Sentry Duty stands tall for Henderson team
Sunday 20th May, 2007
Sentry Duty runs out a worthy winner of May 19's big race for jockey Brett Doyle
SENTRY Duty delivered a determined display to win the betdirect.com-sponsored heritage handicap at Newmarket yesterday.
The Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old - a 14-1 chance - fought out a stirring battle with Mikao before eventually drawing clear in the final furlong of the mile-and-a-three-quarter race to win by two-and-a-half lengths.
Last year’s Ebor winner Mudawin was back in third but it was another significant victory at HQ for top jumps trainer Henderson, who also landed the 2003 Cesarewitch with Landing Light.
There were several other excellent performances on the seven-race card with Declaration of War catching the eye in betdirectpoker.com novices’ event.
The Okawango colt kept up the superb record of trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam’s juveniles, scoring by half-a-length from Silver Guest. Newmarket-based Chapple-Hyam has now sent out three two-year-olds this season and all of them have won.
Look out also in the future for Veracity, who took the 32Red.com handicap in good style. Michael Jarvis’s charge swept home, galloping from way off the pace to lead well inside the final furlong before winning by two lengths in the mile-and-a-half contest.
The betdirect.com maiden over a mile split into two divisions and there was plenty to like about the winning debut of Champfleurie in the opener. Ascalon took the second leg in similarly pleasing fashion to put one on the board for trainer Pat Eddery.
Plum Pudding loves the NatWest Rowley Mile and notched up his third course and distance success when obliging in the betdirect.com handicap.
Grizedale, trained by John Akehurst, is another who enjoys the track and he recorded his first win in two years - his last had been at Newmarket - when prevailing by a length under Paul Doe in the 32Red.com handicap. It completed a good couple of days’ work for connections as 24 hours earlier the same Canisbay Bloodstock colours had been in the Newmarket winner’s enclosure thanks to the Akehurst-trained Trafalgar Square.
Brunelleschi, a 100-30 shot, bagged the concluding 32Red.com Sprint handicap to send favourites’ backers home happy.
Newmarket’s next fixture is on Friday, 25 May - the first day of a three-day meeting.
By Tony Rushmer