Bad break for champion Sanders

Published on Sunday 31 August 2008 23:27

IF HE'S fit enough to watch today's action from Hamilton on the telly, Seb Sanders might end up throwing something at the screen.

Last season's joint champion jockey has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign after breaking his leg in a fall at Chester on Saturday, and as no jockey likes to lose out on a winner, Sanders could endure a frustrating afternoon at the Lanarkshire track.

One of the few consolations for him is that he couldn't possibly have partnered the winner of the opener as it's restricted to amateur riders which leaves the way clear for Danny Cook to score on Zed Candy, but the rest of the card could well be X-certificate viewing for Sir Mark Prescott's stable jockey.

He was set to partner Haven't A Clue for his boss, Ed Dunlop's Truly Divine, and Gift Horse for Dandy Nicholls, and since all three could win, it may be the hat-trick that got away.

The last named of the trio is, however, set to face stable companion Blue Tomato who ran well, but not quite well enough, at Musselburgh yesterday as far as those of us who had tipped him were concerned, but if he does make a swift reappearance, he's worth a second bite of the cherry.

Hurlingham returned to winning form last time out and can continue in similar fashion while the fact El Dececy has to concede the best part of a stone to his rivals in the re-arranged RBS Scottish Trophy may not stop him landing the prize for owner Willie McKay.

Haajes will also carry McKay's colours in the last, and if he does so with the same aplomb he did when scoring on his latest start, he'll be home and hosed.

Consistency wouldn't be the gelding's greatest asset, however, so there's no guarantee that will happen, but his stable have hit a bit of form and he looks the safest bet in a tricky race.

Casino Night scored over course and distance ten days ago and the filly can win again under Dean Heslop who escaped relatively unscathed from the same Roodee pile-up that cost Sanders so dear.

Turfani will get the nap out of the way early doors in Lingfield's opener and hopefully recoup the losses inflicted on some of us by yesterday's Musselburgh card which began with a 25-1 success for Linda Perratt's Shunkawakhan and went downhill from there.

Not, though, if you were PJ McDonald, weighing room colleague Silvestre De Sousa or trainer Alan Swinbank who all notched up doubles.

At the Curragh yesterday, meanwhile, Again, trained by David Wachman and ridden by Seamus Heffernan, won the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes. The juvenile was sent off the 6-4 favourite and repelled the late surge of Shimah by half a length. Look Busy registered her sixth success from her last eight starts in the Cill Dara Security Flying Five Stakes. Alan Berry's 7-2 chance scored by a length and a quarter from Masta Plasta, with Wi Dud third.