Haydock© Photo Healy Racing
Nellie Leylax was cheered home by his enthusiastic bunch of local owners to win the £100,000 Betfred Silver Bowl at Haydock.
Given a positive ride by Pierre-Louis Jamin, who was partnering him to a fifth win from just seven rides, the Tom Dascombe-trained gelding never looked like getting beaten.
Jamin took two lengths out of the field well over two furlongs from home and put the race to bed a long way out to win as the 9-2 joint-favourite.
Involvement burst out of the pack to claim second but was beaten by a length and a half.
Owned by Millennial Racing and named after syndicate member Scott Burkert’s gran Nellie Leyland (his sire his Calyx), syndicate manager and Tom Dascombe’s assistant Arthur Owen indicated the Britannia at Royal Ascot would be next, if the ground is soft enough.
Jamin said: “The only time I’ve been beaten on him was when the ground wasn’t soft enough for him.
“He’s been a great horse for the owners, the first horse they ever bought and he was impressive today, it was perfect conditions for him though. There might be more to come, definitely on softer ground.
“Tom’s been great to me for the past couple of years, we had a good winner at Chester and it’s nice to get another big one.”
Ed Walker has his string in rude health and his English Oak booked his spot at Royal Ascot with a very straightforward success in the Betfred Hattrick Heaven New Boston Handicap.
Second at Newmarket first time out, he had no trouble winning as the 8-11 favourite under Oisin Murphy, who confirmed the Buckingham Palace Stakes would be his likely target.
Murphy said: “The unknown was the ground but he’s by Wootton Bassett. He’s clearly a horse with a high level of ability and I don’t think I had to get too serious with him today.
“I’m delighted for his owner (David Ward) who has had good horses in the past like Starman and this guy is going the right way.
“He’d be a good ride in something like the Buckingham Palace, Ed mentioned this morning he hoped he could win and that would set him up for the race.”
The former champion jockey was also successful aboard Hugo Palmer’s Nariko (11-2) in the Betfred Double Delight Edge Green Handicap.
An expensive breeze-up purchase in April 2023, she may finally be about to deliver on that promise.
“She cost 600,000 guineas at the breeze and that looked a stacked little race, but Hugo hasn’t had her long and thought the ground would be in her favour today,” said Murphy.
“She relaxed very well and if she continues to do that, hopefully she’ll progress.”
Harry Eustace has some thinking to do regarding a target for Divine Comedy (3-1 favourite) who was an easy five-and-a-half-length winner of the Betfred Nifty 50 Hell Nook Handicap under Kaiya Fraser.
“She was impressive there but I haven’t thought past today because two miles at Kempton and two miles on this ground is a different kettle of fish,” said Eustace.
“I didn’t know if she stayed it well enough but she loved the ground and stayed the trip.
“Being a filly, black type is the ultimate aim at some point and I’m sure the handicapper will have a say after that.
“The Ascot Stakes has crossed my mind but we will look at France as well. She’s not in the Northumberland Plate but something like the Doncaster Cup down the line might appeal.”
