Sky Bet Sunday Series: Beasley scoops £10,000 top jockey award

Connor Beasley scooped the £10,000 bonus for winning The Jockey Cup on the first Sky Bet Sunday Series fixture of the year at Musselburgh.

The in-form rider had six rides on the seven-race card and managed to secure a double, plus also picked up points for finishing third aboard Myconian.

The scoring system for The Jockey Cup is 10 points for 1st, 5 points for 2nd and 3 points for third, and Beasley snatched the prize by winning the final race on the card aboard 14-1 chance The Thin Blue Line having guided Elim to victory in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Fillies' Handicap earlier on the card.

Rising star of the weighing room, Billy Loughnane, swiftly gained an advantage by landing the opener aboard 7-4 favourite Jer Batt and came within touching distance of securing the £10,000 bonus when finishing second in the finale.

That result meant he picked up five points to finish a clear runner-up, but needed to finish in front of Beasley in the final race to win the trophy.

"It was nip and tuck towards the last race," Beasley said when speaking to Frankie Foster on Raceday TV.

"It was heads up and heads down regarding who was going to get it.

"I had a bit of luck on my side and good bunch of rides today. I've come out the right end!

"As soon as I've had that armband on, a few of the lads are giving you a bit jip and there's a good bit of banter about it.

"When there is £10,000 on the line, there is a bit more determination."

The Jockey Cup is one of a number of exciting new initiatives during this year's Sky Bet Sunday Series, with £10,000 up for grabs at each fixture for the jockey who amasses the most points.

Earlier on the card, Love Billy Boy created a big impression by winning the Race To A Cure For MND EBF Novice Stakes on debut.

Richard Hannon's youngster showed a good attitude under pressure and won with a bit to spare under Sean Levey. The Invincible Army colt looks one to follow, and can be added to your Racing TV Tracker here.

The Motor Neurone Disease Association is the new charity partner for this year's Sky Bet Sunday Series which will help raise awareness and invite people to support the association.

MND representative Ian Gardner spoke to Tom Stanley on Racing TV at Musselburgh on Sunday to discuss how important it is to raise awareness.

Gardner said: "It is really important that MND, and the fight against MND, remains in the public eye, and that awareness can be built upon.

"Racing TV and the Sky Bet Sunday Series provides us with the opportunity, through the course of this summer, to continue to raise awareness amongst the racing community and those watching on the television, and on the back of that, raise vital funds that we can use in the fight against MND, which is equally as important.

"MND is not incurable, it's just underfunded, and the vital work that we can do through the charitable support that this Sunday Series provides us will enable us to continue to invest in research, to develop new treatments, and to ultimately realise a cure."