Supermassive Muse delivers dream win
There were few happier men at Chester on Saturday than local owner Nick Hughes who realised a lifetime ambition as his Supermassive Muse landed the corbettcasino.com Handicap.
The 35-year-old lives just a stone throw from the historic track and has dreamed of standing proudly in the Roodee winner’s enclosure since his first visit in 1973.
Hughes could do little more than utter “unbelievable” after Darryll Holland led close home on the Ed McMahon-trained 14-1 shot to collect by half a length in the fast-and-furious five-furlong dash.
Hughes said: “This is unbelievable and is a dream come true. It is the best day of my life.
“I have been coming here since I was eight and having a winner at Chester is all I have dreamed about. Ed would have probably ran him at Bath tonight but sent her here as I wanted to come.
“My aunt, Sandra Black, died last year and he runs in her colours so I hope she is looking down on us.”
Richard Mullen has struck up a fruitful partnership with Michael Stoute this summer and partnered the trainer’s Red Gala to victory in a dramatic corbettsports.com Chester Handicap.
Mullen went for home off the final bend aboard the Cheveley Park stud-owned 11-2 chance and his partner kept on well to deny the strong-finishing Strategic Mount by half a length.
The jockey was lucky to avoid the trouble in behind with Sir Duke clipping heels and falling three furlongs out, bringing down Speed Gifted and Cheshire Prince in the process.
Mullen said: “I have been doing well for Sir Michael this year and I think that is my second winner from three rides.”
Joint-champion jockey Seb Sanders was involved in the pile-up and was taken to hospital for X-rays on his leg.
Hayley Turner landed a first win at the tight circuit as the Michael Bell-trained Furnace (16-1) burned off his rivals and returned to form in the corbettpoker.com Stakes over seven and a half furlongs.
Turner said: “He is hard-pulling and keen so the tight track suited him and they went a good gallop.
“He was headed up the straight but battled back, which was brilliant.”
July Stakes fourth Viva Ronaldo (9-4) hit the back of the net as he burst clear down the straight to deny 7-4 favourite Parisian Pyramid in the Corbett Charity Donation Nightingale House Conditions Stakes.
Trainer Richard Fahey said: “He is good-looking horse and is improving all of the time.
“He is still buzzy but is starting to settle now, and he’ll go to the big sales race at Doncaster is about 10 days’ time.”
The easiest winners of the afternoon were saved for the final two races and kicked off with The Queen’s Full Toss floating across the ground as the 4-6 favourite in the Raymond Corbett EBF Maiden Stakes.
Jamie Spencer then won hard-held aboard 2-1 favourite Ainama in the closing two-mile William T Corbett “In Running” Handicap.
