Young Mick eclipsed by Night Crescendo at Ascot

Favourite-backers had a torrid time in the Marchpole Handicap at Ascot as market leader Young Mick went down by a diminishing head to Amanda Perrett’s Night Crescendo.

Not for the first time this season, Young Mick failed to enjoy the rub of the green and had a rough passage through the field to begin his challenge.

It took a while for him to hit top gear – even when in clear air – and the line came too quickly, with Jim Crowley’s 9-1 shot passing the post with a marginal advantage.

Crowley said of the winner: “He was wearing cheek-pieces for the first time and they have made all of the difference.

“He is quite a big horse and can sometimes be slowly away, and in a strong-run race he ends up further back than you want to be.

“He broke well, though, and I was impressed with the way he travelled through the race.”

Perrett added: “That is great as the horse has had some bad luck through this year and has been boxed in a couple of times.

“They went a good gallop on a track he loves and he had a little respite from the handicapper, which helps!”