Eight trainers score victories at meeting
Horse racing was back at Bath Racecourse again on Friday for its second meeting in two weeks.
There was another eight race card for owners and trainers to enjoy, with the action shown live on Sky Sports with racing continuing to be held behind closed doors.
In what was possibly a rarity, the card featured eight winners for eight different trainers, although Hot Scoop and Motamayiz made it two victories from two meetings by following up success from the first meeting since the lockdown.
The action began with the Tadwick Handicap and featured seven runners. Dreamboat Annie led for trainer Mark Usher and jockey Isobel Francis before they were headed inside the final furlong by Rhys Clutterbuck aboard 11/5 chance Cappananty Con to win by a length and a quarter for trainer Michael Attwater, who had a winner a Bath last month. Brian Barr from Longburton in Dorset had Toolatetodelegate (Joshua Bryan) in third.
The British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Auction Stakes was also contested by seven horses and was the race in which 11/8 favourite Hot Scoop earned a second victory for trainer Jamie Osborne and jockey Nicola Currie. The pair made all to win by a length and a half. Hot Scoop is next due to race on Monday at Windsor.
Ten runners took part in the Siston
Handicap, which was won by USA import Grey Galleon. Trained by Roger Teal, with Jack Mitchell on board, the grey gelding tracked the leaders before taking the lead with over a furlong to go and winning by three and a quarter lengths.
One and a half lengths separated Swineford Handicap winner Michaels Choice from George Baker’s May Remain. The 10/1 shot, trained by Williams Jarvis with David Probert on board, was prominent throughout and led inside the final furlong before running on well to the end.
Motamayiz became the second horse to make it two wins in two meetings for trainer Roger Varian, giving Mitchell an double on the day. Eight lined up for the Saltford Handicap and, after tracking the leaders, Motamayiz led two furlongs out and battled with What An Angel (Richard O’hanlon/rossa Ryan) to win by a neck.
Sir Michael Stoute had a winner in the Bathwick Maiden Stakes. A La Voile, ridden by Pat Dobbs, beat his eight competitors after also tracking the leaders before doing enough to beat Star Of Wins (William Haggas/ Tom Marquand) by a neck.
Irish import Magic Shuffle was the winner of the Woolley Handicap. The 8/1 shot, trained by Sean Curran and ridden by Marquand, was initially held up in the rear before switching right to begin gaining headway. They made a strong challenge into the final furlong and led narrowly to win by a head against the Varian/mitchell combo and 4/7 favourite Rock Of Fame.
The final race of the day, the Stockwood Handicap, had 12 entries and saw a comfortable victory for 4/9 favourite Competition. Trained by Michael Appleby, with Marquand on board, Competition tracked the leader and led with just over a furlong to go to win by four and a half lengths, giving Marquand a riding double at the end of the day.
Racing returns to Bath again tomorrow evening. There will be another eight races, beginning at 4.30pm, and should be live on Sky Sports once more. Nine are currently scheduled for opener, an class 5 race for twoyear-olds, and should see Osborne, Appleby and Barr returning with runners, with Marquand looking to ride Four Adaay for Rob Millman. In contrast, just four are currently pencilled in for the 5pm Signs Express Novice Stakes. Of those, Diligent Lady (Attwater/ryan) is a winner at the 5f10y distance.
A larger field of 12 are due to race in the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap. Of those, Ice Ice Lady (Archie Watson/hollie Doyle), Crime of Passion (Jamie/saffie Osborne), A Go Go (David Evans/gina Mangan), Hot Hot
Hot (Tony Carroll/marquand) and Glamorous Force (Ronald Harris/ Keiran O’neill) are distance winners, with Silver Start (Joseph Tuite/charles Bishop) and course and distance winner.
Another 12 are scheduled for the 6.05pm affair. All 12 runners have either distance or course and distance wins to their names and could be an exciting encounter. Toolatetodelegate and Dreamboat Annie are due to return to Bath for the Sky Sports Racing HD Virgin 535 Handicap but is likely to come up against fellow course and distance winners Thegreyvtrain (Harris/o’neill), Awsaaf (Michael Wigham/pat Cosgrave) and Aquadabra (Christopher Mason/hollie Doyle). and fellow returner Dreamboat Annie.
Nine should feature in the Visit Valuerater.co.uk For Free Tips Handicap. Four have course and distance wins, with three others winning at the distance.
The two largest fields are expected in the final two races. Bill Turner from Sigwells in Somerset has Il Sicario entered in the 7.35pm, with Magic Shuffle hoping to make it two wins from two. In the final race, only Rosie Royale (Teal/ryan) has a course and distance win, with Kaisan (Bernard Llewellyn/luke Morris) winning at this distance, otherwise it would look be an open field.