Tax makes sweet music in Symphony
Wednesday 22 August 2012
Symphony Group Handicap result and replay
1 Tax Free (A Nicholls) 7-1
2 Mass Rally (P Mulrennan) 12-1
3 Fitz Flyer (J Fanning) 20-1
Veteran sprinter Tax Free got Yorkshire off to the perfect start at the Ebor Festival by claiming a narrow victory in the Symphony Group Stakes at York.
A winner of 15 previous races for Thirsk handler David Nicholls, the 10-year-old was a 7-1 chance to secure his first victory of 2012, having finished second in Saturday's Great St Wilfrid Stakes at Ripon.
Ridden by the trainer's son, Adrian Nicholls, Tax Free was up with the pace from the outset and tenaciously pulled out all of the stops for a popular success. Mass Rally flew home from the rear to finish a neck second, with Fitz Flyer and Fratellino completing the places.
Nicholls jnr said: "He's getting old now, but we've come through the ranks together and he's a legend. If he was human, everyone would want to go to his party. He's so cool, he's a superstar.
"He tells us when he's right, and he came out kicking and squealing in the paddock (after his run at Ripon)."
Nicholls snr said: "He's 10 years of age and he ran at the weekend, but the owner persuaded me to run him again. It's great when you get to that age and are still able to perform at that level. He's a credit to the yard and he'll probably go for the Portland (at Doncaster) next."
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