Dream victory for Sammy Jo Bell in Leger Legends event

Rider secures Doncaster charity race glory for a second time

Sammy Jo Bell steered Absolute Dream to victory to claim her second win in the Ubettabelieveit Leger Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster.

A field of 16 runners went to post for a charity race that is now the traditional feature on the opening day of the St Leger Festival, with each horse ridden by a retired jockey.

Those in contention included Grand National and Gold Cup-winning amateur Sam Waley-Cohen and six-times Flat champion Kieren Fallon, who was booked to ride 13-8 favourite Shine On Brendan, but it was Bell – successful in 2019 aboard Dubai Acclaim – who once again emerged triumphant.

Absolute Dream, already a dual winner for Richard Fahey this year and third on his most recent appearance at Epsom last week, was an 11-1 chance for a one-mile contest run to raise funds for the National Horseracing College and the Injured Jockeys Fund’s Jack Berry House.

Bell, who announced her retirement from the saddle in 2018 at the age of 27, was happy to bide her time – settling Absolute Dream towards the rear early on before guiding Absolute Dream to the lead inside the final furlong.

The pair were ultimately well on top as they passed the post with a length and a quarter in hand over the Adrian Nicholls-ridden Dougies Dream, with Night Bear – partnered by former champion jockey Seb Sanders – close up in third.

Absolute Dream (left) triumphed at Doncaster
Absolute Dream (left) triumphed at Doncaster (Tim Goode/PA)

Bell said: “It’s a fantastic day and it’s a great atmosphere, even though I did feel a bit sick beforehand! When I jumped out the stalls, I was fine.

“It is competitive, I’m very competitive and that’s the problem. If I’m going to do it, I want to win, I don’t just want to take part.

“It’s for a fantastic cause, the IJF have been so good to me and so has Richard throughout my career. The owner has been so supportive as well, I rode for the same owner last time so that’s really good.

“I think I should retire now and leave it on a high – they ask me every year and I say no and they find a way of talking me round! But it’s all good, there’s no buzz like that, nothing replaces that feeling.”

Nicholls was having to settle for the runner-up spot again and said: “I’ve been second before and now second again!

“The horse has given me a nice spin round, this is always really good fun and it’s for a great cause.”

Sanders admitted the race had proved a real test of his fitness.

He said: “I think the I got tired long before the horse – it was awful, absolutely awful. It’s a bit of a lung burner but I’ll be all right.”

Waley-Cohen had to settle for 10th aboard Sandy Paradise but enjoyed his rare Flat outing.

He said: “It was great fun to be fair. I had a nice spin round, it’s for a fantastic cause and it’s been great to be a part of it.”

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