Over 60,000 at Ladbrokes St Leger Festival, news from races 2, 3, 5, 6 & 7

ATTENDANCES AT THE LADBROKES ST LEGER FESTIVAL Year                 2013     2012 Wed                 5,600    5,037 Thurs               14,500  13,385 Fri                    10,650  8,801 Sat                   29,275  31,396  Total                60,025  58,619 The attendances at Doncaster Racecourse for this year's Ladbrokes St Leger Festival have shown healthy increases on the previous year over the first three days of racing. Although this year's Saturday figure is just down on the high attendance in 2012, the total crowd for the Festival has reached 60,000 for the first time since the re-opening in 2007. The Ladbrokes St Leger Festival counts for 25% of the total annual Doncaster Racecourse attendance and contributes some £20 million to the local economy. Second race: 2.40pm TheLadbrokes Portland Handicap Winning Quotes PORTLAND CARDS FALL RIGHT FOR ANGEL Angels Will Fall just edged a thrilling finish to the Ladbrokes Portland Handicap at Doncaster this afternoon when denying the 11/2 favourite Steps by a nose, with Secret Witness a further neck back in third. The 16/1 shot travelled sweetly for Robert Winston and powered home on the stands' side in the final furlong to get up in the shadows of the post. This was the four-year-old's first victory since winning the Listed Land O'Burns Fillies' Stakes at Ayr last year and trainer Charles Hills is keen to chase some more black type with the daughter of Acclamation before the season is out. "It's great to see her back in this sort of form," said Hills. "She had a nice position throughout the race and the gap appeared just at the right time. Robert (Winston) has given her a lovely ride and she's just got her head in front. "I thought she ran a really good race last time at York when the ground was a little too fast for her and she's really enjoyed the underfoot conditions here. "She was a nice two-year-old and won the Princess Margaret at Ascot before finishing third in the Cheveley Park (at Newmarket) and she's grown up a lot since then. She's in the Ayr Gold Cup but we've got Shropshire for that and I'd like to try and get a bit more black type for her before the end of the season. The owners are keen to breed from her so I'll doubt she'll stay in training next year." Jockey Robert Winston was not confident that he'd won as the pair passed the post. "I didn't think that I had won to be honest," said Winston. "She pricked her ears at the cameras under the line and stopped her stride. I was probably lucky enough to be on the stands' rail, which can favour you in a photo, but I thought that this filly would run a big race on the ground. "She let herself down once at Haydock in a competitive Listed race on very firm ground. She hung severely that day - she obviously felt it and she didn't let herself down for the rest of the season. I have always had a high regard for this filly and I was disappointed for her to end up in a handicap because she has a lot of potential. Things have dropped right for her today." Second race, 2.40pm: The Ladbrokes Portland Handicap Place quotes UNLUCKY STEPS Steps, the 11/2 favourite, just failed to hold Angels Will Fall when a nose second in The Ladbrokes Portland Handicap. The tough Verglas gelding has been second on her last two starts and trainer Roger Varian reflected: "He's so unlucky - he did everything right. "It is a bit of a shame he couldn't go and challenge the winner - the winner had the rail and we came down the middle of the track but he has run a great race and there are no complaints. I just feel bad for the horse and the owners. I thought we had just got up when I watched it live - I would like to see the photo. "He likes this autumn ground so we will keep trying with him." William Buick, who rode the five-year-old, added: "He ran great and I thought I had won." Ron Harris's charge Secret Witness was a neck back in third and the Chepstow handler said: "I am very pleased with him. We have been struggling all season with the ground. We will probably look to go to France with him once we get to the end of the season here. He has only had 10 runs - normally he would have 20 or 25 a