'It's a nice way to start the season' - apprentice Joe Bradnam steers Miss Harmony to surprise victory

On a day of upsets, apprentice jockey Joe Bradnam pulled off one of the biggest shocks as he recorded just his third winner aboard 11-1 shot Miss Harmony in the four-runner 1m2f fillies' handicap.

While the Michael Bell-trained filly was not priced as big as the two 20-1 winners on the card, the race was predicted on paper to be a match between Cantora, ridden by champion jockey William Buick, and Rubina Rose.

Yet Bradnam's mount swooped late to deny the latter by half a length, giving the apprentice his first winner since October. She was recording victory for the first time since July.

He told Sky Sports Racing: "She made my job pretty straightforward, she'd been knocking on the door the last three times but it's good she got her head in front again.

"She doesn't normally pick up as well as she did there, she did it a shade cosily in the end. 

"That's a nice way to go into the start of the season and hopefully they'll be a few more."

Winning return

Success in the Lincoln two years ago launched the career of Benoit de la Sayette, and he heads to Doncaster in high spirits after riding Eight Mile to victory in the opening mile handicap.

He kicked the 6-4 favourite clear in the final furlong to strike by a length and a half. It is his first winner of the season and he partners the David Menuisier-trained Migration in Doncaster's famous handicap.

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