David Egan got his fractions spot on in front as Salamanca made most of the running to win the BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap at Newcastle.
Egan employed similar tactics 12 months ago to win on Elegant Man and this time teamed up with trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam in the colours of Peter Harris.
The four-year-old cost 335,000 guineas but his pedigree backs it up, being by Sea The Stars out of Awesometank, a smart filly for William Haggas who finished second in the Beverly D. Stakes.
Lightly raced, the 14/1 chance was having just his sixth start – it would have been one more but he took part in a void race at Chelmsford when the starting stalls failed to be removed from the track.
Penzance, Glen Buck and Charlotte’s Web were all close enough if good enough, but it was the favourite Old Harrovian who threw down the final challenge.
Oisin Murphy looked confident two furlongs from home but still had several lengths to make up.
Andrew Balding’s runner soon changed gear and was catching hand over fist, but the line came too soon and he failed by a neck, with a short head back to Charlotte’s Web.
Chapple-Hyam said: “It was well mapped out to come here for the championship and when you get a wide draw your six months of planning looks like it’s all down the gurgler, as I said to Mr Harris before the race.
Salamanca led them home in the Easter Classic
“It was an excellent ride, he clocked it properly in his head. We’re thrilled we’ve seen the horse that we believed in and how he’s trained at home. He’s a good horse.”
Of Harris, Chapple-Hyam added: “He never interferes, he’s solid as you like, he’s a great sounding board and I appreciate his support.”
Former trainer Harris said: “I enjoy most being on the gallops, that is the chief joy and this is the icing on the cake.”
Heavenly Heather springs 200/1 shock
Tracy Waggott’s Heavenly Heather caused a 200/1 sensation when winning the BetMGM Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Handicap.
Racing from 19lb out of the handicap, taking into account jockey Amie Waugh’s 3lb claim, Heavenly Heather faced what looked an impossible task on paper
Amie Waugh could not hide her joy after guiding Heavenly Heather to success
But she belied her odds to become the 12th horse since the turn of the century to strike at 200/1 in Britain. The longest-priced winner in UK history was 250/1 Equinoctial at Kelso in November 1990.
Heavenly Heather had failed to win in her five previous outings, but Waugh made great use of her draw in stall 14, sticking to the favoured rail in winning by half a length from Aramis Grey.
Coral’s John Hill said: “Heavenly Heather is one of the biggest priced winners in British horse racing history. Remarkably, we took just over 400 bets on the horse, so it has turned out to be a Good Friday for those punters today.”
The winner was named after the late mother of part-owner Chris Rain, who said: “My mum, Heather, passed away a year ago and she named this horse before she died. We was not expecting this – we would have been happy with sixth!”
Spennymoor-based Waggott said: “Marvellous, I can’t believe it. She’s always been a good horse at home, but she’s heavy topped and heavy framed and takes all the work you can give her.
“When I entered I said it was a £750 entry fee but I’m sure she’ll be in the first six. I thought if you took the top two out it’s just like a basic Class Four handicap.
“She was green and backward and took a while to get used to racing. She’s a chestnut filly and her own woman, but I knew there was improvement in her.
“It was so exciting because we didn’t really expect it, but I did think she could be in the first six.”
Berkshire Whisper sparks Royal Ascot dreams
Berkshire Whisper provided Balding with another victory in the BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap at Newcastle.
The Dark Angel colt had only made his debut in January and Balding managed to get two further qualifying runs into him, which he won.
Running off a mark of 89, he looks a good bit ahead of the handicapper based on this clear-cut success under Murphy.
Oisin Murphy triumphed aboard Berkshire Whisper
Sent off the 9/2 favourite in what looked a wide-open affair on paper, Murphy kept things simple and was never far from the pace, kicking for home a furlong out to win by a length and a quarter from Master Technician.
Murphy and Balding combined to win with Fire Demon 12 months ago, the first year the race was run as a handicap.
Owner Paul Spickett said: “That was brilliant, Oisin gave him a peach of a ride – that was class.
“We didn’t come here for the weather, let’s put it that way. He’s been a bit green, but he’s been doing well and the last time we brought him up here was just to see whether he was good on the course.
“I think he’s got a lot to give. I’ll have to get the top hat and tails brushed off and see where we go, maybe a Commonwealth Cup, who knows? We might give him another run beforehand, just to be sure as we don’t want to make ourselves look stupid, but I think we’ll be there.
“Andrew will know what to do, I have faith in him.”
The bang-in-form Balding made it a double on the day when Storm Star (5/2 favourite) landed a course and distance hat-trick in the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap.
Ridden twice to victory by the now-retired Hayley Turner at the turn of the year, Jason Watson was on board on this occasion.
Balding’s wife, Anna Lisa, said: “We’re absolutely delighted, what a little star he is. He’s a huge favourite of everyone’s at home and obviously having a winner like this for Jeff (Smith, owner) is fantastic.
“He is in the Lockinge. At this time of year it isn’t quite as strong as it looks and it was a bit of a ‘let’s put him in and see’ situation, but now I think Jeff and Andrew might have to have a chat about it.”
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