Danzoe lands digibet.com Handicap at Kempton
Christine Dunnett heaved a sigh of relief at Kempton as Danzoe ended the Norfolk handler's lengthy pursuit for a winner today.
Dunnett had gone 94 days without tasting success, but that unwanted statistic was finally stricken from the record following the digibet.com Handicap.
"We've had quite a quiet spell so that was needed, to say the least," exclaimed the trainer.
Danzoe had been all at sea on his last three starts, no doubt accounting for his 20-1 starting price, but positively thrived on his all-weather debut and a return to five furlongs.
Island Legend, the 6-4 favourite, looked to have put the race to bed approaching the final furlong, but Dunnett's three-year-old had other ideas.
David Probert's mount accelerated into fourth entering the penultimate furlong and flew at the death to seize the day by a length.
Dunnett added: "He's been quite frustrating but, dropping back to five furlongs and with the head-gear off, I was actually fairly confident he'd go well.
"He's got tons of ability, but things have not quite gone right for him for one reason or another.
"David knows the horse well and had to keep at him, but he's done it nicely in the end.
"He's in at Yarmouth on Sunday and he'll probably run there with a penalty."
Hughie Morrison has his squad in top form, and clocked up a 24-1 double courtesy of wins for Dubai Affair and Classically.
The former teed up the brace when hitting the target at the fifth attempt in the opening Ladies Day Saturday September 4th Nursery.
Morrison's juvenile has this season posted some honourable efforts in defeat, and looked pretty impressive stretching clear in this five-furlong affair.
Dubai Affair was spotted making good progress two furlongs from home as Kokojo made a decent fist of things at the head of affairs.
Although the long-time leader showed no signs of waning, Steve Drowne's mount galloped smoothly into the lead on her outside to collect by three-quarters of a length.
Morrison later saddled Classically to a dramatic victory in the digibet Sports Betting Handicap.
The 4-1 favourite arrived late on the scene under Drowne to deny the brave Blitzed and Ateeb in a pulse-chasing three-way skirmish.
Classically was providing another winner for Morrison's East Ilsley operation, who had secured an across-the-card Saturday treble at Bath and Sandown.
It was also the four-year-old's first success for new connections since his switch from Roger Charlton's yard last October.
Luca Cumani's Cheetah (6-5 favourite) had earlier made a promising return from a 304-day lay-off to claim the digibet Maiden Fillies' Stakes, with Henry Cecil also among the winners in the EBF Fillies' Stakes.
Wafeira (4-1 favourite) relished the switch to a mile under Tom Queally to outgun Choral and Poplin by a respective head and a nose.
Secrecy, Godolphin's apparent second string, outflanked better-fancied stablemate Sirocco Breeze (15-8) in the EBF Conditions Stakes.
In a race of fluctuating fortunes, the latter had a rather extraordinary day out under Frankie Dettori when exhibiting Sariska-esque truculence leaving the stalls.
Sirocco Breeze fleetingly remained rooted to the spot once the traps opened and lost at least eight lengths when finally rediscovering his vim for racing.
The 7-4 favourite's response under pressure was exemplary, however, as Frankie Dettori's mount somehow clawed back the arrears - and even zipped into the lead inside the final furlong.
But Dettori had not counted on a late, decisive run from Secrecy, who came from well off the pace under Ted Durcan to strike by a length and a quarter.
Wild Rose's victory in the Day Time, Night Time, Great Time Handicap was much more straightforward, but no less eyecatching.
Michael Bell's filly (11-1) came from last to first within a matter of strides to readily account for her six rivals by upwards of six lengths.
