'We won't forget him' - Dwyer thankful after sending De Sousa off with a winner
Sunday: Yarmouth
Silvestre de Sousa produced a typical never-say-die effort aboard Sir Oliver to sign off with a winner in Britain before taking up his new job in Hong Kong.
The three-time champion jockey had drawn a blank with his first four rides at the track before his final mount, trained by Chris Dwyer, yielded success.
Sir Oliver was sent off the 11-8 favourite and needed plenty of encouragement from De Sousa to land the spoils in the Class 4 7f handicap by a length and a half.
“I'm delighted to have done it on one of Chris’s horses as he’s been a great supporter of mine over the years,” said the 41-year-old Brazilian.
“I was hoping for a winner or two on my final day and in the end it happened.
“I am sad to be leaving after 17 years in this country. I have a six-month contract in Hong Kong but I can’t say whether I will be back after that. I aim to work hard and make a success of it over there.
“I have loved riding in this country – it’s the best racing in the world but the problems with prize-money and losing owners makes it hard. If you don’t have the backing of a big stable or big owner it becomes much more difficult to get enough rides.”
Dwyer had hoped to supply De Sousa with a double but the first of his two runners, Aletoile, finished a disappointing fourth as 8-11 favourite in the 1m2f handicap.
“We wanted to get a winner for Silvestre on his final day and we thought we might have a double,” said Dwyer.
“It’s wonderful that we at least got one for him on his last ride in this country. He’s not only a great jockey but a great friend. We won’t forget him and if he comes back next year he’ll be riding our horses again.”
Captain fantastic
Captain Kane racked up his fifth success of the season by obliging in the 1m3½f handicap and his trainer George Scott is convinced there is more to come.
The gelding has climbed 30lb in the ratings, having begun his winning ways off a mark of 48 at Southwell in March.
“He’s been a wonderful servant to our stable and I think I left him a little short after a break when he got beaten last time at Doncaster,” said Scott.
“He was very weak last year and he’s just come into his own over the longer trip. There might be a slot for him in the Racing League now and he could go to Southwell.”
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Published on 21 August 2022inReports
Last updated 12:48, 22 August 2022
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