'We've had a strong start to the year' - Gemma Tutty continues fine form as Hot To Dot wins on debut at Pontefract

Gemma Tutty believes Hot To Dot is open to improvement after she made a winning debut in the opening 5f novice to continue the trainer’s good start to the year.

Based in North Yorkshire, Tutty has now registered eight winners since the turn of the year and is only ten away from last season’s career-best tally.

"I can't complain," she said: "We've had a strong start and we've been doing a bit of a restocking with the breeze-up season upon us. Hopefully we can get a few more nice ones in too."

Ridden by Connor Beasley, the two-year-old daughter of Massaat finished a length and a half clear of Harswell Dandy at odds of 16-1.

Tutty added: "I'm really pleased with her performance and I thought Connor gave her a great ride – he's done the home work. We thought we had something but you don't always know what everyone else has until you turn up.

"Other horses may have done a bit more than her, so hopefully there's plenty more to come. We were confident she'd like the ground and hopefully we can aim for bigger and better things now."

Dream run

Ben Haslam continued his red-hot form when Do I Dream landed division two of the mile handicap. 

The five-year-old mare followed up her last-time-out success at Ripon to provide Haslam with the second part of an across-the-card treble after Tedtwo and Jerrysback scored at Hexham. The trainer has now won with six of his last seven runners.

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