Zak Wheatley excels to land valuable prize with all-the-way win on Emiyn

Saturday: Chester

He may have been positioned next to the city walls but jockey Zak Wheatley overcame the major disadvantage of a high draw with an excellent ride on Emiyn to land the biggest prize of his career in the £100,000 Deepbridge Watergate Cup.

The 5lb claimer broke from stall 16 of 16 on the Declan Carroll-trained five-year-old in the 2m2½f handicap and got out the gates quickly before tacking across to grab an early lead.

That is where he stayed throughout on Emiyn, and although Call My Bluff mounted a serious challenge close home, the 16-1 shot hung on by a head.

Wheatley, a graduate of the British Racing School who has been based with Carroll for three years, savoured the moment after winning the feature race of the track's season finale.

"It's brilliant for me and Declan and it means all the more to win it for the boss," said the 23-year-old.

"The horse loves the track and has handled the trip well. He towed me round, I gave him a kick early doors and he's just got home. The last half a furlong felt like a long time."

Carroll praised Wheatley for the all-the-way success and will consider next month's Club Godolphin Cesarewitch for Emiyn, who was cut to 25-1 (from 33-1) for the Newmarket marathon.

"Zak's given him a peach," said the trainer. "He got to the front and rode his own race, and although he kicked early enough, he knows what he's doing.

"The drop of rain helped and the softer the ground, the better. If it was soft we'd have to consider the Cesarewitch. He's had a tough race there, though, so we'd have to see how he comes out of it."

Alfred Boucher, who was sent off the 5-2 favourite after finishing second in last month's Ebor, lost his action and was pulled up.

The grey's trainer Ian Williams said: "He's damaged a ligament, but he's comfortable and the vets have looked after him remarkably well. He's okay and, while he'll have time on the sidelines, I'm sure we'll see him at a later date."

Big turnout

The number of runners was the largest at the track in 20 years, according to course officials.

A total of 97 horses were declared for the eight-race fixture, minus seven non-runners, with the 7½f handicap producing the biggest field at 16.

Jason Hart weaved his way through the traffic on the Tim Easterby-trained Devilwala to register a double having landed the 7½f novice earlier on Silent Monarch.

On Devilwala, the jockey said: "Tim said I wasn't to hit this horse as he looked like he was going to win at Ayr last time but finished second."

Lovely debut

Love Island stars Gemma Owen and Luca Bish were on hand to welcome back Stenton Glider after the 18-1 chance shocked 1-4 favourite Prepense in the 7f novice.

Michael Owen was all smiles alongside his daughter following the filly's debut success for his Manor House Stables operation.

Trainer Hugo Palmer said: "She was very green and did it all on raw ability. We'll keep an eye on the Montrose Stakes [at Newmarket on October 29], but she's a big filly who needs time to fill her frame and we hope she will be a black-type filly next year."

Replays, results and analysis

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