Forza Orta battles gamely to overpower Tribal Art in tight Hamilton finish
Forza Orta came out on top in a tremendous finish to the £30,000 Patersons Of Greenoakhill Buttonhook Handicap at Hamilton Park yesterday.
A spare ride for Rowan Scott, the Kevin Ryan-trained 6-4 favourite eventually overhauled front-running Tribal Art to land the spoils by threequarters of a length.
Hawick-born Scott said: “He shapes like he will stay further and he’s also the type that may continue to improve. He was on and off the bridle but in the end he’s battled on gamely.”
Ben Curtis was suitably impressed after Roger Varian’s Mitbaahy scorched home in the £35,000 Les Hoey MBE Dreammaker Foundation EBF Tangerine Trees Conditions Stakes over 5f.
He said: “They went pretty quick but that suited his style of racing. I got him switched off out the back and he’s really picked up. I’d say this is his trip and this nice ground is ideal for him.”
At Beverley today, Lullaby Bay should be able to take advantage of what looks a lenient opening mark in the Pure Broadband Just Really Good Broadband Handicap.
Trained by Karl Burke, the three-year-old Profitable filly was well beaten in a decent Newmarket maiden on her debut, but improved for that experience when beaten just a length and a half on her only other run at two.
She took a huge step forward first time out this season when defying 20-1 odds to be second at Pontefract over five furlongs. On that showing she would have been well capable of winning a maiden somewhere, but it seems that Burke has seen her opening handicap rating of 65 as a gift and is happy enough for her to take on more experienced rivals in East Yorkshire.
There are plenty of winners in her family and given she is owned by Bearstone Stud, getting a 'one' next to her name is vital and Burke clearly sees going down this route as the better option.
David O'meara's Scotch Mistress was an impressive winner on her last outing at Chelsmford and looks the one to be on in the purebroadband. net Handicap.
Having finished fourth on her first two outings, she took a big step forward to win going away and while the form has not really worked out, she could only beat what was up against her.
It looks a good move by O'meara to have given her a lengthy break to strengthen up and he will hope she is up to defying an opening mark of 75.
Roger Fell's Zihaam loves it at Beverley and is down to the exact same mark as when he won the Brian Dixon Memorial Handicap 12 months ago. The hint should be taken.
Archie Watson's Excel Power was impressive in winning a competitive handicap at Haydock recently and can defy a 4lb rise in the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap at Windsor.
The four-year-old had also won the time before that on the all-weather at Chelmsford and on both occasions he was sent off at 20-1.
He is unlikely to be those odds again, but Hollie Doyle clearly gets on well with him.