Poppy picked for Lincoln aim
Friday 12 October 2012
Time waits for no man, as the old saying goes, which might explain why trainer Tim Easterby was quick to plan for next year with York winner No Poppy.
Few handlers in the North are better at playing the long game than Easterby, who is considering the first big prize of the 2013 season, the Lincoln Handicap, for No Poppy after her striking victory in the Acorn Web Offset Handicap
While most of his colleagues made a beeline for the near rail, 5lb claimer Adam Carter patiently stayed central along the track and this helped the 11-1 chance gain a slender lead inside the final furlong, after which she was not overly pressed in beating Credit Swap by a length and a quarter.
The Yorkshire handler said: "She was given a great ride. I told Adam to stay away from the rail because I didn't think that was the place to be. She loves that ground. Whether we get into the Lincoln, I don't know, but we'll probably have a look at something like that next year."
Connections of Godolphin's Prince Siegfried revealed far sunnier aspirations than a visit to Doncaster after his accomplished success in the Garbutt & Elliott Conditions Stakes. Mickael Barzalona's mount kept on earnestly for a length-and-a-quarter verdict over market rival Mijhaar.
Tommy Byrnes, representing trainer Saeed bin Suroor, said: "There's not a lot of options for him now, so we'll probably go to Meydan. He likes that heavy ground - this is his time of year."
Champion jockey Paul Hanagan also praised Polski Max's ability to handle the testing conditions after the partnership struck in the opening TSG Nursery. The ground was heavy, soft in places, a factor that helped the Richard Fahey-trained colt inflict a neck defeat on Shahdaroba.
"That soft ground was massively important to him - he goes through it so well," said Hanagan.
Educate, conversely, was thought unlikely to appreciate the mud in the Parsonage Hotel And Spa Handicap, but still came from last to first under a determined Jamie Spencer.
"He came here in brilliant form, but we were worried about the ground," said Danielle Fowkes, assistant to trainer Ismail Mohammed, who was having his first runner at York.
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