'Slowly but surely we’re getting back' - Scott Dixon string still going strong after flood disruption

Although Southwell will not open its doors to the paying public until at least March due to flood damage, Scott Dixon celebrated the impending return of normality to his operation by saddling a one-two in the 5f handicap.

Dixon was forced to evacuate 40 horses from his Southwell yard after the track was flooded by Storm Babet in October with Captain’s Bar, who beat his shorter-priced stablemate Rose King by a neck, among those temporarily transferred to the trainer’s other yard in Wolverhampton.

Captain’s Bar was third over course and distance last Friday and after going two better under David Allan, Dixon told Sky Sports Racing: “Our only question mark was whether it would come a bit too soon because he had a bit of time off, then he’s been super busy, so you just think: ‘Have I gone to the well a bit too quick?’   

“We’ve got just over 20 horses back here now, all the runners today are actually here. They’ve been here the last couple of days, so slowly but surely we’re getting back. There’s still a bit of work to do but 90 per cent of it’s done.

“I reckon the second week in January we’ll pretty much be where we were before. Probably the most remarkable thing was when we first flooded and moved all the horses, they were winning within the first couple of days.”

An hour after he won on Captain's Bar, Allan made it a double on Royal Musketeer for Steph Hollinshead in the 7f handicap.

Dead-heat

Soames Forsyte had to share the spoils when recording his first success at the 18th attempt. Michael Herrington’s four-year-old dead-heated with the Joanna Mason-ridden Yorkstone in the mile handicap.  

Hat-trick hero 

Sea Me Dance followed up wins at Wolverhampton and Lingfield in the 2m½f handicap to complete a hat-trick under Robert Havlin for Sean Woods.

Doughty delivers

16-year-old Jack Doughty rode his first winner at the third attempt on the Tony Carroll-trained Fieldsman in the closing 7f handicap.

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