'It didn’t go to plan' - Mawkeb makes up for slow start to get up late on

Tuesday: Chelmsford

Reigning all-weather champion David Probert is highly unlikely to catch runaway leader Kevin Stott in this season’s title race, but the jockey combined with champion all-weather trainer Mick Appleby to land the feature mile handicap with Mawkeb.

Probert had finished second on the former Shadwell-owned five-year-old at Kempton last month, but the 17-2 shot looked to have forfeited his chance when slow out of the stalls and left in last at the start.

However, Mawkeb rallied under Probert to eventually score by a head from the Joanna Mason-ridden May Night. Mason would not go home empty-handed though, having won the 1m2f classified stakes on Calcutta Dream for Mick and David Easterby.

Appleby said: "It didn’t go to plan at the start today but he’s still gone and got the job done, he kept going at the end. I think he’ll stay a bit further. We’ll probably stick him to a mile next time and then maybe look at upping him in trip."

Mawkeb’s only other win for Appleby came at the Essex venue last March and the trainer added: "He seems to go well around there so we’ll find a mile contest around there in a week or so."

Mawkeb’s win completed a 70-1 double for Probert, who steered Beauzon to success in the 6f handicap for David O’Meara.

Beauzon had unseated Jason Watson at the start at Lingfield on Saturday, but behaved better under Probert, who could have had a treble had The Ivy not denied him and Copy Artist in the 7f fillies’ maiden.

Results, replays and analysis

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