Salisbury Races: an evening for favourites - and favourite songs
Late evening: Oydis - under Sean Levey - takes a comfortable lead (Photo: Sue Ford) After their latest evening meeting (July 27), Salisbury Racecourse gave a lively crowd The Best of Wham. However, the horses gave the bookies a less than joyful evening.
It certainly became an evening for the punters and not the bookies as six out of seven of the races were won by short priced favourites.
Jockey Tom Marquand was the star of the evening, riding a double on the card after travelling from an afternoon card at Ascot. William Haggas provided Marquand with his first winner of the evening.
Haggas' Ethic broke his maiden in the AJN Steelstock EBF Maiden Stakes before Richard Hannon’s top weight filly Posted completed the double for Marquand in the Jean Boyden Handicap. Posted gave Salisbury regular Richard Hannon his long awaited first winner at the course for the 2019 season.
The 10/11 favourite Greeley justified the odds in the AJN Henstridge ‘Carnarvon’ Handicap, run over one mile, for the in-form Rod Millman yard in the hands of amateur rider Mr Patrick Millman. Greeley represented connections who had won the corresponding race in 2018 with Biotic.
Andrea Atzeni and Roger Varian combined to land the AJN Supports Ridba Novice with Monsieur Noir in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.
Bay Watch - second from left - comes through to win (Photo: Sue Ford)
In the AJN Steelstock Daley Goreham five-furlong sprint, the favourite Bay Watch had won a handicap at Bath four days before as a 40/1 outsider. The five year-old proved that win was no fluke when he burst three and a quarter lengths clear for Gloucestershire trainer Tracey Barfoot-Saunt. That win made it two-from-two for Bay Watch's new trainer.
Elsewhere on the card, Global Hunter defied his penalty in the hands of Oisin Murphy and retained his unbeaten record for Saeed bin Suroor and owners Godolphin in the AJN Kentford Novice.
Ralph Beckett’s Oydis was a very comfortable winner in the John Boyden Handicap and clearly relished the step up in trip to finish eight lengths clear of the rest of the field in the hands of Sean Levey.
Salisbury race again on Wednesday, 14 & Thursday, 15 August for their 2-day summer holiday race meeting - with the Thursday card featuring the biggest prize money race of the year: the Tattersalls Sovereign Stakes.
Accompanied children aged 17 and under get in free and adult tickets start from just £8 in advance. There is plenty of free entertainment for children including puppet shows, inflatables, face painting, mini fairground rides and a ‘Crazy Creatures’ tent. Tickets available from salisburyracecourse.co.uk