Wise ride by Billy Garritty brings Eagle flying home from last to first

Who said it's hard to come from behind at Catterick? Wise Eagle scored an astonishing last-to-first victory in the 1m4f handicap under a supremely confident Billy Garritty.

The 13-8 favourite, a winner at Newcastle and here for trainer Adam Nicol on his previous two starts, looked most unlikely to complete a hat-trick as he trailed the rest of the field by a good eight or ten lengths in the early stages.

But his jockey was happy to bide his time and closed the gap down the back before producing him to challenge in the home straight, before leading near the finish for a half-length success.

"He broke on terms but they went so quick that I just left him to it," said 3lb claimer Garritty. "If it was his day, it was his day, but I wasn't going to rush him round here.

"He easily got into it in the back straight and won with plenty in hand. He has plenty of ability, but they went so quick they set it up for him."

Salute the Sargent

"Queen's Sargent is an irresistible force." It may have been only a Class 3 0-90 handicap, but commentator Simon Holt was impressed.

There was no resisting the 6-4 favourite as he continued the fine recent run of Kevin Ryan's yard with success under Kevin Stott in the feature 7f handicap.

"He's done it well," said the trainer, after welcoming back his third winner from his last five runners.

"They went a nice pace and he loves passing horses. He nearly got there too soon, he just pricked his ears, but it was a good performance. He's got stronger over the winter and he's progressing."

Kevin Ryan: 'he's got stronger over the winter and he's progressing'Credit: Edward Whitaker

A winner is the best medicine

Geoff Harker is recovering from an accident and got the perfect tonic when Eldelbar ended his quiet spell with success in the veterans' sprint.

After the seven-year-old had given his trainer a first win in 79 days, jockey Sam James said: "Geoff had a fall off a roof when he was fixing something and he's hurt himself. Watching that will cheer him up."

Eldelbar made all and James said: "I didn't really want to be in front and he was pricking his ears, but I got an easy enough lead. I got a breather into him round the bend and he quickened up quite well."

Round The Island was second for Simon Whitaker, who has had three places from his four runners as a trainer, but is still looking for his first winner.

Hope springs eternal

No wonder John Quinn was smiling: an owner with the patience to wait for his only horse in the yard to recover from injury and begin to fulfil his potential is something to be treasured.

It took ten months for Hope Probe, owned by Abdulrazaq Mohamdi, to get back on track with success in the three-year-old 7f handicap.

His trainer explained: "He ran really well at Hamilton on his first run and chipped a knee and was off for six months.

"He ran quite well at Lingfield last time but we were hoping that he might be a bit better on turf – and he's proved that.

"I'm pleased for his owner, Mr Mohamdi in Dubai. He's been very patient and it's great he's been rewarded."

John Quinn: 'we were hoping that he might be a bit better on turf – and he's proved that'Credit: Pool

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