BAKER RISES TO THE OCCASION

George Baker made his only ride of the day at York count as he opened the 2011 Ebor meeting on Secret Asset in the Symphony Group Stakes.

Sent off at 16-1, despite winning at Glorious Goodwood and then finishing seventh in the Stewards' Cup later in the meeting, Jane Chapple-Hyam's gelding is a complicated individual but really got going in the closing stages of the sprint to mow down Racy and collect by a neck.

"He was actually quite badly in at the weights in the Stewards' Cup but was still only beaten four lengths and I think he has come here a bit overlooked," said Baker.

"I came here confident but the plaudits have to go to the yard.

"You just have to get him into a rhythm in his own way, but when you can he's quite a useful horse."

Bomber Jet benefited from a typically power-packed ride by Kieren Fallon to land the sportingbet.com Stakes.

The six-times champion jockey settled the 20-1 shot field towards the rear and he was getting low in the saddle from an early stage.

But as many of the pacesetters wilted in the testing ground, Nigel Tinkler's Bomber Jet made headway in between rivals and flashed home in the final furlong to beat Sunrise Dance by a neck.

Mister Musicmaster and On The Hoof filled the minor places.

"He's a lovely horse," considered Tinkler. "He's still a baby and he doesn't really know how to win yet, but you could see from a long way out that it was never in doubt.

"He'll end up in Hong Kong because that's where his owner is from, but I don't know whether that will be this year or next."

A second Yorkshire-based winner soon followed as Richard Fahey's Our Joe Mac narrowly outpointed Arlequin in a thrilling finish to the Patrington Haven Leisure Park Handicap.

Paul Hanagan's mount had disappointed early in the campaign but recent efforts had been more encouraging.

The 8-1 chance moved up to challenge for the lead heading inside the final furlong and while the admirable Arlequin would not lie down, Our Joe Mac got the better of the argument by a head.

Strongly-fancied favourite Eagles Peak was a bitter disappointment.

Fahey said: "He's in a big handicap at Newbury next month, but he's also in the Cambridgeshire so we'll have to see."

Posted in: News