Feelings of frustration turned to ones of joy for trainer James Owen after Sportingsilvermine returned to winning ways with a tenacious success in the Betway Old Newton Cup Handicap.
The Newmarket handler cut out a frustrated figure earlier in the afternoon when Magnetude was called the runner-up in the Betway Bet £10 Get £40 Handicap, a result the Royal Ascot-winning handler now intends to appeal.
However, his spirits were lifted just over an hour later after the gelded son of Holy Roman Emperor set a new mile and a half course record time under man-of-the-moment Marco Ghiani, in the £125,000 prize.
All eyes before the race were on the William Haggas-trained Klassleader, who was sent off the 6/5 favourite to back up his last time out York success and strengthen his Sky Bet Ebor Handicap claims, but the writing was on the wall early on for the market leader.
While his race was over, up at the sharp end an entertaining battle was brewing up front between Sportingsilvermine and Paddy The Squire as the pair fought out the finish.
However, try as he might Paddy The Squire could not find a way past Sportingsilvermine, who was one of three runners in the race for Owen, with Ghiani booting his mount home by half a length.
Owen said: “He has had to be tough. We ran him at Newmarket last year on the Rowley Mile when we were chasing one of those Sunday Series races and he totally lost the plot going to post. He had been busy by then and he had been ridden a lot.
“This year we picked our targets with him. Marco rode him the last day at York. He was caught out wide, but he ran a massive race. Marco got off and said he needed a mile four. “He was keen the whole way, but he really toughed it out and never looked like getting beat.
“This horse would have gone to Haydock Park if the race would have been up there as he has northern owners. Burdett Road and Ammes have run well as they have nicked a bit of money which is perfect.”
And while Owen is keen to send Sportingsilvermine, who clocked a new course record time of two minutes 26.40 seconds, over hurdles, he admits his future very much lies on the Flat.
He added: “I wished my owner liked hurdles as he would make some hurdler! He is earning his corn on the Flat, and there will be plenty more races for him.
“A mile and a quarter to a mile and a half is where he needs to be. He needs those good races where they go a good gallop.”
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