Melrose Stakes: Improving Hamish proves hero for Haggas

Watch a full replay of the Melrose plus Lydia Hislop's interview with winning jockey James Doyle.

Hamish looked a promising young stayer in the making as he won the right to run in next year’s Ebor with victory in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York.

Owned and bred by trainer William Haggas’ father, Brian, the son of Motivator knuckled down well to beat the favourite First In Line on only his fourth start.

Ridden by James Doyle, Hamish (7-1) got home by three-quarters of a length, with Land Of Oz a length and a quarter away in third.

“He ran at Newbury over a mile and a quarter last time. The trip was a bit short and the ground a bit firm. If we’ve had soft ground that day we’d have got away with it,” said Haggas’ wife and assistant, Maureen.

“This trip is what he’s bred for. He always feels he’s going to be better with a bit of cut. We just thought going an extra four furlongs would negate the ground problem so we thought we’d give it a go and find out.

“We wouldn’t want to run him on this ground too often because he’s a light horse and he’s light on his feet. Hopefully, we’ll get away with it.

“I don’t think he needs much more racing this year. We’ll see, but this is his trip. We’ll try to get him on a bit softer ground and maybe one or two more races this year and keep him for next year.

“He’s a nice horse and he’s getting better, he’s not straightforward, but you couldn’t fault the way he raced today.”

Haggas himself was at Goodwood, from where he said: "He was very brave and I thought he did well to win. He is bred to get that sort of distance. He did well, as I thought the ground might be a bit fast for him, but we got away with it.

"It was a mile and quarter last time, but the new novice system forces you to run in races that are possibly not ideal. It was a strong race, but he did well and won.

"He has won and earned his ticket for next year's Ebor and is owned and bred by a Yorkshireman. I'm thrilled to bits. I'm not sure about two miles for him, but a mile and six looked good today.

"He will campaign at that sort of distance. I don't know what to do next, I'm just chuffed to bits he has won today."