Sizzler burns off City And Suburban rivals

Simon Milham
April 19, 2022 5:19 pm

Epsom success for David Menuisier’s charge.

David Menuisier has his string in excellent form and Soto Sizzler came home strongly to collar Achelois in the City And Suburban Handicap Stakes at Epsom.

Ryan Moore was at his supreme best on the 7-2 chance, who had run well enough in Listed company at Kempton on his seasonal bow to put him spot on.

The seven-year-old took charge well inside the final furlong to score going away in the 10-furlong contest, despite the official winning distance of a neck. Love Is Golden was a further five lengths back in third.

He loves this place!
Soto Sizzler strikes in the GBP 50,000 City And Suburban Handicap for the flying @DavidMenuisier team under a good Ryan Moore ride at @EpsomRacecourse pic.twitter.com/C5u4tApI1q
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 19, 2022

Menuisier said: “I think this horse is more versatile than people think. It is just the programme that has meant he has come back here.

“He won at Newmarket and he is effective on a nice course. It just depends on conditions, really.

“Funnily enough, he is seven and he keeps on improving.

“I think his right trip is one-mile-three (furlongs), but coming here over a mile and two, it is quite quick. We need to get him to travel better. We have tried blinkers and a visor and he wasn’t really facing them, so I thought why not use cheekpieces, so I feel I have done my job – even if it didn’t work!

“I thought he travelled better this time and was hard on the bridle, and it was just a matter of finding the gap.

“I had the option to run him in the Rosebery Handicap (at Kempton) yesterday, but he we want to run him in the big handicap on Oaks day and that is what I think we hope to do.”

On the 75th anniversary of the first-ever photo finish in the Great Metropolitan Handicap, it was fitting there was was another in this year’s renewal.

Going Gone and Pat Cosgrave won Great Metropolitan Handicap (John Walton/PA)

Going Gone was arguably the most popular winner of the day, with a large local crowd cheering home the Jim Boyle-trained winner.

The 100-30 favourite showed guts galore as Pat Cosgrave scraped paint all the way on the four-year-old, who had course and distance winning form last year.

He held on well to repel Mascat by a head, with Solent Gateway a neck further back in third.

Boyle said: “It is lovely to get off the mark for the year. We gave all the horses a winter off and didn’t have an all-weather campaign this year and they have come back and been running fine.

“This is the first one we have started getting nervous about, because it is a big race on our home track and it is lovely to carry it off.

“We always knew we would make it or sit second or third. Patsy is a super jockey and knows the horse well and this is probably not his track, as he is a big, rangy, long-striding, galloping horse and he won here despite the track, not because of it.

“He will stay further and he is progressive. He has a great pedigree and we have taken our time with him. We have brilliant owners who are as patient as you like. They are very pragmatic when it goes wrong and love the game when it goes right. So I’m delighted for them.

“He’s a horse we can take some nice places, anyway.”

Blueberry Hill gave John Gosden a welcome winner under Frankie Dettori in the Spring Meeting Novice Stakes (John Walton/PA)

Blueberry Hill (9-4) showed plenty of battling spirit to win the Spring Meeting Novice Stakes for John and Thady Gosden.

Third of 10 in a minor event at Doncaster over seven furlongs three weeks ago, the step up to a mile clearly helped the son of Showcasing as Frankie Dettori’s mount showed plenty of determination to wear down Schmilsson (7-4 favourite) and score by a length.

Gosden said: “The step up in trip has certainly helped him.”

Two-time champion pony racer and crack apprentice Harry Davies enlisted the help of fellow jockey David Egan before riding Mokaatil to success in the five-furlong Indigenous Handicap.

The Ian Williams-trained seven-year-old had landed the Dash over course and distance last year, but had not been fully wound up on his first couple of starts this term.

Mokaatil gave Harry Davies his first winner on his first ride at the track (John Walton/PA)

The 7lb claimer followed instructions to the letter as he burst through late to collar long-time leader Just That Lord and get the better of Thegreatestshowman (14-1) and Pettochside (50-1) to score by a length and a half.

“It was nice to get that win,” said Davis. “That is a really fast five, probably the fastest five furlongs in the country.

“I thought this horse had a really nice, fighting chance today. Obviously, he is a Dash winner, so we knew he wasn’t lacking any speed.

“Throughout the race I thought they were going pretty quick early and he actually found himself a little bit off his toes, but he’s plugged on well and he is very genuine. He is a pleasure to ride and I’m just happy to have got the job done.

“Mr Williams told me to speak to David Egan who has ridden him a few times. He told me to get a lead into the race and stick to that rail as much as you can, because the camber can just take you away a little bit and they can begin to wander.

“It is a great experience riding a winner at Epsom and I’m just pleased to have got it in the bag.”

There was a first winner at the track on his first visit for jockey Benoit de la Sayette, as he took the one-mile Warren Handicap Stakes with New Pursuit.

The Kevin Philippart de Foy-trained son of New Bay was a debut course winner at two and had run well in a Nottingham nursery on his last start, six months ago.

New Pursuit gave Benoit de la Sayette his first winner at the iconic course (John Walton/PA)

He looked to have strengthened up and underlined his potential, wearing down Pub Crawl (17-2) to score by a length and a quarter.

The winning rider has taken his time to return to action following a six-month ban for testing positive for cocaine, but there was no hiding his delight.

He said: “It is amazing to ride at a track where one of the greatest races in history is run. To have a winner on my first day here is unbelievable.

“I worked my head off at the yard to make everyone see what I want is there. I am over the moon to be back and I just want to do my best for everyone.

“He picked up beautifully and put the race to bed beautifully.”