Winning British debut for Mike Smith and Code
US Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was able to celebrate a winner on his first ever ride in Britain as odds-on Gentlemans Code was pushed out to win the 5f juvenile maiden.
Trained by Wesley Ward, who saddled another two-year-old maiden winner in France an hour before Folkestone started, favourite Gentlemans Code read his linesperfectly as he made just about all of the running to score from Bear Behind.
Famed for his partnership with the charismatic US wondermare Zenyatta, Smith had been forced to delay taking his first ride in Britain until Thursday after the UK Border Agency advised him that riding at Lingfield on Tuesday would be in breach of his visa.
Ward, meanwhile, left a profound impression on bookmakers and racegoers in Britain in 2009 after the blazing all-the-way victories of Strike The Tiger and Jealous Again at Royal Ascot and Gentlemans Code was sent off the 1-6 favourite and obliged by a length and three-quarters.
Mike Smith looks focused before winning on Gentlemans Code
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)Smith, who had been flown in specifically to ride the Royal Ascot prospect by Ward, reflected on a job well done afterwards and his first experience of the Folkestone contours.
"It's very undulating," Smith, 45, said. "It doesn't feel like that when you walk it but he was so well balanced and he handled it well - he was more balanced than me anyway!
"He was slowing down a bit towards the end and looking around a lot near the line; it was a good thing Wesley put blinkers on.
"He'sdefinitely going to improve. I think he could go to either one [of the Coventry or Norfolk]. We'll probably have to look at what Wesley's other two-year-olds do - separate them a bit - probably five; I'd feel more comfortable with five."
Reflecting on his time in Britain, which included riding out with Luca Cumani's string and a tour of Newmarket, Smith added: "It really was [worth coming]. I feel like a kid again and I have been doing this for 30 years. I really enjoyed andif I could come again I'd love to do it."
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