Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse has seen its share of useful juveniles in 2019, with A’Ali, Spartan Fighter and Under The Stars all going on to high profile victories elsewhere and the winner of the opening 6f Novice Fillies contest, Final Option, looks another very nice prospect. William Muir’s filly showed her inexperience in the early stages but scorched clear in the final furlong under PJ McDonald to win impressively.
Four Wheel Drive, only collared late on when second at Beverley last month, went one better in the 5f Seller for David Brown and Graham Lee and Stormin Tom finally took advantage of his falling handicap mark in the 1m6f Handicap, showing a good attitude to fend off the persistent challenge of War Brigade to score under Duran Fentiman.
The feature contest, the David Chapman Memorial Handicap, went the way of Lahore and Paul Mulrennan. There could still be more to come from Philip Makin’s gelding, especially when there is cut in the ground.
It wouldn’t be a Ripon meeting without a David O’Meara or Danny Tudhope winner so it was no surprise when the pair hit the target with Southern Rock but there was a turn up for the books when Beyond The Clouds, a multiple bumper and hurdles winner, got the better of some apparently better fancied rivals to score.
PJ McDonald ended the afternoon as he began it, with a winner, this time on board Matewan for Ian Williams.