'It’s been a great winter' - Liam Bailey equals tally from last two years with Yakhabar's success

A switch to more prominent tactics helped Yakhabar land the opening 1m4½f handicap to continue Middleham trainer Liam Bailey’s superb start to 2024.

Yakhabar won over course and distance in February under Billy Garritty and the same rider helped the five-year-old deny the fast-finishing 11-4 favourite Gastronomy by a neck.

Garritty held the lead from before the three-furlong pole and Bailey said: “We discussed it last night and that was what we planned to do. 

“He’s generally held up but everything else in the race was held up also, so I thought we’d take a chance and go forward and I think that’s what’s won him the race.”

Yakhabar’s victory means that Bailey has already matched his haul of seven Flat winners that he has achieved for each of the last two years.

“It’s been a great winter into spring,” said Bailey. “We end up with good prize-money with lots of seconds and thirds. As it’s happened these ones have won and we’ve had good support from different owners and Beneficiary was in really good form in the winter.”

Bailey has saddled only one turf runner this term and added: “It’s sort of irrelevant what you’ve done before, you’re only as good as your next runner. We’ve got a horse running tomorrow, Clansman, he’ll love bottomless ground so I’m hoping Thirsk gets a lot of rain but just enough to be on.”

Awesome Aerospace

Aerospace backed up last month’s successful stable for Archie Watson at Wolverhampton in the feature 1m2f handicap.

Aerospace (2): makes it 2-2 since joining Archie WatsonCredit: GROSSICK RACING

The five-year-old was fourth behind subsequent Group 1 winner Emily Upjohn when sent off even-money favourite in a Wolverhampton novice when trained by John and Thady Gosden in November 2021.

He made a successful handicap debut here off a mark of 85 under Hollie Doyle.

Welcome winner

Harriet Bethell enjoyed her first winner of the season when Diddy Man, a 5,000gns purchase from Tom Dascombe, made a successful stable debut in the mile handicap.

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