'I don’t know what’s changed in his life but it’s changed for the better' - off the transfer list and now a Cup winner

This time last year they were “thinking of getting rid of him” but 12 months on Winged Messenger confirmed himself a “keeper” by landing the Ladbrokes Ayr Bronze Cup, in which hot favourite Eternal Sunshine spoiled her chance by stumbling badly at the start and nearly unseating jockey Lauren Young.

The much-improved Winged Messenger, winless in 2024, made it three wins this season as he asserted late on to take the 25-runner sprint by a neck under Danny Tudhope

“It was plan B but that doesn’t matter does it?” said trainer Julie Camacho. “We were going to sit handier but he didn’t jump as well as we hoped he would. They went quick and he was on the right side.”

Reflecting on the four-year-old’s improvement, she said: “This time last year we were thinking of getting rid of him but he’s just changed completely this year.

“He used to worry all the time coming racing. Last year he’d be lathered and he’d be shaking and worried, and he wasn’t a great eater.

“I don’t know what’s changed in his life but it’s changed for the better.”

Young finished third on last Saturday’s Portland winner Eternal Sunshine despite the incident at the start and said: “She just took a false step coming out of the stalls. She probably did a bit too much through the first furlong because I only had one iron; other than that, she’s run a blinder.”

Beautiful effort

There is more to being a good trainer than finding talented horses and winning big races with them. Getting them back when things go awry is a sure sign you can do the job.

So landing the Listed Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies' Stakes tells you as much about Karl Burke's ability as any of his string of high-profile triumphs in recent seasons.

Beautiful Diamond had not raced since a disappointing effort in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket four months previously yet she returned at the top of her game and scored readily under Clifford Lee, making it three wins from as many runs at Ayr.

"The ground at Newmarket jarred her up very badly and we've had to take our time with her a little bit and start again," Burke's assistant James Cowley explained. "Every bit of the soft ground will have done her a world of good today. She's a classy filly."

"Karl has done a good job," added Philip Robinson, representing winning owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. "He told me he was really happy with her. She loves this ground.

"There's no rush to retire her just yet. There's a Group 3 at Ascot that could be a race for her."

It was the second leg of a four-timer for Lee, who also won the 7f nursery on Aspiral, division two of the mile handicap on Cisco Disco and 1m5f handicap on Just Dottie.

Better times

It has been a mixed time at Ayr for Malton trainer Adrian Keatley, who had two winners on the opening day but whose Flying Finn suffered a fatal injury.

The useful filly belonged to Andy Finneran, a part-owner of Chairmanfourtimes who scored for the third time at the meeting for the yard when landing the British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes.

The two-year-old has progressed through maidens and nurseries and made a successful step up to Listed company, staying on well to lead close home under Oisin McSweeney.

"He was good," Keatley said. "He's a proper five-furlong horse, even though he was fairly flat out early on. He stayed the five really well.

Chairmanfourtimes makes a winning debut in Listed company Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"I don't know how many more runs I'll give him but he'll be a proper horse for next year. He's big and scopey and takes everything you give to him.

"I'm delighted for the owner because he lost the horse yesterday. She had a bit of black type and was a 90-rated filly so it's good for him to have the winner today."

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