Motamayiz records a stunning hat-trick
Bath Racecourse enjoyed a double header across Sunday and Monday with races enjoyed across the two cards. Trainer Rob Millman and jockey Rob Hornby secured doubles on the Sunday before Oisin Murphy matched that feat the following day in another couple of meetings that favoured the favourites and Irish imports.
Sunday began with the visitbath. co.uk Nursery Handicap where 7/2 Irish favourite Kool Moe Dee ran a length clear to fulfil his tag. Trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Pat Dobbs, the colt was following up his win at the end of August at
Southwell.
It was the same story in the attheraces.com Novice Stakes where Saeed bin Suroor watched Kevin Stott ride Colour Image to a length and a half victory after taking the lead over two furlongs out. It was the first race he received his gelding notification as Colour Image claimed a first career win.
The longest winner of the day came in the form of Tanqeeb for Ian Williams. Ridden by Hector Crouch, the 10/1 chance was slow into his stride before taking the lead inside the final 110 yards to win by half a length.
Hornby’s first success came aboard Jonathan Portman’s Toybox in the second division of the Signs Express Handicap. The 3/1 favourite kept on well inside the final furlong to narrowly win by a head for a first win since October 2018.
Motamayiz made it a hat-trick of wins at Bath in three visits since June. Roger Varian’s gelding was unsurprisingly the 100/30 favourite but Eoin Walsh only ran out a half length victor.
Hornby sealed his double in the Final Furlong Podcast Handicap by a comfortable four lengths on Able Kane. The 15/2 gelding was earning his first win since last September to earn Millman’s first win of the day. Millman followed that up in the next race as Irish import Singing The Blues narrowly won by a neck with Daniel Muscutt on board.
The final winner of the day came from regular Bath victor Eve Johnson Houghton who watched Georgia Dobie ride Lady Elysia to a three-quarter length victory.
Monday’s meeting began in the same way as Sunday’s with 11/10 Irish favourite The Kodi Kid sweeping to a four length victory for Andrew Balding. It was the first of Murphy’s double after leading two furlongs out and the pushed on for home for a first career win after the gelding had twice finished second in his first two career races.
Impulsive One made it two favourites out of two in the Home Of Winners At valuerater.co.uk Nursery Handicap. The 5/4 chance was ridden by Tom Marquand for a three length victory over Millman’s Coul Kat. It was Impulsive One’s first career victory in four career races for William Haggas.
Murphy completed his double aboard Martyn Meade’s Viaduct. Valued at 6/1, Murphy recovered from eight lengths behind at halfway before a switch to the right saw them take the lead in the final 110 yards for a two and a quarter length victory.
Jim Crowley rode Charles Hills’ 11/8 favourite Motagally to a two and a half length win in the bath. co.uk Handicap. The pair started steadily before also going clear in the final 110 yards to match their victory at Bath in July.
The Signs Express Handicap was won by Ronald Harris’ Union Rose. The 13/2 chance was ridden by Joshua Bryan and took an early lead before being headed until reclaiming the advantage over a furlong out for a three-quarter length victory. It was the second successive victory for the gelding.
The final two races were claimed by Irish imports as 20/1 Jaganory took the longest victory for Christopher Mason and Tyler Heard.
The pair pushed along early and disputed the lead three furlongs out, competing with the Murphy ridden Shani to come out on top by half a length for a first win since May last year which also came at Bath.
The last race of the meeting was competed by five Irish horses, with George Boughey’s 11/1 shot Lostwithiel making the grade. Ridden by Kieran Shoemark, they were initially held up in the rear before making a move and keeping on well inside the final furlong to win by three-quarters of a length for a first win in the gelding’s first ever race.
The next meeting to be stage at Bath takes place on Monday, September 28. The first race of seven goes at 2.50pm.