Portelet Bay helps rider Owen Lewis reach career-best tally

Saturday: Catterick

Apprentice jockey Owen Lewis reached a career-best season when Portelet Bay surged to a last-gasp success in the 6f handicap.

The 7lb claimer landed his sixth win of the year, surpassing his previous best tally of five last year, when the David Evans-trained four-year-old ended a 16-run losing streak with his three-quarters-of-a-length victory.

Lewis told Racing TV: "I was drawn in stall 12 of 12 and we had to jump quickly. He dropped in nicely and ran on nicely. He only ran the other day at Yarmouth and, to be honest, I think that woke him up and brought on his fitness and sharpness."

Lewis also believed the return to blinkers helped Portelet Bay end his barren spell, which provided the jockey with his 11th career win having begun riding in 2019.

He added: "They definitely helped a lot and made him so straightforward. It was like tunnel-vision for him."

Winning World

Pop World continued trainer Michael Dods's red-hot form when she danced to an impressive first success in the 6f maiden.

A neck second on her debut at Redcar, the daughter of Mondialiste made amends on her second start under Phil Dennis and made it four winners in two days for Dods following his treble at Ayr on Friday.

Notable win

Apprentice jockey Sean Kirrane also made it the best campaign in his career to date with a 21st winner of the year aboard the Tim Easterby-trained Zimmerman in the 1m6f handicap.

Results, replays and analysis

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content