High and lows for unlucky Allan
Go Tech repeated his victory of 12 months ago in the Dalby Screw-Driver Handicap at Pontefract to complete a 33-1 double for trainer Tim Easterby – but his jockey Dave Allan was not so lucky.
After teeing up the brace on Damelza in the Racing UK On Channel 432 Fillies’ Nursery, he took a crashing fall from Musical Fair in the SB Honda Handicap and was taken to Pinderfields Hospital for X-rays on an injured right shoulder.
Also involved in the incident, which occurred as the runners approached the final furlong, was Sir Sandrovitch, who was hampered and unseated Paul Hanagan.
Hanagan emerged unscathed and both horses were reported to be none the worse for the mishap.
The stewards held an inquiry into the spill and they found the fourth Unlimited, ridden by Tony Culhane, had interfered with Musical Fair, who in turn impeded Sir Sandrovitch.
They considered the interference was caused by careless riding in that Culhane had allowed his horse to drift and banned him for two days (October 3 and 4).
The race was won by Golden Asha, who finished fast to beat Times Review by a short head and deny Easterby a treble.
Kevin Darley took over from Allan on Go Tech and after kicking the 3-1 joint-favourite clear over two furlongs out, Easterby’s charge held on by a length and a half from Little Good Bay to take the day’s feature event.
“I feel sorry for the lad,” Easterby said after Go Tech’s success. “He’s hurt his shoulder but it could have been a lot worse.”
And of Go Tech, he added: “He loves this fast ground and he likes a good gallop and a small field.
“I’d like one day to step him up to a mile and a half on the right ground when things are right but it just doesn’t always happen.”
Allan had been seen to good effect earlier when getting a dream run up the inside to score on Damelza on what was the filly’s first attempt at a mile.
The youngster won at Thirsk before finding the pace too hot in a valuable sales race over six furlongs last time but she was more at home over this longer distance.
The top weight did, however, need every yard of the trip as she came from well off the pace to gain the day by half a length from Miss Wedge.
After greeting the 15-2 winner, Easterby said: “I thought he’d given her too much to do at one stage but she did it well and got the mile well.
“I thought the handicapper was a bit harsh on her after she won at Thirsk but he’s been pretty much right most of the time.
“There’s a seven-furlong fillies’ nursery at Newmarket which might be a possibility but she’s a big filly and she’ll be lovely next year.”
Dark Missile improved dramatically on her debut effort last week to spring a 66-1 shock in the European Breeders Fund Poppin Lane Maiden Stakes.
Andrew Balding’s juvenile had been slowly away before finishing last at Salisbury nine days ago when according to her trainer she had “stage fright”.
There were no such problems this time.
The daughter of Night Shift was on good terms with herself beforehand and she finished strongly for Liam Keniry to catch Antica close home and land the spoils by a neck.
Despite her starting price the victory was “not a huge surprise” to Balding, who added: “She was going nicely at home but she was terribly disappointing first time out. She just got stage fright and ran no sort of race.
“I hope the owner (Jeff Smith) backed her because he did first time out and he was thinking about it today, so I hope very much he did at that price.
“She’ll handle soft ground so we’ll try and get another run into her.”
Michael Jarvis and Philip Robinson, the trainer and jockey associated with leading Queen Elizabeth II Stakes contender Rakti, warmed up for the weekend when they teamed up successfully with King’s Head in the European Breeders Fund Frier Wood Maiden Stakes.
