Onesmoothoperator lands November Handicap
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Brian Ellison made the most of switch to the all-weather for the Virgin Bet November Handicap as Onesmoothoperator enjoyed a fortuitous victory.
The contest is usually the finale of the British Flat season on the turf at Doncaster, but flooding forced the fixture on to Newcastle’s synthetic surface instead.
The move inspired Ellison to enter his five-year-old in the race and veto an intended run in a Sedgefield novices’ hurdle.
The decision proved a wise one as Onesmoothoperator, who had raced in midfield under Ben Robinson, snuck through on the inside rail in the final furlong.
From there he locked horns with Charlie Johnston’s Struth but came out on top to succeed at odds of 15-2 by a neck.
Ellison said “We weren’t even going to run him in it until it got switched to here, we were going to take him to Sedgefield for a novice hurdle!
“We bought him to go hurdling. This has been a lucky race for me, I’ve won it three times now.
“He likes it here, though, he needs them to go a strong gallop and he got a brilliant ride. He made his move around the top bend and you know you have to be up the rail.
“I think the horse has deserved a big one because he’s a funny one, you have to ride him for luck. Luckily enough today they got racing early and it all worked out.
“More than likely we’ll still go hurdling but he must have good ground. He’s an absolutely brilliant jumper.
“We’ve run him once over hurdles but they absolutely walked round and that was no good to him, he finished second. We might give him a pop just for a change. We’ll see what’s around.”
Listed success for Mukkadamah
Mukaddamah registered her first victory of the season with a taking success in the Virgin Bet Irish EBF Gillies Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle ahead of her likely retirement.
A debut winner on the Tapeta at Wolverhampton, she had not managed to get her head in front since but she had been running to a decent level.
Twice second in Listed company this season at York and Yarmouth, she signed off for the season in perfect fashion.
Having travelled smoothly into contention, Jim Crowley bided his time before waiting for the perfect moment to put the race to bed, which came just over a furlong out and she skipped three and three-quarter lengths clear.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, said: “I haven’t confirmed it with Roger, but it was always the plan to try to make her a stakes winner before she retired and given we are now in November, I imagine that will be it.
“It’s great to get it done, she’s been a very consistent filly and held her form well all year.
“She’s done us proud but she needed that all-important win on her record and now she has it.”
Tacarib Bay back to winning ways
Tacarib Bay (left) got the better of Sense Of Duty
Sense Of Duty was all the rage in the other Listed race on the card, the Virgin Bet Wentworth Stakes, but she could not reel in Tacarib Bay (8-1) who showed a smart turn of foot.
Richard Hannon’s four-year-old had not won since Haydock in July 2022, but he had been set some stiff tasks in big handicaps in the interim.
William Buick, replacing the injured Cieren Fallon on Sense Of Duty, got the favourite rolling early but Sean Levey had first run on Tacarib Bay and held on by three-quarters of a length.
Guy Antsey, Hannon’s representative, said: “He’s always had a lot of ability, he ran in the Guineas. We left the headgear off today and Sean rode him for a bit of luck.
“He keeps threatening to do something and it’s nice he’s gone and done it.
“Now he’s got his head in front, the boss might roll away through the winter.”
Another recent winner for Lee Westwood
Mick and David Easterby are not renowned for first-time-out winners but Diligent Resdev knew his job in the first division of the six-furlong Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Cock O’The North EBF Maiden Stakes.
Sent off at 33-1, he had all the right horses behind with representatives from Andrew Balding, David Simcock and William Haggas in his wake.
He is part-owned by golfer Lee Westwood, who said: “I don’t think that was expected but Billy (Garrity) was more confident than David, Billy rides him all the time.
“He did it really well, I think he was on the best part of the track but there were some very expensive horses in that race, costing the best part of half a million. He cost 5,500 guineas, which is a lot for us northerners!
“I’ve been at Musselburgh on Wednesday, Hexham on Friday and a few more coming up, I’m involved in about 20 now which is too many really. I’m getting carried away – I need to go back and play some golf.
“What can a golfer do in his off-season? Horse racing is perfect.”
The opening Virgin Bet Training Series Final Apprentice Handicap went the way of Alex Fielding on Richard Fahey’s Sir Maxi (17-2).
“I’ve waited all year for a winner and now I’ve had two in two days!” said Fielding.
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