PartialLogo
News

'He has a huge future ahead of him' - the week's biggest winners

Harry Davies: rode his first winner at Lingfield on Friday
Harry Davies: rode his first winner at Lingfield on FridayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The Racing Post's awards will honour the best (and sometimes worst) performances and raise talking points from the last seven days of racing. This week's winners are . . .

Performance of the week

Dysart Dynamo

This six-year-old maintained his unbeaten record in imperious fashion with a dominant all-the-way win in the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

Dysart Dynamo was a major mover in the Supreme market, cut to 7-2 third favourite (from 12-1) with Paddy Power, and was also shortened to 4-1 favourite (from 13-2) for the Ballymore, leaving connections plenty to ponder.

He provided Willie Mullins with an eighth victory in the race, following in the illustrious footsteps of Mikael D'Haguenet, Vautour, Douvan and Min.

'Very exciting' Dysart Dynamo cut for Cheltenham novices after demolition job

Best-handicapped horse of the week

Anyharminasking

Constitution Hill has developed into a superstar this season and only one horse has ever beaten the imperious Tolworth Hurdle winner.

That horse was Anyharminasking, who denied him by a head in a Tipperary point-to-point in April 2021. While the second is a Grade 1 winner, the Jonjo O'Neill-trained runner has been a bit more of a slow-burner and it took a switch to handicapping for him to get off the mark under rules.

He bolted up off a mark of 114 at Catterick on Thursday and looks as if there could be plenty more to come, even after the handicapper has his say.

Watch Anyharminasking win emphatically at Catterick


Trainer of the week

Nicky Henderson

What better time to hit top form than when the stable star is about to feature in the hottest race of the season.

Only a few hours after confirming Shishkin would take on Energumene at Ascot next week, Henderson was netting a 821-1 four-timer at Kempton on Saturday.

Mister Fisher ensured one of those would come at Graded level as he kept on well after the last to land the Silviniaco Conti Chase, while Falco Blitz, Caribean Boy and First Street were on the scoresheet.

Luccia capped off an excellent day for the master of Seven Barrows when winning at Warwick, while the Henderson team also enjoyed success with hot prospect Dusart at the start of the week and were even striking on the all-weather, courtesy of Progressive at Wolverhampton.

Mister Fisher the highlight of 821-1 Kempton four-timer for Nicky Henderson


Surprise of the week

Ballyrath

Owner Colin Moore described a shock success of Ballyrath as like "winning the Grand National" after his 12-year-old pulled off an extraordinary victory at Wetherby on Saturday.

He was viewed as a 66-1 outsider on his return off a 960-day break and recording his first success under rules for almost six years.

Ballyrath held off the challenge of Camp Belan to win by three-quarters of a length in a thrilling battle.

'It's like winning the Grand National' - 79-year-old owner celebrates 66-1 win


Ante-post mover of the week

Sporting John

Much was made of the Irish challenge in Warwick's Pertemps
qualifier, but it was the British-trained Sporting John who came out on top, which saw his price halved for the final at the festival.

Sporting John quickened well after the last to run out a three-length winner and can be backed at 8-1 for the Grade 3 handicap.

However, given he is a Grade 1 winner over fences and his mark of 151 will increase again, he could also head for the Stayers' Hurdle for which he is now 16-1 (from 40-1).

Watch Sporting John win at Warwick


Ride of the week

Harry Davies

Harry Davies has been discussed as a future leading prospect in the jockey ranks, and he showed precisely what he was capable of on only his second ride under rules at Lingfield on Friday.

Aboard Coolagh Magic in the 6f apprentice handicap, Davies kept his mount in rear before delivering a powerful late charge to strike by a nose on the line.

The 17-year-old was a two-time champion pony racer and appears to have a huge future ahead of him.

Watch Harry Davies' first winner at Lingfield


Read more from The Last Word

From Kempton to Warwick, the big-race front-runners just kept on keeping on

'Hard to see Kempton winner Mister Fisher threatening Allaho in Ryanair'

'Fractious start was a factor' - Leighton Aspell with his big-race verdict


Catch our new in-depth review of the weekend's racing every Monday in the Racing Post. With big-race analysis from Grand National-winning jockey Leighton Aspell, Chris Cook's take on the weekend action, eyecatchers from the Raceform team, weekly awards and more, it is not to be missed.


Sam HendryDigital journalist

Published on 16 January 2022inNews

Last updated 19:14, 16 January 2022

iconCopy