French raider Funny Kid comes fast and late to win thriller in Marathon

Racegoers at Lingfield were treated to a thriller on finals' day when French raider Funny Kid got the verdict in a blanket finish to the marathon, the first championship event of the afternoon.

His late surge under Maxime Guyon allowed him to pip Lord George by a nose, with the front-running Watersmeet a close-up third.

Watersmeet, who finished runner-up in last year's race, controlled the pace and looked the likely winner as the pace lifted three furlongs from home. However, the cavalry were closing and he was claimed close home by Funny Kid and Lord George, with the Christophe Ferland-trained raider just shading the verdict.

Funny Kid, who had finished runner-up to Watersmeet at Wolverhampton in January on his only previous start in Britain, was sent off 7-2 third choice in the market.

The winning trainer said: "This has been the target and he was 200 per cent ready for it. He’s got a good turn of foot and the way the race was run where they didn’t go too fast early suited him as he could use that speed at the end."

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