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Salisbury Hoping For Another Classic Finale
22/09/08

Racegoers have one more chance to enjoy a thrilling afternoon of racing at Salisbury Racecourse this season when the popular Wiltshire venue stages its final fantastic fixture of 2008 on Wednesday, October 1.

Salisbury RacecourseThe season finale is not to be missed as racing fans enjoyed a real feast at the corresponding race-day last year, with a future Classic heroine and a pair of subsequent Royal Ascot winners on show.

Oaks winner Look Here, who stormed up the Epsom hill for a famous victory under Seb Sanders in June, has been one of the stars of the current Flat season. The Ralph Beckett-trained filly took her first step on the road to Classic glory at Salisbury last October.

The 2007 renewal of the EBF/Allied Irish Bank (GB) Southampton Maiden Stakes (Division I) (2.30pm) over a mile, marked the star filly’s first career start and she showed her undoubted class with a two and a half-length defeat of subsequent Group Three Chester Vase winner and Derby fourth Doctor Fremantle.

Division II of the EBF/Allied Irish Bank (GB) Southampton Maiden went to the Barry Hills-trained Huzzah who landed a pair of smart handicaps in the spring, while the runner-up, Meer Kat, transferred to the US and has since finished third in both the Grade Three Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Turf Paradise Derby.

The EBF/Coors Brewers Novice Stakes (3pm) is another race not to be missed after last year’s contest produced a pair of Royal Ascot winners. The Roger Charlton-trained Fifteen Love took the spoils in the seven-furlong contest, proving a length and a quarter too good for Collection, trained by William Haggas.

At Royal Ascot in June, Fifteen Love raced to victory in the Britannia Handicap and just 35 minutes later, Collection was cheered on his return to the Royal winner’s enclosure after success in the Listed Hampton Court Stakes. Fifteen Love also went on to capture the prestigious totesport Mile at Glorious Goodwood.

The entertaining seven-raced card kicks off with the Bathwick Tyres Lady Riders Series Handicap (2pm), while the feature event is the £14,500 Winterthur Life Conditions Stakes (4.05pm) for two-year-olds over six furlongs.

The action also includes the Begbies Traynor Claiming Stakes (3.35pm), the £8,000 Wood BMW Handicap (4.40pm) and the concluding “See You 3rd May 2009" Handicap (5.10pm).

Salisbury has a great tradition of showcasing young horses taking their first steps on the road to big-race glory and the course has continued that trend this year.

Among the classy juveniles to have raced at the course this season, Elnawin takes high order. The Richard Hannon-trained colt broke his maiden at Salisbury in July and went on to complete a hat-trick in the Group Three toteswinger Sirenia Stakes at Kempton on September 6.

The Tom Dascombe-trained Classic Blade won the K J Pike & Sons Ltd Auction Stakes at the course in June before a superb success in the Group Two TNT July Stakes at Newmarket, while Snoqualmie Girl, trained by David Elsworth, triumphed in the Listed Weatherbys Bank Stonehenge Stakes and subsequently took second behind the current 1,000 Guineas favourite Rainbow View in Doncaster’s Group Two May Hill Stakes.

The Listed Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes, run over six furlongs in June, once again pointed the way to future Group One success. Sakhee’s Secret took the prize en route to collecting the Darley July Cup in 2007 and this year Borderlescott finished runner-up to Edge Closer before going on to land the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes in August.

Ordnance Row won Salisbury’s season feature, the Group Three toteswinger Sovereign Stakes, having finished runner-up the previous year in the race, which is the showpiece of the racecourse’s two-day Salisbury Splendour - Summer Festival. Second-placed Laa Rayb went on to secure the Group Three Prix Quincey at Deauville next time.

Other smart horses to have won at the track in 2008 include the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Main Aim, Sakhee’s Secret’s half-brother Palace Moon, the useful Oratory and Roger Charlton’s exciting two-year-old Cityscape, who sluiced up by nine lengths in the EBF Portway Novice Stakes on September 4.

With one meeting remaining, Richard Hughes has a significant lead in the race to be leading rider at the course this campaign. Hughes has partnered 11 winners at Salisbury, five more than his nearest rivals Steve Drowne and Dane O’Neill.

Local trainer Richard Hannon, Hughes’ number one patron and father-in-law, has already clinched the distinction of being top trainer at the course with 15 successes on the board, eight more than Andrew Balding, whose fantastic season is reflected in the seven winners he has saddled at Salisbury. Oaks-winning trainer Ralph Beckett, based at nearby Whitsbury, has sent out five winners.

From a total of 102 races at the course in 2008, 36 favourites or joint-favourites have been victorious - a strike-rate of 35.2 per cent.

Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course at Salisbury Racecourse, said: “We’ve enjoyed a pleasing season here at Salisbury with the usual show of nice horses competing, both two-year-olds and older horses.

“Elnawin is probably the best two-year-old we have seen at Salisbury this year so it will be interesting to see how he, along with the likes of Snoqualmie Girl, progresses.

“Every season, I look for one horse to get excited about for the future and this year it is Cityscape. He was very impressive when winning here by nine lengths earlier this month and hopefully he can be another Salisbury graduate that goes on to triumph at the highest level.

“We started out with fast ground early in the season and that turned to soft as we had a wet summer, but we have enjoyed a dry spell recently.

“The crowds are down around 10 per cent pro rata and I put that down to the economic climate rather than the weather as last summer wasn’t great either. Despite that, we are pleased with the season and look forward to an exciting climax on October 1.”

Salisbury’s first fixture of 2009 takes place on May 3.

Admission Prices: Day Member £18; Tattersalls Enclosure £11; Course Enclosure £6; Accompanied children under 16 are admitted free and all car parking is free. Tickets can be booked online for a 10% discount at www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk

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