'That's not a bad day's work' - Sam England equals career-best haul with double

Tuesday: Sedgefield

Sam England equalled her career-best number of winners in a season when both of her runners at Sedgefield obliged for a 21-1 double.

Sir Apollo appreciated the step up in trip to get off the mark over fences at the sixth attempt in the 3m3f handicap chase, ridden by the trainer’s husband Jonathan.

Tom Creen, winner of a Garthorpe point-to-point in May, then denied Danny Brooke’s hat-trick-seeking Rocco Storm to make a winning stable debut for the Englands in the feature 2m3½f novice handicap chase.

“That’s not a bad day’s work at all,” said the trainer. “Sir Apollo was always in his own comfort speed. With Tom Creen, you could look at it that the other rival has done his winning and gone up to his mark and we had no weight, but it was nice.”

England, who also enjoyed a valuable handicap winner at Haydock on Saturday with No Cruise Yet, moved to 19 winners for the season to match her previous-best tally, which was achieved last term.

Tom Creen takes the feature to complete a double for Jonathan and Sam EnglandCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

England’s strong start has been aided by the prolific Kinondo Kwetu, who is 5-5 since switching to fences, and she added: “The yard’s in form, they’re running well and you can’t knock them. You won’t see Kinondo Kwetu until the spring now, though.”

Although Rocco Storm was thwarted by Tom Creen, Brooke did not leave Sedgefield empty-handed as Emma Smith-Chaston helped Silkstone record back-to-back wins at the Durham track in the 2m1f handicap hurdle.

Brooke’s brother Henry also got on the board when steering the Brian Ellison-trained mare Maggie Barrett to a first win over hurdles.

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