THERE were fireworks on and off the track at Ascot on Saturday, as Wye Valley Grand National-winning trainer Venetia Williams saw Martator take his fourth win in a row.
Victory was followed by an early Bonfire Night display, with the King's Caple-based trainer later posting: "Good of Ascot Racecourse to let off a few fireworks after Martator wins the £100,000 Byrne Group Premier Chase."
The 6-1 shot under jockey Charlie Deutsch picked up where he left off last spring by sprinting clear after the final fence.
The seven-year-old secured a hat-trick of wins at Newbury, Ascot and Sandown last season, and continued to impress by beating Issar D’Airy by 1 3/4L in the 10-runner two-mile-one-furlong Handicap Chase.
It was double delight for Deutsch, whose fiancee – stable work-rider and groom Meg Jones – is eight months pregnant and rode the horse several times last week.
Williams told Sky Sports Racing after Martator's win: "That was amazing. He's one of the few I'm happy to run on drier ground. He's quite a small horse, light on his feet, and he ran on similar ground here back in the spring and obviously enjoyed it. This is a step up again for him and he’s won.
“He’s an extraordinary horse, because whenever I walk out into the field in front of my house, if there’s 20-odd horses in there, I can guarantee the first one that comes out of the pack to come and say good morning is Martator.
“He’s really inquisitive and I think probably that’s why the cheekpieces helped him a little bit, because it gives him less opportunity to be inquisitive.
“Turning for home it looked like he had a chance but then he met the second-last on a bad stride before staying on well.
"Meg rode Martator three times this week. He's quite keen at home and Meg rides him better than any of the jockeys."
And a delighted Meg added: "I want to keep working but it gets harder by the day, I've not got long to go and will be watching from the other side of the fence."
Comments
This article has no comments yet. Be the first to leave a comment.