Betfair Tingle Creek chase blows minds
Robbie Power rides Sizing John to win the prestigious 3.4 mile Cheltenham Gold Cup during the Cheltenham Festival. PHOTO | COURTESY
Sandown's Betfair Tingle Creek Chase, 1.7-miles, dished up a gripping tale between Edwarstone, Greaneteen, and, Shishkin. Alan King's Edwardstone (Tom Cannon 5-1), had not enjoyed a good season until now when amending priorities by 9 lengths from Greaneteen (Harry Cobden 2-1), and, Shiskin (Nick de Boinville 6-5).
He took up the running after pecking at the eighth fence, and even Alan King was astounded at Edwarstone's frightening sudden speed. The Arkle conqueror is a huge, heavy, thoroughbred, with plenty of scopes to even target Cheltenham or Aintree.
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Multiple Grade 1 winner, Mind Control (John Velazquez 2-5), will retire on top of his ladder after trumpeting in Saturday's $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct, New York.
Trained by Hall of Famer, Todd Pletcher, the 6-year-old son of 2012 Cigar Mile victor, Stay Thirsty, entered his career-ender, a fresh horse after September's Prix Dirt Mile.
Mind Control crossed the wire for the seventh time in his 29-race sojourn. He is such a loveable, cool, character, rallying gamely over any distance. He broke from the stalls well, then tried to negotiate tricky surfaces along the way.
Outlier led most of the sloppy journey, with Get her Number and Zandon, defending their titles from White Abarrio. It was all very intense, but Mind Control knew his work professionally, stopping the clock at 1:35:53
It was a record-extending sixth Cigar Mile score for Pletcher, who enjoyed past success with Left Bank, Lion Tamer, Purge, Stay Thirsty, and, Americanrevolution.
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Juan Hernandez controlled Speaking Scout through an opening in the stretch to plonk Hollywood's $400,000 Derby at Del Mar.
The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' colourbearer, trained by Graham Motion, won by three-quarters of a length completing 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:49.34.
Spycatcher was second, a nose in front of third-placer, Wit. Speaking Scout was settled off the early pace in the field of 10 as Evan Harlan sent Spycatcher tracking from second.
When Evan Harlan began tiring, Spycatcher thought he might get it, but Speaking Scout was ready to run, eagerly responding when finding a seam between rivals into the stretch, He closed on front-runners with ground-devouring strides, wearing down Spycatcher.
