Alexander’s not-so-great start to pro career

LUCY Alexander started her new career as Scotland’s first female professional jumps jockey at Perth yesterday, but the 21-year-old was given a lesson in how hard life can be in the paid ranks as she finished well down on the field on her first two rides.

Alexander tasted victory over obstacles and on the Flat as an amateur but, after making the decision to turn full-time, she had her first ride as a professional on Floreana, a 25-1 shot, in the Sodexo Presige Handicap Chase.

She opted to pull the mare up when she lost touch in the race, won by the Nigel Twiston-Davies runner Power Pack Jack.

Her second mount Mirage Dore didn’t fare much better in the closing SIS Handicap Hurdle. The 33-1 shot finished a well-beaten fifth as Jim Goldie’s Los Nadis won in style.

But Alexander can take heart from the example of jockey Brian Hayes, who earlier won on Mart Lane in the Edinburgh Gin Maiden Hurdle. The 6-4 chance travelled kindly throughout in the hands of Hayes and eased alongside odds-on favourite Hard To Swallow rounding the turn for home. The result was scarcely in doubt from that point as Mart Lane pulled readily clear of his opponent, scoring by 23 lengths.

Success on Mart Lane was a first winner under Rules for Hayes and the second was soon to follow, with Hanlon’s One For Joules (15-8 favourite) making the most of a drop in class in the Book Your Christmas Party At Perth Claiming Hurdle. Hayes said: “I turned professional three weeks ago and I’ve been having a bit of bad luck recently, but today is brilliant.”

There was further success for the Irish brigade in the Hogmanay Party At Perth Racecourse Juvenile Hurdle, with Gordon Elliott’s Tramore winner The Ice Factor (5-6 favourite) going in again under Tony McCoy.

“He’s only rated 45 on the Flat so you’d think he was fairly limited, but in fairness to him he likes jumping and that’s the name of the game with a three-year-old at that level,” the champion jockey said.

There was a thrilling finish to the Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer Novices’ Handicap Chase, with Malcolm Jefferson’s Quite The Man getting up in the shadows of the post. Market leader The Cockney Mackem appeared to have his market rival’s measure after jumping the final fence, but 9-4 shot Quite The Man finished strongly under Dougie Costello to score by a neck.