Data Protection lands poignant success

Horse Racing

Graham Clark
August 23, 2020 5:15 pm

William Muir’s good run continues.

Data Protection moved closer to an outing in next month’s Cambridgeshire at Newmarket following a poignant success in the Betway Handicap at Sandown.

Having captured the Silver Cambridgeshire at the Rowley Mile 12 months ago, he is likely to return to the track for a shot at the heritage handicap on September 26.

Racing prominently throughout the 10-furlong contest, the 14-1 shot showed a commendable attitude under Nicola Currie to defeat High End by three-quarters of a length.

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Winning trainer William Muir said: “Sadly one of his former owners Tony Byrne died this week. Even when he was bought out last year he still followed the yard and how the horse was doing.

“The horse was a naughty little lad as a baby but he has got stronger and his mental attitude is so much better.

“I was thinking of the Cambridgeshire as we won the Silver Cambridgeshire with him last year. This horse is now competing in strong handicaps and he is getting better.”

Blue De Vega may be in the twilight of his career but the admirable seven-year-old appears to be in the form of his life after completing a hat-trick with an easy success in the Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap.

Greg Chung, assistant to trainer Robert Cowell, said of the 7-2 chance: “I suppose you could say he is a late maturing horse!

“If anything he has started to improve in his style of running on his last three starts as he is travelling much better in his races.

“It’s quite a rare thing to have horses this old in Flat yards but Rob has had a few of them and it is nice as the owners and staff all get attached.”

One Ruler went one better than on his debut at the track with a front running length and a half success in the Betway Maiden Stakes to initiate a double for jockey William Buick.

The winning rider said of the Charlie Appleby-trained 2-1 shot: “The first day he was a little bit unlucky as he got a bump out of the gates and he was a little bit green.

“I think he has just made the natural progression like you always hope from their first to second start. He was much more streetwise today.”

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Maamora (14-1) completed Derby-winning rider Buick’s brace when prevailing by half a length in the Group Three Betway Atalanta Stakes.

A switch to hurdles could be on the agenda for William Knight’s Seinesational (8-1) who came from last to first to open his account for the campaign in the Read Andrew Balding On Betway Insider Handicap.

Knight said: “The instructions were to make all but it shows you what I know! Fair play to Jason Watson though as they went quite quick up front.

“He was very keen at Goodwood and didn’t get home and his run before that at Haydock he wasn’t quite right – but I knew we had him on form today.

“I didn’t put him in the Cesarewitch as he didn’t like it last year. Before today we were thinking of going over hurdles and we might just do that.”

A La Voile (2-1) was another to make it three wins for the season when toughing it out from the front to score by three-quarters of a length in the Betway Fillies’ Handicap.

James Horton, assistant to trainer Sir Michael Stoute, said: “She is a very straightforward and likeable filly. She stays the mile and a quarter very well and I think that is her trip.”