Scampi provides tasty York triumph for Turner

16-1 shot bags opening event on the Knavesmire.

Hayley Turner teamed up with Andrew Balding to win the first race at York in 2023 on Scampi.

The five-year-old had finished fifth in a recent pipe-opener at Epsom and stripped much fitter for the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap.

Carrying the colours of microshare ownership group RaceShare, Scampi was sent off at 16-1, but those who took that price were never unduly worried as Turner smuggled him into the race travelling extremely well with two furlongs to run.

Having hit the front a long way out, Scampi was kept up to his task and had plenty in hand in beating Sam Cooke by half a length, with favourite Real Dream another half a length away in third.

Anna Lisa Balding, the trainer’s wife, said: “It’s always difficult in these high-quality handicaps, but he is in really good form and has done nothing wrong at home.

“Hayley has given him a beautiful ride and he really deserves this, it’s fantastic and we are thrilled.

“It’s so great to see people (owners) who are so passionate. I’m getting lots of beeps (messages) from all our staff saying ‘I’m a winning owner’, so they’ve obviously invested as well!

“He’s travelled so well stepping back up in trip. Like all these handicappers, everything has got to be right on the day and today was his day. The trainer has done quite a good job!”

The Kevin Ryan-trained Bielsa got back on the winning trail in the Churchill Tyres Handicap.

Bielsa and Oisin Murphy (far side) strike gold at York
Bielsa and Oisin Murphy (far side) strike gold at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

The eight-year-old had not managed to get his head in front since lifting the 2021 Ayr Gold Cup, but as a result was 3lb lower in the weights ahead of his latest assignment on the Knavesmire.

Fresh from a runner-up finish on his seasonal bow at Redcar, Bielsa quickened up to grab the lead with over a furlong still to run in the hands of Oisin Murphy and had enough in hand to repel the challenge of Lethal Levi by a neck. The winner’s stablemate Magical Spirit was best of the rest in third.

“He’s done very well for us. He travelled very well today, Oisin probably thought he got there a little bit too soon but it’s great to see him come back and win a very nice prize,” said Ryan.

“He likes it here and he’s come back in very well after his winter break and progressed from his first run. Hopefully he can build on that

“He kept straight and true today, which he hasn’t always done, but he ran right through the line there so he hasn’t done much wrong.

“That was also a fabulous run from Magical Spirit as he wants the ground softer as it’s genuine good ground out there.”

Sean Levey was gifted on easy lead on Richard Hannon’s Dark Thirty (10-1) and took full advantage in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap.

Highly-tried as a juvenile after winning on his debut at Newbury, he looked one of the more exposed runners in the 14-runner field but just held on from the closing Catch The Paddy by a neck.

“He can be a bit gassy, but he’s a lovely horse who did ever so well on his first couple of starts as a two-year-old and probably reached his ceiling in the latter part of the year,” said Levey.

“He’s done well over the winter and got stronger and with every run he’s getting there.

“I think that sort of race (Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot) will suit him.”

Tom Marquand rode the winner of the last
Tom Marquand rode the winner of the last (David Davies/PA)

Adrian Keatley’s Kihavah landed the closing Stuey Weston & Friends Getting Out Handicap for a second successive year.

Ridden by Tom Marquand, the 7-1 shot repelled the challenge of 9-2 favourite Vega Sicilia to win by a length.

Keatley said: “We gave him a little break and then had a run over hurdles (at Ayr). The lads are all Scottish and that just left him right.

“We waited for this race and that was good.”

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