season so we might just as well keep him going." SECOND RACE RESULT 2.40pm Ladbrokes Portland Handicap £60,000 total prize fund. For 3yo+, 5f 140yds. Weights: highest weight not less than 9st 10lb (Any horse rated above 110 (or 112 if such a horse is three years old) shall initially be treated as having that rating and the highest weight allotted shall be 9st 10lb; Subsequently, the excess over 110 (or 112 if such a horse is three years old) in any rating shall be added to the weight allotted to that horse without limitation to the highest weight to be carried); minimum weight 8st. Penalties after September 7th, each race won 6lb. Penalty value 1st £37,350.00 2nd £11,184.00 3rd £5,592.00 4th £2,796.00 5th £1,398.00 6th £702.00 1) ANGELS WILL FALL (IRE) (Mrs E O'Leary) Charlie Hills 4-9-02 Robert Winston [12] 16/1 2) STEPS (IRE) (Michael Hill) Roger Varian b5-9-07 William Buick [11] 11/2f 3) SECRET WITNESS (Paul Moulton) Ron Harris b7-9-04 Shane Kelly [14] 25/1 4) RACY (Koo's Racing Club) Brian Ellison 6-9-03 R yan Moore [17] 12/1 5) MAGICAL MACEY (USA) (K Alderson) David Barron b6-9-08 Graham Gibbons [18] 16/1 6) ADDICTIVE DREAM (IRE) (Brian Morton & Pinnacle Dream Partnership) David Nicholls 6-8-10 Jordan Nason (7) [9] 7) ANCIENT CROSS (Pete Bown, Backup Technology & Steve Hull) Michael Easterby t9-9-03 Graham Lee [10] 8) DOC HAY (USA) (S Laffan) David O'Meara 6-9-06 Daniel Tudhope [16] 9) AJJAADD (USA) (Katy & Lol Pratt) Ted Powell 7-8-11 Kevin Stott (7) [13] 10) EL VIENTO (FR) (John Nicholls Ltd/David Kilburn) Richard Fahey v5-8-13 George Chaloner (5) [5] 11) ELUSIVITY (IRE) (Poilin Good) David O'Meara 5-9-06 Kieren Fallon [20] 12) OUR JONATHAN (Dr Marwan Koukash) David Simcock 6-9-03 Silvestre de Sousa [8] 13) PRODIGALITY (Paul Moulton) Ron Harris 5-9-04 Jim Crowley [4] 14) BOGART (Angie Bailey) Kevin Ryan 4-9-08 Neil Callan [7] 15) MONSIEUR CHEVALIER (IRE) (Racing To The Max) P J O'Gorman v6-8-11 Natasha Eaton (5) [6] 16) DEFINIGHTLY (S Emmet and Miss R Emmet) Roger Charlton b7-9-10 James Doyle [15] 17) BARNET FAIR (Donald Wheatley) Richard Guest 5-8-11 Connor Beasley (5)[21] 18) CONFESSIONAL (Terry & Margaret Holdcroft) Tim Easterby es6-9-06 David Allan [3] 19) BURWAAZ (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Ed Dunlop b4-9-02 Paul Hanagan [2] 20) DOCTOR PARKES (S Mason & Partners) Stuart Williams 7-9-03 J-P Guillambert [22] 21) ZERO MONEY (IRE) (Kremlin Cottage III) Hugo Palmer b7-9-05 Martin Dwyer [1] 21 ran                           Non-runner: Inxile (Self Cert - Lame) Time: 1m 08.14s                       Distances: nse, nk, nk, 1½, 1¼, ¾, 1¼, ½, nk, hd, ½, ½, hd, 1, ¾, nk, ¾, 9, 2¾, 17 Breeder: Islanmore Stud            Breeding: Acclamation - Coconut Squeak (Bahamian Bounty) Tote Win £26.00 Place £5.50 £1.70 £6.90 £3.40 Exacta £202.00 Winning trainer:-Name: Hills, Charles Born: September 29, 1978 Trains: Wetherdown House, Lambourn, Hungerford, Berkshire Background: son of legendary trainer Barry and half-brother to trainer John and jockeys Michael and Richard. Briefly worked for his father after leaving school before heading to Australia when 18 to work for Peter Hayes and Gai Waterhouse. Returned to Britain for a spell with James Fanshawe before becoming assistant to his father. Took over the licence following his father's retirement in August, 2011. First Runner (and First Winner): Blaise Chorus, 32 for Slots Maiden Fillies' Stakes, Kempton Park, August 22, 2011 (ridden by Michael Hills) First Group Winner: Ransom Note - Nayef Joel Stakes, Newmarket, 24/09/11. Royal Ascot Win (1): Albany Stakes (2013 Kiyoshi), Irish Classic Wins (1): Irish 1,000 Guineas (2013 Just The Judge), Other Big Race Wins: Rockfel Stakes (2012 Just The Judge) Wins (2011-2012): 20; 55 Wins This Year: 57 Winning jockey:-Name: Winston, Robert Francis Born: November 28, 1979 in Dublin Career: Appointed stable jockey to Jack and Lynda Ramsden on their return to England in 2001. Now freelance. Returned to race riding in February, 2007, following a 12 month ban after being found guilty of corruptly passing information to a betting exchange punter through a third party. First winner: The Butterwick Kid (Trent Bridge Handicap, April 21, 1997, Nottingham) First