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Castilo Del Diablo completed a profitable afternoon on the Lingfield Polytrack for David Simcock by snaring the lion's share of the £45,000 coral.co.uk Handicap.
The turf course, and a fair amount of the nearby Surrey countryside, remains saturated but the all-weather circuit was able to keep the racing show on the road, with Newcastle's jumping meeting the only other British fixture able to go ahead.
Castilo Del Diablo (9-2) had not won for more than a year, despite a sequence of placed efforts during 2013, but was held patiently on the inside by Jamie Spencer through most of the mile and a half before a perfect gap opened for him after the swing for home. Having grabbed the lead, he ran on strongly to hold Modernstone, the 4-1 favourite, by a neck.
Punters who sided with the runner-up could feel slightly aggrieved as he finished fast from the rear and only just failed, despite jockey Andrea Atzeni putting up 2lb overweight.
Simcock said: "I'm pleased they put such good prize money on and they were rewarded with a competitive field. The horse has been called a few names, but I think he's genuine and he's had a wind operation and problems with his legs.
"He's better on all-weather than turf, so we'll have to be looking towards back here on Good Friday. He will be rated nearly 100 after this win and we will aim him at the final. The plan will be to drop back in trip to 10 furlongs and go for the Winter Derby trial. I am very happy after today's wins - the horses are in good order and 2014 has started well."
Spencer was penalised for his winning ride though, being found guilty of not giving his mount time to respond to the whip, for which he incurred a three-day ban. Paolo Sirigu was also in trouble for his ride on eventual fourth Grendisar and was given a 10-day ban for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing.
Simcock initiated a double in division two of the 32Red Maiden as 20-1 chance Fractal wore down the 1-3 favourite Anglo Irish.
The winner had not provided much inspiration on his first two starts at Kempton and the trainer said: "He doesn't like the kickback so we took him wide all the way. This isn't going to be his surface but he should be a nice middle-distance horse in time."
Perfect Pasture (11-4 joint-favourite) made it six wins on the bounce in the Compare Bookmakers At bookmakers.co.uk Handicap.
Mick Easterby's charge won off a mark of 57 at Hamilton last August and following triumphs at Carlisle, Nottingham, Redcar and Kempton, he lined up here on a perch of 93. However, he made light of his rise in the handicap as he kicked for home early in the straight under Adam Kirby and kept going to the line to win by two lengths from fellow market leader Rivellino.
