Buick times Cover Up challenge to perfection

William Buick may have lost his title to Oisin Murphy this season but he managed to get one over on his weighing room colleague when Cover Up pipped Jer Batt on the line in the Join Century Racing Club Today Handicap at Doncaster.

Having looked a promising sprinter earlier in the year on the all-weather – he was sent off favourite in the Sprint on Finals Day – he has failed to trouble the judge since, admittedly in some of the most competitive races of the season.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, he looked to have a mountain to climb in the closing stages as Murphy burst clear on Jer Batt, trained by David and Nicola Barron.

But Buick had timed it perfectly, getting the 10-1 shot home by a head with Solar Aclaim a length back in third.

The Godolphin-owned Cover Up has a date at the sales next week and could be heading for pastures new.

“I suppose he could be one for Dubai or something like that but let’s be honest, sprint handicappers are not usually Godolphin’s thing,” said John Gosden.

“He has raced this year but they don’t tend to hold on to horses like that.

“I don’t think that ground is his favourite and I think they went a bit quick up front in the ground and he enjoyed them coming back to him. He handles most ground.”

William Haggas fielded the 5-2 favourite The Reverend in the William Hill Proper Betting Handicap but he was his unconsidered 33-1 shot Laafi who came out on top.

Fitted with first-time blinkers and given a chance by the handicapper after several lifeless runs this season, Callum Rodriguez sent him clear of the field with well over a furlong to run.

Another outsider, 66-1 chance Iron Lion, burst out of the pack to give chase but could only get within a length and three-quarters.

Rodriguez teamed up with Haggas to win a Group Three at Ayr’s Western Meeting on Sky Majesty and has an impressive strike-rate when teaming up with the Newmarket handler.

“He’s proven in these conditions and he had first-time blinkers on today,” said Rodriguez.

“It was very straightforward, we hit the gates so I got a nice pitch and I got it easy in truth.

“I’ve been getting some nice opportunities this season, it’s been a brilliant season, high on numbers with some quality in there as well.”

James Owen had to settle for third with his stable star Wimbledon Hawkeye in the day’s feature, the Futurity Trophy, but he left Town Moor with a winner courtesy of Pellitory (7-2) in the Caseih & Paxtons Supply Tractors To Arc Nursery Handicap.

“We’ve always really liked him and he works with Wimbledon Hawkeye. He’s a big frame of a horse who we thought wanted stepping up in trip, but we were wrong as he over-raced,” said Owen.

“He switched off lovely today and he’s come home well, he’s a nice horse for the future, he might be one for something like the Britannia.”