Oj Lifestyle shocks Newbury rivals with 125-1 success

Horse Racing

Outsider fends off favourite for maiden glory.

Winners priced 125-1 are rare, yet Oj Lifestyle might be a bit better than the bare form of Newbury’s seven-furlong Make Your Best Bet at BetVictor EBF Maiden suggests, according to winning jockey Tom Queally.

Though unconsidered in the market, the Gary Moore-trained Gleneagles colt improved markedly from his Ascot debut a month ago and showed plenty of guts to deny 4-9 favourite Leadman by a nose, with the pair drawing five lengths clear of Bussento.

“He was very green on debut and he showed colty signs, which he had never showed at home – he whinnied all the way to the start the last day, but he was a completely different animal today,” said Queally.

“I think it is fair to say he is a little bit above average. It looked a strong race on paper and it rode accordingly. He is well-balanced horse and seemed to handle the quick ground. He didn’t lie down and gave his all.”

Mick Channon has his string in good heart at present and Miss Attitude ran out a clear-cut winner of the Follow @BetVictor on Twitter Nursery Handicap.

Charles Bishop made plenty of use of the Cityscape filly and the 11-4 chance powered to a two-and-a-half-length success in the five-furlong contest.

Miss Attitude/Newbury
Miss Attitude scored for trainer Mick Channon (left) and jockey Charles Bishop (Simon Milham/PA)

“We thought she was very good early on in the year,” said Channon. “We know she is all right, but she was a bit silly, pulling too hard and things like that. She is beautiful when she is at home, but it is only when she comes racing she gets keen.

“We will have a look at the backend now. We know she can be a black-type filly.”

Richard Hannon insisted he was surprised as Hoof It Hoof It (16-1) took the Martin Collins Enterprises Supporting Heros British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes just three days after finishing down the field over the minimum trip at Lingfield.

Stable apprentice Alec Voikhansky took off a valuable 7lb and despite not having the best of the draw, upped to six furlongs, he made plenty of use of the Prince Of Lir filly, who scored by three-quarters of a length from Cruella De Vill.

“She was always quite a nice filly and I thought she would go close the first time she ran,” said Hannon. “I’m not sure what she beat. We came here to get a nursery qualification, but she hit the gate and won quite well.

Hoof It Hoof It/Newbury
Hoof It Hoof It took the six-furlong fillies’ novice for trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Alec Voikhansky (Simon Milham/PA)

“She surprised me, but it is lovely for Alec. That is his first winner for us. He is a lovely boy, who works very hard and we couldn’t get him on a winner before now. He gave her a smashing ride and I’m delighted for him – he deserves it.

“We will wait for Newmarket nurseries in September with her, I should think.”

Zulu Tracker completed a hat-trick for Ed Walker, landing the seven-furlong Watch Last Fan Standing Handicap in the hands of Kieran Shoemark.

Defying a 3lb ride following a pair of wins at Bath, the three-year-old Footstepsinthesand gelding looks set to go to the sales now.

Shoemark was impressed with the 7-4 favourite, who downed Chief Of Staff by three-quarters of a length.

Zulu Tracker/Nebnury
Zulu Tracker looks set for the sales ring after landing a hat-trick (Simon Milham/PA)

He said: “It was very smooth and he has won three on the bounce now. It was very straightforward, although I wonder if he found the ground a little bit uncomfortable. He could win another one.”

After a brace of wins at Doncaster and Sandown, Persian Royal made it a hat-trick in the Christopher Smith Associates Handicap Stakes under 3lb claimer Pierre-Louis Jamin.

The three-year-old Al Kazeem gelding, trained by Harry and Roger Charlton, eased to a four-length success to justify 11-10 favouritism.

The winning rider said: “He was easier to get cover on the round track the other day and today he was a little bit keen.

“Considering how keen he was and how early the race got going, and I got to the front sooner than I wanted, that was a good performance. He is improving but is getting better with racing. He has done all his winning on quick ground.”

Hot Team backed up his recent Newcastle success in the Friends Of Heros Apprentice Handicap under a well-timed ride from Conor Planas, whose patient approach paid off.

Patrick Morris, who pre-trains horses for the likes of Richard Fahey and Ian Williams, has a string of 10 at his Prescot yard and the six-year-old has been a decent flag-bearer.

Planas tracked the pace and made his move inside the final furlong of the 10-furlong contest, with the 4-1 shot besting long-time leader Tele Red by half a length.

Morris said: “It wasn’t the ideal race, but we took a chance because there were only four runners. The jockey gave him a good ride. I didn’t think he was going to get there, and he would prefer easier ground.

“My lad, Connor, does all the work with him, so I’m delighted for him more than anything. He’s going to university soon to get an education and not end up with a bad job like mine!

“This horse is like an old pet, more than anything. We only run a handful, but we have a few winners and that keeps us going.”

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