3 minute read
Soulcombe turned the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York into a procession under Hollie Doyle.
Slowly away, as he usually is, the William Haggas-trained three-year-old only made his handicap debut in June off a lowly mark of 68.
He went on to follow up off 6lb higher at Ascot but was beaten at Goodwood last time out when catching the eye behind Secret State.
Sent off the 3-1 favourite, Hollie Doyle began to make progress with two furlongs to run but the prolific winner Caius Chorister had the rest of the field on the stretch.
Had it not been for the well handicapped winner, David Menuisier's filly would have won for the sixth time in a row but Soulcombe could have scored by double the four and a quarter lengths that he did if Doyle had so wanted. Adjuvant was third.
The winner was a relatively rare ride for Doyle off Haggas, who employs her husband Tom Marquand as his stable jockey.
"He's got lots of talent but he's got a few quirks, he should have won at Goodwood but he was so far back, though he finished well," said Haggas.
"I haven't done a lot with him between races, he's just been quietly away. He's only won off 83, he might win off a bit more but whether he'll win a Stakes race, I don't know.
"He's well bred (by Frankel out of Group One-winner Ribbons), when they're well bred and they stay and they get their confidence, you never know what might happen."
Summerghand proved a popular winner of the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap for Yorkshire trainer David O'Meara.
Having the 69th race of his career, the eight-year-old was given a peach of a ride by Danny Tudhope, sluicing through the field to nab top weight Commanche Falls, who had won the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood for a second time.
Drawn on the wrong side in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon last week, the 15-2 chance won by three-quarters of a length.
Paddy Twomey had been close with his previous two winners at the meeting with La Petite Coco third in the Yorkshire Oaks and Earl Or Tyrone filling the same sport in the Ebor but made sure he left with a winner when Treasure Trove landed the Julia Graves Roses Stakes.
Given a confident ride by Billy Lee who sat off the rapid pace, she quickened up in fine style to win going away at 4-1.
Rocket Rodney, the 6-4 favourite, seemed to have everything covered at one stage but simply had no answer to Treasure Trove who won going away.
Twomey said: "I'm delighted, she ran a good race last week at the Curragh and she bounced out of it well. She's tough and hardy and when the box was coming over her owner thought she should come over on it too.
"She's consistent, she's improved nicely all season. She's got plenty of speed, it's great to win a stakes race with her.
"She's a Listed winner now so we'll have to look at a Group race, I've been saying to Craig (Bennett, owner) that she'll love the style of racing in America so maybe we might send her there."
The closing race of the Ebor meeting, the Sky Bet Finale Handicap, went to the James Horton-trained Phantom Flight (3-1 joint-favourite).
He shot five lengths clear under PJ McDonald to win for the third time in his last four races.
