'He's improved out of all recognition' - Good Morning Alex racks up fifth win of the year

Good Morning Alex continued his remarkable rise up the ranks when recording a sixth success from his last eight starts in the 1m1f handicap.

The three-year-old began his winning run off a rating of 45 at Southwell in December and was scoring off a 30lb higher mark under Connor Beasley.

The 9-2 shot was following up last month’s five-length victory in a Class 6 at the track.

Nicola Barron, who trains the progressive son of Land Force with her father David, said: “We were up 11lb in a better grade on totally different ground so we went with an open mind again and he’s done it well.

“He’s been a real surprise package from going to the all-weather in December thinking it was a last-chance saloon. He’s just grown up and matured. In fairness, he was a late foal but he’s improved out of all recognition.”

On where Good Morning Alex could bid for a sixth handicap win of 2024, Nicola Barron added: “Connor said he wouldn’t want the ground any faster than it was today so I think a lot will depend on the weather as to where we go. This was very much the target.”

Manila Scouse (left) beats Dare To Hope by a neckCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Scouse strikes

All three of Manila Scouse’s previous wins had come over five furlongs and the Tim Easterby-trained 18-1 shot used that speed to make all in the feature 6f handicap.

The Duran Fentiman-ridden winner of the £30,000 contest provided significant compensation for Easterby and owners Ambrose Turnbull and John Cruces, whose Count D'Orsay had been beaten a neck by Digital in the preceding 5f handicap.

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