De Sousa digs out last-ride win
CHAMPION jockey Sylvester de Sousa bypassed the big meeting at York yesterday for a double afternoon-evening stint at Ffos Las and Chelmsford City.
His trip looked like drawing a complete blank with de Sousa beaten on all five rides in Wales, including 1-7 shot Momkin, who had to settle for the runner-up spot, a head behind 7-1 second favourite Palavecino.
That was as good as it got for de Sousa as his other four rides – three of them market leader – were all unplaced, including the well-fancied Q Twenty Boy, who was only fourth behind Brandy Station.
De Sousa had a further four rides at Chelmsford, and was without a winner on the first three, including 5-6 favourite Gorgeous Noora, who finished last in the four runners in the seven furlong fillies handicap.
He eventually came up trumps with his last ride, Glenglade, the 6-5 favourite, trained by Ismail Mohammed.
Aidan O’Brien launches a two-pronged assault on the big races at Saratoga in the States this evening.
Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Mendelssohn, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore, goes for the Grade One Travers Stakes (10.44), while earlier on the card, Wayne Lordon will have the mount on Seahenge in the Grade One Sword Dancer Stakes (9.49).
Mendelssohn won at Dundalk and Meydan earlier this year, but was well beaten on his last two outings at Belmont and in the Kentucky Derby, while Seahenge has also disappointed on her last two runs.