Ed Walker's fortunes change as Glenartney gives Ross Coakley first Listed winner

Sunday: Pontefract

Few could begrudge Ed Walker a change of fortune in front of the biggest crowd at Pontefract for several years in the Sunday sunshine.

The Lambourn trainer had suffered the agony of seeing Random Harvest and Popmaster looking like Royal Ascot winners only to be run out of glory in the closing stages, then had Tenaya Canyon caught on the line in a Listed race at Ayr on Saturday.

So Walker will have been a relieved man as Glenartney held on by a neck to land the £77,500 Sky Bet Sunday Series Pontefract Castle Fillies’ Stakes, feature event on a £225,000 raceday watched by nearly 9,000 spectators.

It was a first Listed success for winning rider Ross Coakley, who said: "It worked out nicely, we went a nice gallop, she switched off beautifully and travelled well. Coming off the corner she’s maybe rolled around a bit, but I always felt like she was doing enough.

"It’s a good pot, being in the Sunday series, and being a Listed race it’s very important for a filly’s owner from the breeding point of view.

"That’s a big personal landmark for me and I’m very grateful to Ed and connections for giving me the opportunity. I rode her in the Bronte Cup last time, when we felt she was a little unlucky, and I think we’ll see the best of her in the autumn on soft ground.”

Lovely filly

Tim Easterby won the Redcar Two Year Old Trophy with Ventura Mist nine years ago and hopes her daughter Misty Blues will prove similarly talented.

The filly, her dam’s fifth foal, rallied well to land a £17,100 novice event under David Allan on her return to six furlongs and her trainer said: "She’s done that well and she’s a lovely filly. She ran well over five furlongs at York and this trip has definitely suited her.

"We trained her dam Ventura Mist, she’s very similar and I think she could be as good."

Easterby was glad to see smart middle-distance stayer Dark Jedi land a £40,000 1m5f handicap at Ayr on Saturday and said: "He was very good, he loved that ground and everything went right. We took him out of the Northumberland Plate, we didn’t think he’d stay, but we’d like to win another and get him in the Ebor.”

The trainer is also looking to York in August with last year’s Nunthorpe winner Winter Power, who was well held in the King’s Stand Stakes at Ascot.

He said: “She’ll be okay, she’ll come right. It’s June, she doesn’t come to herself at this time of year - she may go to Goodwood before York.”

Big Tricast

It wasn’t quite the Placepot-busting Chesham Stakes but the 1m2f handicap took some forecasting. Visibility scored his first turf win in 12 tries at 20-1 and was followed home by 80-1 shot Piecederesistance and Highwaygrey (11-4), with the Tricast paying £5,658.86.

But winning trainer Scott Dixon was not surprised by the success and said: “We always knew he had a lot of ability, he can be a bit hard to catch right but everything worked out well today. I never doubted he’d be as effective on turf.”

Replays, results and analysis

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