Watson overcomes 'disaster' start with stalls not used in two-year-old race

Salisbury: Wednesday

A flag start was required for the 12-runner 6f novice stakes, and while it proved a "disaster" for Jason Watson and Celtic Champion, it did not stop the 7-4 favourite recording an emphatic victory.

The jockey felt he lost six to seven lengths at the start as he then had to push the Andrew Balding-trained runner back into a prominent position. He also faced the burden of travelling widest yet his mount overcame the difficulties and then greenness to strike by two and three-quarter lengths.

"It just didn't go right for me," Watson reflected on his 60th winner of the season. "The start was a disaster then we were trapped wide throughout the race, but he's very straightforward to deal with.

"He's picked up pretty immediately then wandered around when he got there. That tells me there's more to come and he's still showing signs of greenness. I think he's quite gifted."

No other races were impacted by the difficulty in getting a second stalls to the races, with the novice contest the only one to attract ten runners or more.

The stalls were set to be transported in from Newbury, but one was not deemed roadworthy while there was a subsequent issue with spare stalls in Lambourn. Trainers were offered the decision to withdraw horses without penalty, but no one did.

"There's all sorts of risks when they're starting like that," Watson said. "A few of them played up, and because he's such a good ride and straightforward, he didn't. I was expecting to walk up to them and then we go together, but they walked for a couple of strides and then it was like 'okay, we're going now'. I must've missed the kick by six or seven lengths so he's done well to overcome that.

"There's no point taking it out on the starters, they're dealing with two-year-olds going first time and it's just the way things have played out."

Where it all started

Hollie Doyle recorded her first Listed winner in the Upavon Fillies' Stakes in 2017 and five years later – with a multitude of achievements under her belt – she won the race again in the same silks with Rousay.

Rousay (green and red silks) wins the Listed feature under Hollie DoyleCredit: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

The three-year-old had it all to do to emulate Doyle's 2017 winner Billesdon Bess, but she just nosed ahead at the line to deny Rose Of Kildare.

Jeanette McCreery, who owns the three-year-old with the Pall Mall Partners, had the idea to go for this race, and trainer Richard Hannon admitted he was happy that his father was wrong when advising McCreery not to run.

Hannon said: "I loved it, it was Dad who told them. It's a lovely race for fillies and the prize-money makes it worth coming for."

Going pro

William Cox rode out his claim with a confident last-gasp win aboard Glamorous Breeze for Chris Mason in the 5f handicap.

He thanked Andrew Balding, Clive Cox and John Flint after the achievement, and added: "I was hoping I'd do it this week as I had a few good chances too at Ffos Las on Thursday.

"It's a big moment. Now turning pro it's a big step forward. I was a small fish in a small pond, now I'm a small fish in a big pond."

Results, replays and analysis

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