Delegator could take charge in top Newmarket race (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Delegator could take charge in top Newmarket race

11:55am Thursday 30th April 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Point-to-Point followers in the area will no doubt have seen jockey David Bass in the winners’ enclosure on several occasions during the season.

However, the 19-year-old rode his first ever winner under rules last week when The Man From Highworth won the two mile Novice Chase at Towcester by two-and-a-half lengths from the odds-on favourite Soixante.

Trained by John and Audrey Manners at Common Hill Farm, the ten-year-old gelding, who had won at the Larkhill point-to point a couple of days earlier, gave an impressive round of jumping and ran on strongly.

Trainer Audrey said: “David has ridden 11 point-to point winners and it was nice to see him get off the mark under rules.

“He held a an entry at Towcester so we decided to let him take his chance and he won rather well.”

The delighted jockey had been on the sidelines for six weeks with a broken collar bone so it was a great tonic.

Asked if the jockey of the odds-on runner-up, champion AP McCoy offered his congratulations, Bass said: “He didn’t say a word, everyone knows he doesn’t like finishing second, so I suppose he must have been a bit grumpy.”

There should be some great racing at Newmarket this weekend with the first of the season’s Classics, the Two Thousand Guineas, to be run on Saturday and the One Thousand on Sunday.

Likely favourite for the Saturday showpiece is the locally trained Delegator, the mount of Jamie Spencer, recent winner of the Craven Stakes.

However Brian Meehan has been reported as saying that his charge may not run on fast ground and he would walk the course on Saturday morning before deciding.

Beckhampton trainer Roger Charlton has Cityscape entered, due to be ridden by Steve Drowne, while the in-form stable of Barry Hills is represented by Ouqba. Aidan O’Brien, who farmed many of the big Group races last season, has four entries including the well fancied Rip Van Winkle.

The column’s selection is for Delegator to bring the prestigious prize back to Wiltshire.

Channel 4 cameras will be on hand televising the first four races on the card, beginning with the Stanjames.com Suffolk Heritage Handicap that could be won by Slam, the mount of Michael Hills.

The Group Two Jockey Club Stakes has attracted just five runners and could be won by the Sir Michael Stoute trained Spanish Moon.

Trainer Michael Jarvis would look to have a good chance of landing the Group Three Palace House Stakes with Chief Editor.

Other meetings are scheduled for Goodwood where the Mick Channon trained Di Stefano could be of interest, Here Now And Why could win the first race on the card at Thirsk and King Supreme will be a popular choice at Doncaster.

The One Thousand Guineas on Sunday could be at the mercy of Rainbow View with Lahaleeb expected to get in the frame.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)