An eight-race card, blue skies and two wins for Midlands-based trainer Tony Carroll ushered in the new season at Bath Racecourse on Easter Sunday, 5th April.
Tony Carroll was the most successful trainer at Bath Racecourse’s first meeting of the year, saddling two winners | Photo © Richard Briggs
The first race of the year at the Lansdown track was The Weatherbys Global Stallions App Handicap Stakes (Class 5), over five furlongs and 10 yards.
Winner by three-quarters of a length was Solar Invincible, a 100/30 shot ridden by Billy Loughnane and trained by Roger Teal at Lambourn in Berkshire.
Second past the post was Jenny Jerome (28/1), under Alistair Rawlinson and from Simon Hodgson’s yard near Hook, Hampshire.
Next race was The Netbet Easter Festival Novice Stakes (Class 4), also over five furlongs and 10 yards, which was won by Wait Geordie (9/1) for Cheshire-based handler Hugo Palmer.
Piloted by David Probert, Wait Geordie came in one-and-a-half lengths ahead of second-placed Dowman (5/1), another ride for Loughnane and trained by George Boughey at Newmarket, Suffolk.
The third contest was Easter Sunday Raceday’s feature race, the £70,000, Listed, Whitsbury Manor Stud / British EBF Lansdown Stakes (Class 1) for fillies and mares.
Fourteen ran over five furlongs and 10 yards – and it was a thriller. The victor, by a short head, was 22/1 chance Azure Angel, trained by Ed Bethell in North Yorkshire and with Kieran Shoemark on board.
Runner-up was Cindy Lou Who (18/1), under William Carson and trained by Carroll near Pershore in Worcestershire.
The fourth race, The Floyds Turfcare And Weed Solutions Handicap Stakes (Class 6), produced a win for Hodgson’s Twilight Madness (18/5), with Rawlinson in the saddle.
Second, by a neck, in the contest over five furlongs and 10 yards was Level Up (17/2), partnered by Laura Coughlan and from David Evans’ stables near Abergavenny in Gwent.
Harry Davies rode Colourband (2/1) to victory in the fifth race, the Droneart Show May 8th & 9th Restricted Novice Stakes (Class 4) over one mile, two furlongs and 37 yards.
Colourband, trained by Newmarket duo Simon Crisford and Ed Crisford, got home by four lengths from second-placed Baltic Fleet, the 8/11 favourite handled by Boughey and ridden by Loughnane.
The sixth race, the one-mile RJ King & Sons Handicap Stakes (Class 5), brought a win for 3/1 favourite Law Supreme, ridden by Loughnane and from Ian Williams’ yard at Alvechurch, Worcestershire.
Law Supreme held off second-placed Tribal Rhythm (7/2) – trained by Denis Coakley near Newbury, Berkshire, and with Rossa Ryan aboard – by three-quarters of a length.
There was also success for the favourite in the penultimate contest, The Ella Bury Always In Our Hearts Handicap Stakes (Class 6) (Division 1) over one mile.
Here, 5/2 favourite Volendam – trained by Carroll and piloted by Jack Doughty – took the honours by four-and-a-quarter lengths from runner-up Happy Chandler, a 6/1 shot from Michael Blake’s yard at Staverton near Trowbridge and ridden by Alec Voikhansky.
The closing one-mile Ella Bury Always In Our Hearts Handicap Stakes (Class 6) (Division 2) provided Carroll with another win, 100/30 favourite Scenario scoring by one-and-a-half lengths under Loughnane from second-placed Sharma d’Armour (7/1). The runner-up was saddled by Coakley and ridden by George Bass.
Going was good (good to firm in places).
The next fixture at Bath is the Spring Evening Meeting on Friday 17th April.
Tickets are available here.
