Victory looks set to be fond farewell for Mukaddamah

Mukaddamah registered her first victory of the season when taking success in the Virgin Bet Irish EBF Gillies Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle ahead of her likely retirement.

A debut winner on the Tapeta at Wolverhampton, she had not managed to get her head in front since but she had been running to a decent level.

Twice second in Listed company this season at York and Yarmouth, she signed off for the season in perfect fashion.

Having travelled smoothly into contention, Jim Crowley bided his time before waiting for the perfect moment to put the race to bed, which came just over a furlong out and she skipped three and threequarter lengths clear.

Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, said: “I haven’t confirmed it with Roger, but it was always the plan to try to make her a stakes winner before she retired and given we are now in November, I imagine that will be it.

“It’s great to get it done, she’s been a very consistent filly and held her form well all year.

“She’s done us proud but she needed that all-important win on her record and now she has it.”

Sense Of Duty was all the rage in the other Listed race on the card, the Virgin Bet Wentworth Stakes, but she could not reel in Tacarib Bay (8-1) who showed a smart turn of foot.

Richard Hannon’s four-year-old had not won since Haydock in July 2022, but he had been set some stiff tasks in big handicaps in the interim.

William Buick, replacing the injured Cieren Fallon on Sense Of Duty, got the favourite rolling early but Sean Levey had first run on Tacarib Bay and held on by

hree-quarters of a length.

Guy Antsey, Hannon’s representative, said: “He’s always had a lot of ability, he ran in the Guineas. We left the headgear off today and Sean rode him for a bit of luck.

“He kept threatening to do something and it’s nice he’s gone and done it.

“Now he’s got his head in front, the boss might roll away through the winter.”

Mick and David Easterby are not renowned for first-time-out winners but Diligent Resdev knew his job in the first division of the six-furlong Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Cock O’The North EBF Maiden Stakes.

Sent off at 33-1, he had all the right horses behind with representatives from Andrew Balding, David Simcock and William Haggas in his wake.

He is part-owned by golfer Lee Westwood (inset), who said: “I don’t think that was expected but Billy Garrity was more confident than David, Billy rides him all the time.

“He did it really well, I think he was on the best part of the track but there were some very expensive horses in that race, costing the

Mukaddamah, ridden by jockey Jim Crowley, on their way to winning the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Irish EBF Gillies Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle.

best part of half-a-million. He cost 5,500 guineas, which is a lot for us northerners!

“I’ve been at Musselburgh on Wednesday, Hexham on Friday and a few more coming up, I’m involved in about 20 now which is too many. I’m getting carried away – I need to go back and play some golf.

“What can a golfer do in his offseason? Horse racing is perfect.”

The opening Virgin Bet Training Series Final Apprentice Handicap went the way of Alex Fielding on Richard Fahey’s Sir Maxi (17-2).

“I’ve waited all year for a winner and now I’ve had two in two days!” said Fielding.

Jack Draper missed out on a first ATP Tour title as he was edged out by Adrian Mannarino in yesterday’s final of the Sofia Open.

The 21-year-old was the youngest British player to reach an ATP Tour decider since Andy Murray in 2009 but he was unable to find a way past the wily French veteran.

Mannarino, 35, has been in excellent form and one break in the deciding set proved enough for him to secure a 7-6 (6) 2-6 6-3 victory in the Bulgarian capital.

Draper dropped serve in the opening game but hit back straight away and there was nothing to choose between them until the first point against serve at 6-6 in the tie-break.

The powerful Englishman found the perfect response with a break at the start of the second set and looked to be in the ascendancy going into the third.

But Mannarino began to apply some consistent pressure to his serve and a break for 4-2 proved the crucial moment, with Draper unable to convert two chances in the final game.

Draper is next set to be in action in Great Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia in Malaga later this month, where it would be a big surprise if he was

Jack Draper.

not given the nod as second singles player. ■ Katie Boulter pulled Great Britain level in their Billie Jean King Cup play-off against Sweden after a nervous Jodie Burrage suffered a nightmare debut.

The 24-year-old appeared to have settled well when she opened up a 4-0 lead on Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, ranked nearly 300 places lower, in the first match at London’s Copper Box but she then lost eight games-in-a-row and fell to a 6-4 6-1 defeat.

Boulter again proved a steady pair of hands, defeating 532nd-ranked Caijsa Hennemann 6-2 6-1 to leave the tie level at 1-1 heading into today’s concluding day, where two more wins are needed to secure overall victory.

Whether Burrage gets another chance must be highly questionable, with captain Anne Keothavong also able to call upon the more experienced Harriet Dart or Heather Watson.