Orient Class keeps on the rails for Ayr success

TRAINER Paul Midgley gave jockey Graham Lee all the credit after Orient Class had ploughed a lone furrow down the stands side rail to run out a ready winner of the Wallace McDowall Handicap at Ayr.

The Mark Johnstontrained Fire Fighting, ridden by Joe Fanning, wins the William Hill Handicap Stakes. Picture: PA

While the rest of the field came down the centre of the course, Orient Class (8-1) stuck to the near side from his stall 18 draw.

Lee’s move proved decisive as he made just about all the running in the five-furlong heat to score by two and a quarter lengths from Sewn Up, with Adrian Keatley’s Irish raider Autumn Tide third.

“It was Graham’s idea. The only thing I said to him was not to be worried about others, just ride your own race,” Midgley said.

“I wasn’t bothered [by the draw] as this horse is better with a rail anyway.

“He’s a very laid-back horse and will do what you ask him. The ground was quick enough for him today. He’s in at Redcar on Wednesday.”

The Mark Johnston-trained Fire Fighting (9-2 joint-favourite) stormed to victory in the feature William Hill Handicap, defying a 6lb penalty for winning at Bath five days earlier. The three-year-old came with a powerful dash to claim Maven over a furlong out and score by a length and a quarter.

“A great performance. He has come good now we’ve found the key to him,” said Johnston. “Not just putting the headgear on but also sitting him in behind and coming with a late run.

“He’s also bred to improve with age and time and that’s exactly what he’s doing.”

Winning rider Joe Fanning made it a 70-1 double when delivering the Keith Dalgleish-trained Harrison’s Cave (12-1) to collar Choisan close home in the Grants Fruit Merchants Prestwick Handicap.

Phillip Makin made the best possible start to the three-day fixture with a double on Moonlightnavigator and Get Knotted. He produced Moonlightnavigator (13-8 favourite) to lead inside the final furlong and take the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes by a length and a half from Swift Approval.

“We might run him once more or we might put him away. I think he might make a nice three-year-old,” said trainer John Quinn’s son and assistant, Sean.

Get Knotted (2-1) got the better of Fullon Clarets to lift the SM Signs Maiden Auction Stakes by a neck.

The Quinn stable clinched a double when Evanescent (5-1) took division two of the Quality And Value At the Irish Yearling Sales Handicap.

Division one was won by the Tim Easterby-trained Bachotheque (11-1), ridden by David Allan.

David O’Meara’s Anderiego (11-2) came with a rattling run on the outside under Danny Tudhope to take the Hillside Quarry Supporting The Ayrshire Hospice Handicap by a length and a quarter from Coincidentally.