Winning return for Hughes at Lingfield
Richard Hughes returned to Britain for his first rides of the year and started as he means to go on with the win of Arctic Desert at Lingfield.
Looking tanned and well after riding in India, spending some time at home in Ireland and enjoying a relaxing break in Barbados, Hughes gave the 10-1 winner exactly the sort of ride which he enjoys the most as he cruised home without having to resort to using the whip more than once.
Glad Big did his best to outbattle the winner in the closing stages but Arctic Desert had enough in hand to take the Play Now at betdirectcasino.com Handicap by a length and a quarter.
Winning trainer Andrew Balding agreed Hughes had been “the right man for the job” aboard the frustrating gelding.
“His agent, Geoff Lester, gave me a ring and we were looking for a change,” he said. “Richard gave him an absolutely beautiful ride.
“To be honest he has his own agenda and you couldn’t be sure that he will do it again but he has plenty of talent. He’s not a horse you can second-guess.
“He had been missing the break a bit but today we tried taking the tongue-strap off and putting a crossed noseband on instead and that might have made a difference. We had also kept him off the course for a couple of months to freshen him up.”
Hughes might well have completed a double aboard his only other ride of the day had Red Spell enjoyed a clearer passage in the final stages of the £20,000 (€29,000) Littlewoods Win £2m (€2.9m) Handicap.
Instead he had to settle for a dead-heat second as Bonus got the verdict by a short-head ahead of Red Spell and San Antonio, who shared the runner-up slot.
Winning trainer Gerard Butler was delighted to win with the 5-1 chance, having been forced to bypass a planned trip to Dubai for the Carnival races.
“He was going to run in a race here a fortnight ago but the conditions were changed and he became ineligible as a Class Two winner,” he said.
“That meant he couldn’t go out to Dubai as he wasn’t rated highly enough but things might have worked out better for him this way.
“He was a horse who I had my eye on for a lot of last season and when he ran in a claimer I bought him.
“At his peak he was rated 107 so I hoped there was something to work on if we could rekindle him and I am delighted he has found his form again.
“I don’t think he needs seven furlongs but around here, where it doesn’t test the stamina so much, it was ideal.”
Reggae Rhythm’s remarkable consistency gained further reward when the 12-year-old won again in the Text Betdirect to 88600 Handicap Stakes under apprentice Richard Thomas.
Trainer Alastair Lidderdale has now sent the ex-Irish gelding out to win four and be placed in nine of his 10 starts for the stable, despite a steady but significant rise in the ratings.
And the son of Be My Native, who is bred more along the lines of a Grand National winner than a prolific all-weather performer, came with a wet sail to win again here, beating Beauchamp Trump by two lengths.
“I was concerned he wouldn’t get the run of the race but they went quick and everything panned out perfectly for him,” said Lidderdale.
“Richard gave him a great ride and knows the horse well having ridden him in every race he’s had for me.”
Maidstone trainer John Best has started 2006 in sparkling form and maintained the impetus as Kingsgate Bay took the Play Roulette At littlewoodscasino.com Maiden Stakes.
Having run well in maidens last year, the 9-2 winner was returning from a break of more than six months.
But ridden patiently in the early stages by Steve Drowne, Kingsgate Bay quickened up well on the far rail to edge past Diane’s Choice close home and score by two lengths.
“He was a bit unlucky to come up against some good horses last season,” said Best. “He has been a bit buzzy at home but Steve rode him exactly as I asked him to.
“We will probably stay at six furlongs for the time being until he learns to settle a bit better. But I am pleased for the owner, John Mayne, who has needed to be patient with him.”
Drowne completed a rapid double when Song of Silence bolted up in the Betdirect Freephone 0800 211222 Handicap.
Kicked on by his rider on the home turn, the winner pulled well clear to score by five lengths from the staying-on Scroll.
Mystic Man made his first visit to Lingfield a successful one when winning the claimer under Neil Callan.
The eight-year-old won the 12th race of his career after getting the better of Libre by the minimum margin in a bobbing finish.
The winner will be joining trainer Ian McInnes having been claimed for £12,000 (€17,500) and the runner-up returns to former handler Frank Jordan after going for £11,000 (€16,000).
Callan completed a double when the Nick Littmoden-trained Correct Time claimed the finale.
