Dettori swoops on Kestrel
Frankie Dettori zipped into Lingfield for one ride, the Italian will have exerted more energy changing into his silks than in steering Red Kestrel home for a facile victory.
The half-brother to Godolphin’s St Leger winner Mutafaweq was third to a decent and far more experienced performer in Changing Skies on his recent debut, form which sent the chestnut off the 8-13 favourite.
Only Buddhist Monk could keep tabs on Red Kestrel in the 100 Aker Woods Median Auction Maiden Stakes but when Dettori kicked on turning for home, he pulled right away to score by seven lengths.
Godolphin’s representative Tony Garth said: “He was very babyish on his first run and has strengthened up a lot.
“He just gallops, and he galloped them into the ground. We’ll take him back and hopefully find him something a bit better.”
It was a red-letter day for Kirsty Milczarek, who became just the fifth female jockey to ride out her claim.
Only Alex Greaves, Emma O’Gorman, Lisa Jones and Hayley Turner have previously passed the watershed and with only the last-named still managing to make a serious impression with no allowance against more experienced riders, Milczarek was taking nothing for granted following her 95th career winner.
A productive spell on the all-weather at the start of the year laid the foundations for the Turf season but back on the Polytrack here, she produced the Nick Littmoden-trained Ruby Tallulah (4-1) just in time to steal the Owl Nursery Handicap Stakes from Red Cell close home.
“I’m not saying it’s harder for us to make it than the lads, but it has been all about working hard and I have got to try my best to keep going,” said Milczarek.
“When you are claiming you get to ride the bottom weights in the bigger handicaps but hopefully I can get on some better horses.
“I just have to get to as many yards as possible and be loyal to as many people as I can. Days like this make it all worthwhile.”
Turner remains a marker for Milczarek to aspire to and she had a winner of her own, showing great strength to pinch the Gopher Handicap by a nose on the Simon Callaghan-trained Expensive Art (11-2).
Deal Flipper (16-1) had shown precious little on her previous starts but she skipped away with the Kanga Claiming Stakes under Frankie McDonald.
Another budding claimer, Jack Mitchell, managed to get on the right side of the occasionally difficult Murrin and wound up Terry Mills’ 9-2 shot for a decisive final charge in the Tigger Handicap.
Luck Will Come (11-4) proved well-named for trainer Hugh Collingridge after ending the yard’s barren spell in the Roo Fillies’ Handicap.
