'It was either buy the horses or an Aston Martin!' - owners' joy at first win

Sunday: Wolverhampton

The journey south on icy roads to Dunstall Park was made worthwhile for Pete and Sue Maguire as the Liverpool-based couple celebrated their first winner as owners when Supaspecialawesome justified odds-on favouritism in the 7f novice event.

The two-year-old was second on his first two starts last month and made it third time lucky under Jack Mitchell for Hugo Palmer, to the delight of his Liverpudlian connections.

"We’d never owned a racehorse before February this year,” said Sue Maguire. "We bought two two-year-olds, they’ve been trained this year at Manor House and it’s the best experience we’ve ever had. It was either buy the horses or an Aston Martin. We’ve had a ball."

"I’m made up for them," said the Maguires' son Jamie as he proudly watched his parents collect the prize. "I think this is a life dream coming true."

Supaspecialawesome was a fitting description of the emotions for the Maguires, whose breakthrough winner came with just their seventh runner.

Pete Maguire said: "We’re absolutely over the moon. The other one, Dragonball Prince, goes tomorrow at Kempton and we’ve got equally high hopes. The Christmas double is on!”

Max makes mockery of 66-1 odds

Myboymax was the only horse of the seven in the 1m6f handicap to go off at double-figure odds but the 66-1 shot was steered to a shock win by Aiden Brookes, ending dual-purpose trainer Micky Hammond’s 114-day wait for a Flat winner.

Brookes received a two-day ban for using his whip arm above shoulder height approaching the final furlong as he steered the four-year-old to a first all-weather win in the colours of his sponsor Anthony Bithell.

Brookes said: "I thought he’d need the run but clearly he didn’t! I was never actually happy on the way round; usually he travels nicely for me but I was having to coax him along. Once I got stuck into him he picked up nicely."

Awesome Alligator

Alligator Alley, a Listed winner for Joseph O’Brien in 2019, continued his resurgence for David O’Meara when taking the feature £20,000 5f handicap.

The five-year-old had been winless in his first eight starts for O’Meara but followed up a win at Southwell last time, meaning he has won three of his last six races for the North Yorkshire-based trainer.

Winning jockey Jason Watson said: "He’s a very talented horse. He won nicely the last day and he does only what he has to do. The longer you can keep him travelling and filling him up, the better he is.

"He’s run at the Breeders’ Cup before now and was a very good horse for Joseph O’Brien. Obviously he’s taken time to get to grips with David, but I think there’s a big future for this horse."

Slick Sergeant

Sergeant Pep built on a debut second at the track last month to go one better for a comfortable success in the 6f novice contest under John Fahy.

The Clive Cox-trained son of Kodiac was one of two Middleham Park Racing-owned winning favourites as the Callum Rodriguez-ridden The Thin Blue Line later landed the 6f handicap.

Results, replays and analysis

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