'He just about tolerates me but I love him' - Maureen Haggas' delight as Hamish strikes in Ormonde again

Maureen Haggas was brimming with emotion after yard favourite Hamish won the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes for a second successive year.

Haggas explained how she had ridden the son of Motivator since he was three, and because of that, her connection with the horse has blossomed.

She said: "When you ride them you get a bit attached to them and he’s a bit of a pet, so that always makes it better when you win.

"Myself and Andrew Tinkler fight over him because we’re the only ones who ride him. He’s quite naughty and a bit of a character – quite like a cat. He’s very independent and just about tolerates me but I love him."

Hamish was making his first start since finishing second in the Group 2 St Simon at Newbury in October, but the assistant trainer signalled he could make a quick return in the Yorkshire Cup a week on Friday, for which he is now 4-1 with most firms.

Haggas added: “If he came home happy and told us he was ready to go again we’d go. William’s father loves York and the horse has good form there, but it’s dependent on him and the ground.”

Can't stop winning

The Dominic Ffrench Davis winning train continued as Surely Not landed the 7½f handicap to provide the yard with its ninth Flat winner of the season.

Ffrench Davis has linked up with major operation Amo Racing and has already matched last year’s tally of winners.

He said: "I’m licensed to the yard next door, which Kia [Joorabchian] took on, and we have some lovely horses to run in some of the better races – the two-year-old races in particular.

"The horses in my original yard have all been going well and long may that continue."

The three-year-old gelding recorded his second win of the campaign after Newmarket success last month and the Lambourn trainer, who also enjoyed a 25-1 winner with his first runner of the new jumps season when Elsieanne struck at Huntingdon, has his eyes set on Royal Ascot for Surely Not.

He added: "I was very impressed and he does what you ask him to do. Hopefully the handicapper won’t put him up much so we can have a live chance in something like the Britannia."

'Perfect confidence boost'

Nymphadora scored her first win for just short of two years when leading home an Andrew Balding one-two in the 5f handicap.

St Albans Bloodstock's four-year-old held off King's Lynn by a length and jockey Oisin Murphy said: “It’s great to get her head back in front. She enjoyed that ground.

Nymphadora (brown, third from left) ends a long wait for a winCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"She was a Listed winner at two and she’s just a great filly. It’s great for the owner because he’s a great supporter of the stable and it’s nice to win on a good day.”

The trainer's wife Anna Lisa added: "This was a perfect confidence-boost for her. It just didn't happen for her on the day at Bath last time and you had to put a line through it and go again."

Balding and Murphy also took the 1m2½f handicap with the progressive City Streak, a half-brother to high-class stayer Quickthorn.

Anna Lisa Balding said: "I thought he looked terrific in the paddock, he ran well at Chelmsford and that put him spot on for today. He's a brilliant specimen of a horse." 

Dreaming big

Hugo Palmer has aspirations of heading to Royal Ascot with Hackman, who justified favouritism in the 5f maiden.

He said: “He's a very fast horse who still has plenty to learn. We'll be dreaming of the Norfolk and he may go to Sandown at the end of the month."

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