Santangelo victorious
Sunday 23rd September, 2007
Lester Piggott congratulates a delighted Concetto Santangelo, who prevailed in the apprentices' race
LEGEND met aspiring star at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile on September 22 as Lester Piggott, attending the meeting held in his honour, presented young Concetto Santangelo with his prize for triumphing on Candy Mountain in the VCBet.com European Association Of Racing Schools Crepello Apprentice handicap.
Santangelo, 20, was thrilled as he shook hands with one of racing’s most famous figures after emerging victorious from a prolonged battle with Gallego.
The young hero, riding for fellow Italian Luca Cumani, coaxed a concerted effort out of Candy Mountain, who battled gamely to score by a head in the 1m 2f contest.
The most appropriate winner on the day was Vanquisher, trained by Piggott’s son-in-law William Haggas. The Xaar gelding opened his account at the 11th attempt when he took the VC Bet Sir Ivor Maiden by two-and-a-half lengths.
Haggas said: “It is great to have winner on this day and he is a horse we’ve struggled with.”
Teslin gave a solid Cambridgeshire trial in landing the Victor Chandler Nijinsky handicap. He finished strongly to prevail by three-quarters of a length at odds of 5-2 with Urban Sea beaten into second.
Lorraine Ellison, daughter of trainer Brian, said: “He just does enough when in front and is still a bit of a baby. He'll go for the Cambridgeshire (October 6) now.”
The afternoon’s other winners were Capricorn Run (VCBet.com Humble Duty handicap), Nobelix (VC Bet Fairy Footsteps ‘Premier’ claimer), Persian Express (antepostmag.com Shadeed handicap) and Malapropism (NGK Spark Plugs Rodrigo De Triano handicap).
Newmarket’s autumn programme resumes on Thursday, October 4 with the start of the brilliant three-day Cambridgeshire meeting on the Rowley Mile Course. Please contact the racecourse on 01638 675 500 for ticket information or go to the link ’Buy Tickets’.
By Tony Rushmer