Hayley Turner praised the tenacity shown by Grand Providence (4-1) after the progressive stayer ground out the most notable success of her career in the Turners Cesarewitch Trial Handicap at Newmarket today.
The Andrew Balding-trained three-year-old made it win number three for the season from eight outings when making her first start over the stamina sapping two and a quarter mile trip a triumphant one under Turner in the £50,000 feature.
Tucked in amongst rivals for much of the race it wasn’t until deep inside the final furlong that Grand Providence began to make inroads on leader, and eventual runner-up Sheishybrid, who had earlier swept past early pace setter Land Of Winter just outside the three-furlong pole.
After enjoying a brief battle Grand Providence started to forge clear on the final climb to the line before passing the post a length clear of Sheishybrid with Extensio a further three-quarters of a length adrift in third.
Turner, who was registering a second win aboard Grand Providence, said: “She was not proven over this trip, but she has always given the impression she will stay well. She is probably the only one that has galloped out after the race as well.
“The longer the trip it is the better for her. She is quite versatile. We went an even enough gallop and I kept it simple on her, which is what she wants, before winding her up.
“She is so game and puts in 110 per cent as you could see was quite tired after the race.”
Following her victory Grand Providence was trimmed into 10-1 for the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap over course and distance on October 14th.
While the Cayton Park Stud Limited-owned filly requires a number of those above her to come out of the £200,000 contest in order to get a run, Turner believes she would be fine with the hustle and bustle of such a race should she get in.
Turner added: “She would be fine running in a big field like the one in the Cesarewitch as she is a tough filly.
“She has just progressed as the year has gone on, which has been great to see and it will be nice to see what she gets up to next year if they keep her.”
Fern O’Brien admitted it was ‘pretty cool’ to ride a winner on the Rowley Mile after steering I Still Have Faith to glory in the Turners Amateur Jockeys’ Cambridgeshire.
The daughter of Grade One-winning Jump trainer Fergal O’Brien might hail from a National Hunt background, but she showed she is more than capable of producing the goods on the Flat after galvanizing the Ben Brookhouse-trained three-year-old to glory by three quarters of a length.
O’Brien said of the winning 7-2 Favourite: “He has done that pretty easily I’d say, and he had a bit left underneath him. It was lucky they came across to the near side and we had a couple of horses on the rail which kept him going.
“As amateurs we are lucky we get races like these. I’m not from a Flat background myself but getting to ride a winner at Newmarket is quite cool.
“Ben has given me plenty of rides and I had my first ever winner under National Hunt rules for him and he has given me plenty of other opportunities which I’m grateful for.”
It was second the victory within the space of six days for I Still Have Faith, who tasted success under now-retired Jump jockey Tom Scudamore in the Vickers.Bet Leger Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster on Sunday.
Brookhouse added: “The Legends race was the one we wanted to win, but I like winning Flat races with Jump jockeys! We now need to win a Jump race with a Jump jockey on board.
“He is very lairy and when he gets to the front he doesn’t know what to do. I think Fern did very well to bring him over for a bit of company.”