'The best I've used' - Rod Millman hails magic Oisin Murphy despite earlier scare

Rod Millman reckoned he owed Oisin Murphy one, so perhaps it was a good job the trainer supplied the jockey with a winner on Fast Steps in the 1m2f handicap.

Millman booked Murphy to ride Amazonian Dream in the preceding 6f handicap, but the gelding reared up when the rider tried to get on him in the parade ring and had to be led to the start.

That meant a trip down on foot for Murphy until his journey was completed in the groundstaff's off-road buggy.

"That's made up for Amazonian Dream," said Millman, for whom Murphy was riding his 40th winner.

"Oisin is a wonderful jockey who will get on anything. I used him when he was a young 7lb claimer and he rode an awkward horse for me, whom my normal jockeys had struggled on.

"He rode it really well and I came home and said to my wife, 'That boy will make it'. He's the best I've used and he's been lucky for our yard, but then he is a brilliant rider."

Royal winner

Hughie Morrison was impressed with the performance of Royal Cape, who put ten lengths between himself and his rivals in the mile novice.

Co-owner Patrick Dalby was on hand to watch the Gleneagles colt oblige under Oisin Murphy and Morrison said: "He's nice. It was good to see he's learning as last time at Kempton he didn't really know what to do when he was second and I thought he should have won that race. He's a proper horse."

The trainer's Windsor winners are often worth tracking and he added: "He'd worked with Clever Relation, who won well here two weeks ago, and that horse worked slightly better than him, which made me think this fella hadn't worked well!"

'I thought he'd win'

Rose Dawes has enjoyed a productive first few months of 2023 and got a fine tune out of Indian Creak, who bolted up in the 6f handicap.

The rider has now enjoyed six winners, which puts her within reach of the ten she partnered last term.

Like Dawes, Indian Creak's trainer Jack Channon has made a bright beginning to the year – his first with the licence he assumed from his father Mick.

"Jack's had a good start and Rose did will there too," said the six-year-old's part-owner Peter Taplin.

"I thought the horse would win and we'll see how we go along, but he wins most years for us and Mick always said he'd win a big handicap. We'll see."

Gill thrilled

Hands-on owner Jim Gill was more than happy to douse Antiphon with water after he won the 5f handicap.

The property developer has 14 horses in training and is keen to get involved in breeding now he is in "semi retirement."

"I love it and grew up on a farm in Ireland," he said. "I've always been around animals and have donkeys at home, but you can't race them!"

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