Praxeology makes the most of final Fibresand opportunity at Southwell

Molly Hunter
August 17, 2021 8:57 am

Track surface will now be replaced by Tapeta.

Praxeology maintained his unbeaten Southwell record when taking the six-furlong Firewall Ltd Handicap at the track’s final meeting on the Fibresand surface.

Ridden by Pat Crosgrave and trained by David Loughnane, the gelding was a convincing winner when crossing the line two and a half lengths ahead of his nearest rival at 6-1.

The fixture was the last chance for horses to run on the Fibresand before work begins to replace it with Tapeta – a mix of silica sand, wax and fibres.

“He was one from one (at Southwell) previously, he loved the surface though obviously it’s the last time he’ll run on it,” said Loughnane.

“It was a good performance, he did it nicely, we went there expecting a big run and it was nice to see him do it.

“He’s the only horse I’ve trained that actually likes the surface, I think it’s for the greater good of racing that they’re changing it.

“I understand that some people feel it was good for getting horses used to dirt tracks, but with the way things are going, I think a lot of tracks will now be on Polytrack.

“I think it’ll be the best all-weather track in the country when it’s done, so I’m looking forward to seeing it when it’s finished.”

Triple Jaye made a winning return to the all-weather to take the Coopers Marquees Classified Stakes for David Allan and Tim Easterby.

The three-year-old has been campaigned on the flat recently without success, but was a length-and-a-quarter winner when taking the opening five-furlong contest at 100-30 favourite.

“She’s always had early speed so this track has really played to her strengths” Allan told Sky Sports Racing.

“She’s run a few good enough races where we’ve thought she would win the next time and it just hasn’t quite happened, but it was the speed of this track that was really right for her.”

Easterby and Allan then enjoyed a double on the card as Fossos was triumphant by a neck in the Stuart Lees Memorial Handicap.

Starting at 5-1, the three-year-old stayed on strongly to deny the challenging Better By Far the race.

“He was just idling a bit but when he felt them coming, he actually stuck his neck out again,” Allan said.

Mystic Wells overcame a slow start to prevail in the A & V Squires 50 Year Challenge Fillies’ Novice Stakes for Ben Curtis and George Boughey.

The two-year-old found herself at the rear of the field with two furlongs left to travel but cut through the pack to take up the lead inside the final furlong and eventually succeed by three and three-quarter lengths.

“It s worked out in the end, she made me work for it and they got their money’s worth!” Curtis said.

“When you get on the back foot on an inexperienced horse with that amount of sand in their face, and it’s kicking back more than ever here today, it’s a testament to her to keep going at the end.”

Illies Memories took the N&L Franklin Developments Ltd Handicap for Kieran O’Neill and Charlie Hills, starting at 18-1 and prevailing by a neck from 5-2 favourite Macmerry Jim.

Lord Torranaga was then the winner of the final race on the Fibresand track when taking the Sponsorship Signage @ signsolutions.org Handicap at 12-1 for Billy Garrity and Phil Kirby.