The money had come for the Michael Jarvis filly Maslaha, the 10-11 favourite, but she could not get on terms with 100-30 shot Hustle when Richard Hughes kicked on after the home bend and pushed her out for a one-length success.
“He was a little bit keen early on, but will be a lot more settled next time,” said Richard Hannon jnr, the trainer’s son and assistant.
“I think we’ll step him up in trip for a mile handicap somewhere now.”
Cole turned to Joe Fanning to complete his own brace in the Wish You Were Here Pontin’s Maiden Auction Fillies’ Stakes.
This came courtesy of Percolator, another appropriately-named daughter of Coffee Cream, whose progeny have also included Mocha Java.
This one was sent off the even-money favourite after finishing second on her debut last week and dashed away from her rivals to win by an eased-down two and a half lengths from Grand Plan.
“She’s very speedy but still a bit green around the bends,” reported her jockey.
Yet another pacesetter to score was King’s Ransom (11-2) in the Dine In Trackside Carvery Handicap, after which Steve Gollings was able to deduce why he had not completed a hat-trick of victories at Southwell last time.
“The run was too bad to be true and it must be because he didn’t like the Fibresand,” he reflected.
“Chris Catlin got the tactics just right, as he has to be able to relax in front.”
Epsom trainer Simon Dow captured the Golf And Racing Days Out Handicap as My Shadow (8-1) came home with a decisive late drive under Ian Mongan.
