'It's been an incredible season' - red-hot Tom Lacey fires in another winner

Saturday: Kempton

Tom Lacey did not manage to hit the target at Cheltenham but the in-form trainer had little to quibble about when Sebastopol became his seventh winner in the last two weeks when striking in the 2m handicap chase.

Lacey is enjoying his best-ever campaign and said: "Sebastopol had a run of seven seconds, which is frustrating as you're creeping up the handicap every time, but he's a good horse on his day.

"It's been an incredible season. I think we thought we could have a good season, but we've knocked in six winners [before today] in the last fortnight, which soon gets your tally going."

Lacey has now trained 42 winners this season, the same amount as Sebastopol's talented jockey Stan Sheppard.

"Stan's been good for me as well," Lacey said. "It's the consistency isn't it? He knows all the horses inside out and rides out six days a week. It's ideal and couldn't be better."

Aintree aim

The Grand National fences could be next for Killer Clown, who will be considered for the Randox Topham Chase at Aintree on April 8 after his win in the £60,000 handicap chase.

He was continuing owner Tim Syder's fine run this season but had to put a tame effort at Ascot last time behind him.

Emma Lavelle: soft ground did not suit the trainer's Killer Clown last timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Trainer Emma Lavelle had sympathy for Tom Bellamy, who was aboard that day but opted to ride stablemate Manofthemountain in Saturday's feature.

He finished eighth as Killer Clown struck under Adam Wedge.

"I thought let's have another crack on soft ground at Ascot and I probably shouldn't have done, as the ground was just hard work and gluey," Lavelle said.

"He could never get out of it and never ran a race at all. Tom looked after him and pulled him up.

"It was tough this race for Tom as he loves both horses and has won on both too, but he had to make a decision. Unfortunately, Manofthemountain rooted the open ditch and that was us over."

Bellamy found cause to smile after the bumper, which he won on Alan King's Gitche Gumee.

"Last year I was screaming for junior bumpers as, unless you're exceptional, it's hard taking on horses aged five and six with a four-year-old," said King. "I was going to run five in it, but thought I better not complicate things!"

Goldstein glory

Relief was probably Marc Goldstein's main emotion after he steered Certainly Red to victory in the 3m handicap chase – the rider's first winner since October.

"You've noticed then!" Goldstein joked when the winless run was put to him.

"My main yard – Sheena West's – was hit by a virus earlier in the winter and they've not really recovered from it. It's been a bit of a write-off this season.

"You have to deal with it. I don't get a lot anyway, so I'm quite used to it. If I was up there every day it might be harder and get to you, but I don't know anything else apart from racing. I'll enjoy this."

Trained by Lydia Richards, Certainly Red might have given Goldstein a heart-in-mouth moment when pecking after that last en-route to his seventh winner of the season.

"I thought that would have summed things up," he said. "But he found a leg and it was fine."

Chris Gordon: winner on Saturday with Press Your LuckCredit: Edward Whitaker

Flash Gordon

Owners Tony Finden and Paul Cox were on track to see Press Your Luck land the 2m5f handicap hurdle and gave a ringing endorsement of Chris Gordon's training talents.

"Chris is fabulous," said Cox. "If anyone wanted a good giggle at the races but also a seriously good team then it's Chris and his wife Jenny – don't go anywhere else.

"He's a good laugh and a seriously good trainer."

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