Favourites falter at Flat finale

With eight races, including the finals of two series carrying £25,000 prize funds, it looked as if racegoers would be in for a tough time trying to find winners.

They could not have got off to a worse start as the unconsidered Lady Romanza took the opening Betfair Funds The PJA Doctor Selling Stakes at odds of 33-1.

Run over an extended mile-and-a-quarter for three-year-olds, Lady Romanza lined up having never looked like winning in a career that had spanned ten races on the flat and over hurdles. But, she came good here, leading over a furlong out to beat Ironically and the favourite Future Wonder.

It did not get much better in the second, as 20-1 shot Columella took advantage of bottom weight in the Betfair Don’t Settle For Less Nursery, racing under the stands rail to hold off Danz Choice and Yourartisonfire.

Odds-on Magique was the next favourite to be turned over, being headed close home by Iberis, ridden by Tom Queally for Sir Henry Cecil.

Favourite backers finally collected in the fourth, the second division of the fillies’ maiden, when Light Rose made a winning debut for the successful stable of Mark Johnston, leading from the start to win unchallenged from Serenata and Thwart.

Champion jockey-elect Richard Hughes made up for his earlier defeat aboard Danz Choice when scoring on Mission Approved for Frankel’s owner Khalid Abdullah in the juvenile maiden for colts and geldings.

Disappointment of the race was the well-backed Herbalist, who looked an unlucky loser at Salisbury last time out, but made no impression, eventually finishing seventh.

The first of the two Betfair series finals was over ten furlongs and it went to 10-1 shot Consider Yourself, ridden by William Carson for his father Anthony.

Driven into the lead two furlongs out, Consider Yourself was another to come up the stands rails in search of better ground and she readily held off the challenge of Watts Up Son.

Midnight Rider had been beaten a head by Perfect Pastime when qualifying for the sprint final over the course in August, but Chris Wall’s Red Ransom gelding came out on top when it mattered, having been backed from 15-2 to 5-1 to win his first race in 14 months and scoop the first prize of more than £15,000.

There was further joy for the bookies in the last as top-weight Into The Wind sprang another 33-1 surprise when taking the Betfair Prices On Betfair Mobile Amateur Riders’ Handicap, the day’s longest race.