Trainer Seb Spencer ends 'bad year' on high note with first winner

Seb Spencer recorded a heart-warming first success of the season after battling a life-threatening tumour earlier this year when Desert Storm narrowly scored in the second division of the 7f handicap.

The six-year-old had failed to get his head in front since September 2018 and after surviving a stewards' inquiry, provided a much-needed victory under Cieren Fallon for the North Yorkshire trainer, who entered the winner's enclosure for the first time in 448 days.

"It was well-needed because I've been off work," said Spencer. "I had a tumour cut out from my face – it's been a bad year. I'm on the mend now. I was away from the yard for nine weeks and Luke Leadbitter and Kyle Walker [assistant trainers] kept the show running while I was off. It's great to end the year like this.

"He can be quite a pig at times and just when you think he doesn't want to race anymore, he becomes a different animal. The owners [The Racing Emporium] are great. They could've dropped out when it was announced they can't go racing, but they've stuck with us."

Roberts breaks barren spell

Dave Roberts ended his barren spell with Plumette, who gave the Shropshire trainer his first Flat success for 1,173 days when landing the opening division of the 1m½f handicap by a length and a half.

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