Howling considers Newmarket bid
Cape may bid to follow up a cosy success at Doncaster in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket next week.
Paul Howling’s five-year-old mare came from last to first under Jamie Spencer and is probably value for a bit better than the margin of victory suggests.
She won the First Transpennine Express Handicap by a neck from Baby Strange but as Spencer had to weave his way through a wall of horses she could just be a mare to keep on the right side of.
For Spencer, it was another fine display on the track at which he was crowned joint champion jockey on that amazing day back in November when he rode Inchnadamph to victory in the final race of the season to share top honours with Seb Sanders.
“We were sent her by Wyck Hall Stud last year and mares like this are worth their weight in gold to a stud,” said Howling of the 7-1 shot.
“It was a good ride by Jamie because he had nowhere to go so I think she did well to win really.
“She’s in the Abernant next week and we’ll see how she is before we decide if she will run.”
Not many trainers place their horses better than Alan Swinbank and he found another opportunity for Puy D’Arnac, despite having to carry a 6lb penalty.
Robert Winston met plenty of trouble in-running but he beat fellow 3-1 joint-favourite Casual Affair by one and a half lengths in the doncaster-racecourse.co.uk Handicap.
“He was a cheap buy from France and while we have tried him over hurdles and he won one, he’ll be staying on the Flat now,” said Swinbank.
“I’ve got my eye on a race at Hamilton in three weeks’ time worth £10,000 for him.”
Jimmy Quinn was back in the winner’s enclosure with his Lincoln win still fresh in the memory.
He partnered Perks for John Dunlop in the Leger Way Handicap to spring a 20-1 surprise but it will be no shock if the race goes on to prove informative.
“He loved the ground. I spoke to John Dunlop and he said he was very weak last year but he had matured through the winter,” said Quinn.
“I thought it might be a very hard race to win, a few of the lads said it looked like a mini-Britannia on paper but the ground was a factor, mine went thought it a lot better than some of the others.”
The Book Tickets Online Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs was split into two divisions with Michael Jarvis’ Royalist (2-1 favourite) taking the first division and Michael Dods’ The Oil Magnate (9-4) the second.
Barry and Michael Hills teamed up with Centenerola to win the Bawtry Maiden Fillies’ Stakes and lower the colours of 11-10 favourite Amylee in the process.
