First win for South African jockey Lerena on UK jaunter

- South African jockey Gavin Lerena won his first race since relocating to the UK last week when steering Amanda Perrett’s charge Zzoro to victory in a Class 3 Handicap at Newmarket on Friday.

Lerena, who had his first ride there on Wednesday last week, has now had six mounts for a win and two third placings.

He was well there as Sky Cape set the pace in the 2000m race and took over about 600m from the line. Zzoro was hard ridden inside the final 200m, hanging slightly but staying on well.

Interconnection finished second, two lengths behind the winner with the rest well beaten.

It was his third win in the UK after he won two races at the Shergar Cup last year.

South African-bred racemare Smart Call finished third of four in her UK debut last Thursday in the Betfred Middleton Stakes (Group 2) at York.

Ridden by Jim Crowley, she was last as The Black Princess set the pace from Queen’s Trust, with Blond Me third. Queen’s Trust challenged The Black Princess about 400m from home but neither had any answer to Blond Me, who led 75m from the line and stayed on well.

The Black Princess, the 11-8 favourite, held on for second, 1.25 lengths back with Smart Call another neck behind in third. Queens Trust weakened late to finish another 1.50 lengths behind Smart Call in fourth.

It was Smart Call’s first start since she won the Met on 30 January last year.

Richard Fahey celebrated a Group 1 win with Ribchester on Saturday but is already looking ahead to the future. The fouryear-old made all to win the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, for his first success at the top level.

Fahey could only watch on as Plan A went up in smoke when pacemaker Toscanini missed the break, but was pleased winning jockey William Buick took the initiative. Ribchester quickened clear 400m from home and while Lightning Spear laid down a challenge, the winner was much too good and went on again to win by close to four lengths.

“The lads used their brains and carried on, and that’s why you don’t give instructions,” Fahey told sportinglife.com. “We planned to take a lead from the other horse but when he missed the kick, William went on and that wasn’t a problem.

“He’s improving still, mentally and physically, and we were very, very happy with him going into the race.”

Fahey confirmed that the Queen Anne – for which Ribchester is favourite with some bookmakers – is the likely next port of call, with a return to Glorious Goodwood on the agenda all being well.

It was a fine end to the week for Fahey, who had winners at Newmarket and Doncaster to go with a double at Newbury, and he also offered an upbeat report on Brian The Snail. Also owned by Godolphin, the Zebedee colt trailed home last of five as he lost his unbeaten record in Listed company at York.

“Brian The Snail has come home bouncing,” Fahey confirmed. “I can’t get my head around it. He had won in bad ground before, but in lower-grade races and William said he hated it there.

“He scoped 100% afterwards, he’s eaten up and didn’t blow hard afterwards – he seems completely sound. We’ll continue to treat him like a very good horse, which we believe he is, and hopefully he can show it next time.”

Meanwhile in the USA aspirations of Always Dreaming winning the American Triple Crown went up in smoke as Cloud Computing won the Preakness at Pimlico Racecourse.

The Kentucky Derby winner, trained by Todd Pletcher, looked set to play a significant role in the second leg of the Triple Crown as he became embroiled in a fierce battle with Classic Empire for much of the 1900m journey.

But once the latter had taken control at the top of the home bend, Always Dreaming suddenly retreated and was never a factor.

By contrast, the Chad Browntrained Cloud Computing was only just getting going and gradually whittled away Classic Empire’s lead.

Jockey Javier Castellano timed his late move to perfection as his willing partner just got up in a thrilling finale.

Cloud Computing did not even run in the Kentucky Derby and Brown told NBC Sports: “I’m not going to dispute the fact that running a fresh horse was part of our strategy.

“Our horse is very talented, but Classic Empire and Always Dreaming are two excellent horses.

“Our strategy was if we were ever going to beat them let’s take them on after six weeks’ rest, and it worked.” – sportinglife.com/ Racing Correspondent.