Sky Bet Sunday Series: Derry Lad foiled in bid for £100,000 bonus
By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Derry Lad made a bold bid to win his connections a £100,000 bonus at the Sky Bet Sunday Series fixture at Haydock before falling short.
The six-figure bonus sum is on offer to the connections of the first horse to win three times across the Series, and the five-year-old Irish raider, trained by Kevin Coleman, looked like he might hit the jackpot when looming into contention in the closing stages of the Sky Bet Sunday Series Middle Distance Handicap.
However, it was In The Breeze, trained by Mick Appleby and ridden by Tom Marquand, who stayed on strongest to take the spoils. Derry Lad faded to be third after trading about 2/5 in-running.
haydock-park
17:15 Haydock-Park - Sunday August 6
Blow Your Horn, trained by Ian Williams, is also in contention for the £100,000 bonus. He was withdrawn from the final race because of the testing ground.
Derry Lad and Blow Your Horn still have one further opportunity to scoop the bonus at the final Sky Bet Sunday Series fixture at Sandown in a fortnight.
Evaluation came within inches of scooping the bonus last year, gaining two wins before being beaten a nose at Sandown.
Marquand and Ralph Beckett were crowned top jockey and trainer, respectively, at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and both had more reason to celebrate, with the former taking the MND Association Jockey Cup and £10,000 prize.
Marquand swept from last to first on Dark Trooper in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Sprint Handicap before his victory on In The Breeze, while Forever Blue made a taking winning debut in the Race to a Cure for Mnd Newcomers' Restricted Maiden Stakes for the in-form Beckett under Hector Crouch, who went on to complete a double with the help of Nigiri in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Fillies' Handicap.
Market leader Manila Scouse (7/4) took the Sky Bet Sunday Series Apprentice Handicap under Oliver Stammers for Tim Easterby, with Nellie Leylax grinding out victory in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Nursery Handicap.
The closing Sky Bet Sunday Series Stayers Handicap was landed by Zimmerman. Marquand was third on Nathanael Greene, edging him ahead of Crouch in the battle to be top jockey on the day.
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