BRYAN SMART and Phillip Makin were certainly the men to follow at Southwell as they combined for a 76-1 treble at the Nottinghamshire venue.
Makin started the day in the best possible fashion when Master Leon confirmed even-money favouritism in the Hospitality At Southwell Racecourse Rating Related Maiden Stakes by three and a half lengths for the trainer based at Hambleton in North Yorkshire.
Transmission followed up in the Book Online At Southwell- Racecourse.co.uk Claiming Stakes an hour later.
The 9-2 chance saw off the challenge of 5-2 favourite Special Cuvee by a length.
Then 30 minutes later, the 6-1 chance Positivity, previously a long-standing maiden, won the Southwell Golf Club Handicap by a length and three quarters.
Makin said of Positivity: ‘‘Last time here she got buried in the kick-back and didn’t like it. But, up in trip, she travelled a bit better.
‘‘She’s honest but this is her grade and I think this is her trip (a mile) so she can travel away.’’ At Lingfield Ian Williams capitalised on the winter shutdown with a 98-1 double.
The Surrey course lost its meetings on Wednesday and Thursday because of complications with the snow and the Alvechurch trainer was delighted to see the Polytrack back up and running, even if there has not been jumping for nearly a week.
Both winners were partnered by Stephen Donohoe, first as Classic Blue (8-1) found the Marriott Hotel Opening Spring 2010 Selling Stakes to be an appropriate level for a first victory in more than a year.
Sedgwick (10-1) then made light of a huge lay-off by toppling 2-1 favourite Alfie Tupper in the View Our 2010 Fixtures At lingfieldpark.co.uk Handicap.
‘‘It has been one of those days, full of surprises,’’ said Williams.
‘‘Sedgwick’s owner, Mr Morton, has been incredibly patient to wait for 644 days.
‘‘The horse came back lame after his last run at Southwell and has been very fragile.
Soundness permitting, he’d win again.
‘‘Classic Blue had not won for such a long time but the race was run to suit as they went slowly and I was worried about her stamina.
‘‘It’s great this was on. We could just do with some jumping now.’’ Another trainer successfully switching codes was Noel Chance, whose 8-1 shot Mister New York gambolled away with the feature lingfieldpark.
co.uk Handicap.
Chance said: ‘‘The horse jumps well and will go hurdling but he keeps winning on the Polytrack and he’s won nearly ten grand today.’’ The other story of note concerned Matthew Cosham, who rode the first winner of his career in division two of the Bet Nfl - Betdaq Handicap as the Jonathan Jay-trained Raimond Ridge (8-1) swept past on the wide outside.
The 21-year-old had recently moved across Newmarket to Jay from Julia Feilden and had around 45 previous rides.
Jay said: ‘‘Matthew’s a good lad, the archetypal apprentice who’s first in the yard and last out. The usual jockey couldn’t make it and I had no reservations in putting him up.’’ Silver Prelude, the 7-2 favourite, was an easy winner of division one.
It had been tough going for Imperial House (10-1) to reach the course from Ron Harris’ stable in Chepstow but it paid off in the Try Betdaq For An Exchange Handicap under a fine ride by the in-form Stephen Craine.
Lorraine Brook, representing Harris, said: ‘‘We’ve been quite badly hit and we struggled to get the lorry out, as well as waiting and waiting to see if Wolverhampton was on. But we got two horses down here and managed a winner.’’
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