Spencer happy to find winner awaiting on delayed Yarmouth arrival

Sefton Warrior has Newmarket trainer smiling following traffic delay.

Heavy traffic may have caused Richard Spencer to miss the first race at Yarmouth on Monday but good news awaited upon his arrival following the victory of Sefton Warrior in the attheraces.com Handicap.

The Newmarket handler had to make do with watching the opening contest on his phone, having been held up on his way to the Norfolk track. However, he was soon smiling thanks to a first career success for the Frankel gelding.

Sent straight into the lead by Hollie Doyle, the 9-4 favourite – who was wearing first-time cheekpieces – made every yard of the running to defeat the fast-finishing Sophar Sogood by a neck and initiate a double for the winning rider.

Spencer said: “I was stuck in traffic watching the race on the phone and I was then getting messages saying ‘well done’ when they still had two furlongs to race, such was the delay on my phone.

“Kieran Shoemark got off him the last day and said step him up to a mile six as that is what he wants.

“Kieran couldn’t ride him today unfortunately, but Hollie has done a fantastic job. Now he has got his head in front hopefully that will give him a bit more confidence.

“He had cheekpieces on just to help him concentrate.”

While Spencer hopes this is the first of many wins on the Flat for Sefton Warrior, he has not ruled out the possibility of sending him over hurdles later in the year.

He added: “We have got a lot more fun hopefully to be had on the Flat, but he also has the potential to go hurdling as well.

“He is a good, sound horse and has definitely got the size and scope to go jumping.”

Volcano Bay went one better than on her previous two starts to complete Doyle’s brace with a decisive success in division one of the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap.

Doyle said of the Ismail Mohammed trained 5-4 shot: “I got told to go forward with her and ride her where she is happy. Luke Morris (on Sea Of Maria) didn’t want to take it up, so I just let her slide along.

“She can be keen and you have got to wrestle with her, but today she dropped the bit brilliantly. She travels well, often she doesn’t find an awful lot but she has done it well today.”

Julia Feilden showered 7lb claimer Tyler Heard with plenty of praise following his victory aboard Winter Snowdrop (7-1) in division two.

The Exning handler said: “She was well ridden by Tyler and I think this lad is going places. He is with the right trainer in Richard Hughes and he can help move his career forwards.

“I just put a different noseband on the horse and a tongue tie on as I noticed it was hanging out last time and I think that has helped her.”

There was a sad postscript to the race, as the Amy Murphy-trained Lord Chapelfield broke down badly and was fatally injured, with rider Gabriele Malune being taken to hospital for assessment before happily emerging relatively unscathed.

A lengthy delay followed the incident before a decision was made to abandon the rest of the meeting due to jockeys’ concerns regarding the safety of the track.

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