Nottingham Wednesday review: Apprentice Jockeys Championship leader Joe Leavy rides winner

Leavy ends cold spell

Joe Leavy admitted it was a "great relief" to extend to his lead at the top of the Apprentice Jockeys Championship after making his sole ride at Nottingham a winning one aboard Assaranca.

In recent weeks the 20-year-old has seen his advantage at the top of the table reduced by his nearest pursuer, Jack Doughty, after enduring a recent dry spell in the saddle during October.

However, Leavy, who last year finished runner-up to Sean D Bowen in the championship, which ends on Saturday, stretched his lead out to five winners when steering the Richard Hannon-trained 11/1 chance to glory by a length and a quarter in the Close Brothers Asset Finance Nursery Handicap.

Leavy said: “I was riding plenty of winners up until this month. I’ve been getting lots of rides without having any winners so it was a great relief to get that one over the line.

“We have always had a good lead, but in that dry spell we have had Jack (Doughty) has been riding well. I’ve been really frustrated coming home from the races recently, but that was a confidence booster.

“To extend my lead going into the last few days is massive. I’m grateful to be the one getting hunted and not trying to hunt. This win was richly deserved for the filly as she is a super trier and she stays well.”

Gosdens warm up for Champions Day

John and Thady Gosden are currently putting the finishing touches to their team for Qipco British Champions Day, however they could have a smart filly on their hands in Iceni Queen, who ruled supreme in the PricedUp EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes.

After finishing a staying on fourth on her debut on the all-weather at Chelmsford City earlier this month the daughter of Cracksman readily built on that effort switched to turf with an impressive front running seven length success in the extended mile contest.

Benoit De La Sayette, winning rider, said of the 4/1 chance: “She finished off her race really well at Chelmsford. With her draw today in stall one I thought the best idea was to go forward and make the pace for the race.

“With her previous experience she was very settled and focussed out in front. I gave her a squeeze just outside the two furlong pole to put the race to bed and she has gone and done exactly that.

“She has got a lot of growing up and strengthening to do, but she will be a nice filly for races over a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half next year.”

Cup joy for St Lawes

Progressive stayer St Lawes left his jubilant owner Julian Reed ‘thrilled to bits’ after getting the better of an entertaining battle to run out the winner of the Close Brothers Colwick Cup at Nottingham.

Arriving on the back of a win on the all-weather at Kempton Park on his first start over two miles, the Emma Lavelle-trained three-year-old once again underlined that stamina is his forte when scoring over the same trip in the £20,000 feature.

Travelling well in the hands of David Egan throughout the race the 10/1 chance set sail for home past long-time leader Call My Bluff, and the equally prominently ridden Nathanael Greene, inside the final three furlongs.

However, having worked his way to the front St Mawes was forced to roll up his sleeves late on with three-time course winner Rock N Roll Pinkie swiftly following him through to set up a late tussle between the pair.

For a fleeting moment it looked as though Rock N Roll Pinkie was set to collect course success number four after edging ahead under Hector Crouch inside the final furlong.

But it was not to be, with St Mawes rallying gamely to the cause inside the last furlong before going on to prevail by half-a-length to supply Egan with his second winner on the card after earlier scoring aboard Loughville (5/1) in the Close Brothers Premium Finance Handicap.

Reed, who lives just outside Cardiff, said: “We are thrilled to bits with that. We enjoyed winning last time out at Kempton Park, but we didn’t quite know what would happen this time back on turf, however I thought it was a good performance and he battled well.

“He stayed on well today and this time he actually jumped well as traditionally he normally loiters at the back.

“Emma and her team have done a lovely job with him and I’m really pleased. We thought there was talent with him, but it has been unlocking that ability and it now seems to have clicked at last. The feedback after his last win was that he had come on again.

“I thought we were beaten and I thought the other horse, after getting ahead, was going to beat us, but he battled back which was brilliant to see. I was banging my fists up and down on the rail shouting him on. I’m thrilled to bits.

“The original thought after Kempton Park was to see if he could do it again and then have a break and give him some time off over the winter before bringing him back next year, but we will chat to Emma and see what we will do.”

Expensive Unit comes good

Return To Unit was described as a "little playboy" after making it third time lucky on the track in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.

Purchased for 900,000 guineas as a yearling, the Roger Varian-trained Kingman gelding finally came good under Ray Dawson in the extended mile test.

Racing up with the pace throughout, the 9/2 chance found plenty for pressure to defeat My Fermoy by a length.

Dawson said: “He just needed a couple of runs to come to the fore. He was sure of himself today and he was a little playboy. He was obviously enjoying himself.

“He was an expensive yearling so it was nice that he could get that win under his name. He stayed that extended mile well and he loved the great. A mile and a quarter will be no issue for him and hopefully it is now onwards and upwards for him."

More from Sporting Life

• Free bets
• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.