JOCKEY Cieren Fallon made long trip to Redcar pay off today as he rode his first winner since breaking his back in two places in a fall at Windsor a month ago.
Fallon scored for Newmarket trainer William Haggas on impressive debutante Cognisance, and was in reflective mood in the winner’s enclosure.
"It feels great to be back. It's been hard mentally but the boss has stood by me,” said Fallon after landing the Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Fillies’ Novice Stakes by three-and-a-half lengths from well-backed favourite Bernalda.
The daughter of Sea The Stars cost 225,000 guineas as a foal and looks like a filly with a bright future.
Fallon, who was riding his 100th winner for Haggas, said: “I was very impressed with the filly. She has a great temperament and was very professional. I definitely think she's a black-type filly."
There was also a likeable debut from Diablo Rojo, a 325,000 guineas yearling, in the Racing TV Free Trial British EBF Novice Stakes.
The Pinatubo colt, trained at Lambourn by Raphael Fraire, stretched clear under David Egan, in the Amo Racing colours, to beat Karl Burke’s promising newcomer Arabian Angel.
The winning rider said: "I like him a lot. I've ridden him in a number of pieces of work and he's been working nicely. I'd like to think he would improve as time goes on."
There was a popular win for a legend of the sport, Sir Michael Stoute, as Red Pixie held on to win the feature Woodsmith Construction Group Fillies' Handicap in the hands of PJ McDonald.
The Kingman filly had a nose to spare over the fast-finishing Zapphire, trained by Julie Camacho.
McDonald admitted: "I probably sat on her a bit longer than I should have done but she reserved enough energy to get the job done. She wants to win and is going the right way.”
Ed Bethell bought See That Storm for £35,000 out of the Andrew Balding stable, and the three-year-old colt scored at the first time of asking for his new yard by decisively landing the Free Racing TV At Racingtv.com/freetrial Handicap under Callum Rodriguez.
The Middleham trainer said: "He's a lovely type of horse. He'll continue to be progressive and, hopefully, he'll get us the purchase price back in time."
Owner Richard Christison, who has a construction business at Doncaster, also has dual winner Quantum Leap with the Bethell yard. That horse is entered at Hamilton on Saturday.
Rhys Elliott continues to catch the eye in the apprentice ranks and he made it ten wins for the season by leading all the way on Stormy Pearl to win the Visit racingtv.com Handicap.
Stormy Pearl, trained at Bolam by David Thompson, had dead-heated under Elliott at Hamilton last week but was in command this time, despite taking a wayward path in the closing stages.
Elliott, who is attached to the Michael Dods yard, said: "At the start of the season, I'd have been happy to get 10 rides, so to have 10 winners is unbelievable.
"This horse is in great form, so she can definitely win again. It's going really well for me, and I can't thank everyone enough for their support."
The day ended with a winner for Newcastle United fans as Star of St James won the AJA Novice Flat Amateur Jockeys' Handicap, in the hands of Stephanie Dorey for Ivan Furtado.
It was Stephanie's second career win and her first ride for Ivan. "That's not a bad strike rate, eh?" she joked.
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