No stopping Coogan ace
Prolific winner Matsunosuke struck again as he gained a dramatic last-to-first triumph in the Listed Bet Multiples Betdaq Cleves Stakes at Lingfield.
The seven-year-old is proving a real money-spinner for Scobie Coogan this year and made it a fourth win from only six 2009 outings as he wore down the 11-10 favourite Duff.
Backers of the latter must have felt the race was all over when Kevin Manning sent the Irish raider into a three-length lead approaching the distance only for Luke Morris to conjure a terrific burst from Matsunosuke that carried the combination to a short-head verdict.
All roads will now lead back to Lingfield for another Listed contest over five furlongs on Winter Derby Day next month, and Coogan’s son Ryan observed after the 11-4 success: “He’s an absolute credit to dad and has been unlucky not to win more times because last year he just didn’t have any luck in bigger fields on turf, including when he finished fourth in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket.
“He just tends to get behind and then arrives too late but it’s been a different story recently and that’s his third win at Lingfield this year.
“Much credit must go to Luke who’s ridden him quite a lot and in my view is a champion jockey of the future.”
Edward Lynam was not too downhearted over the defeat of Duff and will consider taking the horse to Dubai for a race at the World Cup meeting.
The end of the Betdaq the Betting Exchange Winter Derby trial was almost a carbon copy of the other Listed race with Re Barolo (7-4) benefiting from a fine waiting ride by John Egan to get up and nail Suits Me in the last two strides, scoring by a neck.
The race could well cast some light on the outcome of the Winter Derby itself as trainer Marco Botti intends bringing Re Barolo back for that next month.
He was represented by his wife Lucie, who said: “We are very happy because he wasn’t quite 100 percent fit today. He had a corn problem a few weeks ago which set him back, but the plan is to come back for the big race and we hope John will again take the ride.”
The stewards took a dim view of Mickey Fenton’s riding of Suits Me, deciding the jockey had allowed his mount to drift right. They suspended Fenton for two days, March 7 and 10.
Mark Johnston must always be respected with his runners here and so it was something of a surprise that Leo The Lion went off 11-2 for his length and a half triumph over Red Suede Shoes in the Bet Premier League Football Betdaq Maiden Stakes.
A first-time visor did the trick for Bell Island who under Richard Hughes just got the better of Tyrrells Wood in the Joy Sanders 50th Birthday Handicap.
The winner, trained by Lady Herries, may well have cheekpieces fitted for his next outing.
There was another tight finish to the Wantabet.com Racing Tips Trappersa Handicap in which Chjimes found a good turn of foot after being switched to the far rail by Liam Keniry to catch Whiskey Creek and score by half a length.
