Victory Chime strikes winning note in Listed Foundation Stakes
Victory Chime returned to the scene of his first success and battled bravely to land the Listed Foundation Stakes under Hector Crouch.
The six-year-old, who landed a course-and-distance handicap in May 2018, recorded his 11th success for trainer Ralph Beckett by denying 33-1 shot Tyson Fury, with West End Charmer claiming third in a bunched finish.
"He's amazing," said Beckett. "His first win came here off a mark of 72 as a three-year-old and this was his 11th success. He has been extraordinary for us.
"It's a great credit to the team at home who have managed to keep him happy. I thought he was a huge price and he's done it well, especially as he doesn't really like it here due to the uphill start."
Crouch recorded his double on Sweet Reward, who toughed it out to win the 1m1f handicap for trainer Jonny Portman.
The four-year-old, who has twice won at Sandown this year, was runner-up over course-and-distance at the Glorious meeting in July and kept on well inside the final furlong to win by a length and a quarter.
There was also a double on the day for apprentice jockey Adam Farragher, who has been based with William Haggas for four months and enjoyed handicap success aboard Sea Sylph and Raasel.
Buick fires back
William Buick reduced the gap at the summit of the jockeys' championship to 11 winners when he claimed the 6f handicap aboard Some Nightmare.
The four-year-old justified 5-4 favouritism by a head under a powerful drive from Buick, who trails Murphy in the title race heading into Newmarket's Cambridgeshire meeting that begins on Thursday.
"Every day is important," said Buick, who joked he was always up to speed with the score between the two jockeys. "There's a few nice horses left to run this season and they could be ones for the future."
Off the mark
War Horse scored at the third time of asking in the 1m2f maiden for trainer Marco Botti.
The two-year-old finished fifth behind Gimcrack Stakes winner Lusail on debut in June and was only narrowly denied at this track last time, finishing a length behind the Mark Johnston-trained Luminous Light.
He raced keenly in the early stages but finished well to beat some well-bred runners, including Godolphin-owned newcomer Age Of Sail, a Frankel half-brother to Polarisation.
Winning jockey Marco Ghiani extended his lead to 13 victories in the apprentice jockeys' championship.
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Published on 22 September 2021inReports
Last updated 17:10, 22 September 2021
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