Group 1 winner: Cheveley Park Stakes (2004 Magical Romance - a chance ride after Jimmy Fortune was sidelined at a late stage) First Group winner: Golden Nun (2004 Ballyogan Stakes) Big Race Wins include: Cheveley Park Stakes (2004 Magical Romance), Victor Chandler Challenge Stakes (2010 Red Jazz), Cumberland Lodge Stakes (2006 Young Mick), Gosforth Park Cup (2004 Caribbean Coral), John Smith's Cup (2004 Arcalis), Lincoln (2004 Stream Of Gold), Stewards' Cup (1998 Superior Premium), Vodafone Dash Handicap (2001 Bishops Court, 2004 Caribbean Coral), Princess Margaret Stakes (2011 Angels Will Fall), Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes (2011 Caspar Netscher) Royal Ascot Wins (2): Norfolk Stakes (2005 Masta Plasta, 2008 South Central) Wins (1997-2012): 22, 39, 54*, 43, 62, 59, 93, 114, 124, 136 (*champion apprentice), 6, 64, 120; 86; 78; 98 Wins in 2013: 69 Third race: 3.15pm TheOLBG Park Stakes Winning Quotes VIZTORIA VICTORIOUS Viztoria bounced back from a disappointing run in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with an authoritative victory in the OLBG Park Stakes at Doncaster this afternoon. The7/2 second-favourite was always travelling well under Wayne Lordan and she skipped away from the field when asked for her effort a furlong out to record a three quarters of a length success from 5/1 shot Lockwood. The three-year-old has now won in Group Two company, as well as picking up the Group Three Athasi Stakes at the Curragh and last year's Listed Blenheim Stakes at the same track, but it could have been a different story had the horse been sold at Tattersalls in October, 2011 by brother and sister owners John and Sheila Lavery. "She's been an incredible filly for us and has brought the whole family into racing," said Sheila Lavery. "However, it's only by chance that we still have her as we bought her for 15,000 euros at Goffs as a pinhooking project in February, 2011 and she failed to sell at Tattersalls later that year. We put a reserve of £9,000 on her that day which looks a bit cheap now! "We're absolutely thrilled with that result. Eddie (Lynam, the trainer) has always thought she needed a bit of juice in the ground and she wasn't able to do herself justice at Ascot as the ground was too quick. We've waited for the ground to turn and it's paid off. "Eddie's not here today as he's at the Curragh to watch his daughter ride in the Amateur Derby there but I imagine he'll be delighted with that. She's got a very good record when the ground is soft so we've got the Prix de la Foret (at Longchamp) in mind for her. Whether she'll have a race in between, I don't know." Jockey Wayne Lordan was also quick to praise the trainer. "Eddie Lynam told me this morning that she would travel really well and he told me to keep sitting on her for as long as I could. She has done exactly that. When I asked her to pick up, she just took her a few strides to get into top gear but she went to the line well. "She is an improving filly. She has only had a couple of runs this year and she is a going the right way. That was a Group Two but the next step is another thing. "The ground isn't too bad so hopefully Galileo Rock will go through it OK." third race quotes - Group Two OLBG Park Stakes - the second LOCKWOOD'S SECOND PLEASES GODOLPHIN Lockwood, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, finished second to Viztoria, being caught inside the final furlong and going down by three quarters of a length. The progressive grey broke smartly from the stalls and was always prominent towards the stands' side. He disputed the lead before taking up the running after three furlongs and went for home below the distance. Lockwood was challenged by the winner in the final furlong and caught with about 100 yards to go. He kept on to retain second by a length and quarter. The winning time was 1m 25.54s. Bin Suroor commented: "He ran well. This horse has improved physically after each race. "He tried really hard today but was beaten by a better horse - there are no excuses. "We could go to the seven-furlong Challenge Stakes at Newmarket or to France for a Group One over a mile." Third race, 3.15pm: The OLBG Park Stakes Third placed quotes WILDENSTEIN FOR GREGORIAN he tough and consistent Gregorian put in another fine display despite being on ground that he doesn't really like, when coming home in third in the Group Two OLBG Park Stakes. The grey Clodovil colt has only once been out of the frame this season, when fifth in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, and his placing here didn't disappoint trainer John Gosden.                                                 "He ran fine but he found the ground too sticky - it is holding and sticky and he doesn't like that. "We will look at the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend next for him." William Buick, who rode the 9/4 favourite, added: "He ran his usual good race but the ground is just too tacky for him."                                                             THIRD RACE RESULT 3.15pm OLBG Park Stakes (Group 2) £100,000 total prize fund. For 3yo+, 7f. Weights: 3yo colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb; 4yo+ colts and geldings 9st 4lb; fillies 9st 1lb. Weight for age: 3yo from 4yo+ 4lb. Penalty value 1st £56,710.00 2nd £21,500.00 3rd £10,760.00 4th £5,360.00 5th £2,690.00 6th £1,350.00 1) VIZTORIA (IRE) (Mrs K Lavery) Edward Lynam IRE 3-8-11 Wayne Lordan [10] 7/2 2) LOCKWOOD (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor 4-9-04 Silvestre de Sousa [9] 5/1 3) GREGORIAN (IRE) (HRH Princess Haya Of Jordan) John Gosden 4-9-04 William Buick [6] 9/4f 4) CASPAR NETSCHER (Charles Wentworth) David Simcock 4-9-04 Shane Kelly [1] 5) SIRIUS PROSPECT (USA) (Miss N Yarrow) Dean Ivory h5-9-04 Robert Winston [8] 6) PASTORAL PLAYER (The Pursuits Partnership) Hughie Morrison 6-9-04 Graham Lee [11] 7) ARNOLD LANE (IRE) (Nick & Olga Dhandsa & John & Zoe Webster) Mick Channon 4-9-04 Sam Hitchcott [3] 8) SOVEREIGN DEBT (IRE) (Lawrie Inman) Michael Bell p4-9-04 Jamie Spencer [4] 9) RED JAZZ (USA) (The Hon Ronald Arculli) Charlie Hills 6-9-04 Ryan Moore [5] 9 ran                            Non-runner: Pintura (Vets Cert - Bruised Foot), Aljamaaheer (Going) Time: 1m 25.54s           Distances: ¾, 1¼, 1¼, 1, 1, 1¾, hd, ¾ Breeder: Airlie Stud       Breeding: Oratorio (IRE) - Viz (IRE) (Darshaan) Tote     Win £4.00         Place £1.50 £1.90 £1.40            Exacta  £21.70 Winning trainer: Lynam, Edward Born:  April 14, 1962 Based: Summerseat Stables, Clonee, Co Meath  Background: took out a licence to train in February, 1984, having previously split his time running a building firm and learning how to train racehorses under the watchful eye of Jim Bolger. Big Race Wins: Park Stakes (2008 Duff, 2013 Viztoria),  EBF Land O'Burns Fillies' Stakes (2006 Free Roses), International Stakes (2004 Red Feather), Concorde Stakes (2009 Duff), Temple Stakes (2011 Sole Power), Palace House Stakes (2013 Sole Power) First Group One Winner: Sole Power, Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, York, August 20, 2010 Royal Ascot Wins (1): King's Stand Stakes (2013 Sole Power) Wins In Britain (2007-2012): 1; 2; 1; 1; 1; 2 Wins in Britain This Year: 3 Winning jockey:-Name: Lordan, Wayne Born: County Cork Background: He is one of amateur rider Pat Lordan's five children and was initially apprenticed to trainer Thomond O'Mara. Runner-up to Tadhg O'Shea in the 2001 Irish apprentice championship, he spent the winter of 2001/2002 riding for Barney Curley in Britain. He rides principally for David Wachman and Tommy Stack. Big Race Wins Include: Amethyst Stakes (2005 Tolpudle), Goffs Challenge (2001 Serious Play), Irish Lincolnshire (2004 Tolpuddle), Park Express EBF Stakes (2006 Danehill Music), Anglesey Stakes (2008 Bushranger), Molecomb Stakes (2011 Requinto), Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes (2011 Requinto), Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (2013 Sudirman), Park Stakes (2013 Viztoria) First Group One Winner: Sole Power, Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, York, August 20, 2010 First Career Win: Ethbaat, Killarney, July 15, 1998 First Winner in Britain: Just Magical, Wolverhampton, December 15, 2001 Royal Ascot Wins (3): Duke Of Cambridge (2011 Lolly For Dolly, 2013 Duntle); Sandringham Handicap (2012 Duntle) FIFTH RACE - THE NAPOLEON CASINOS AND RESTAURANTS HANDICAP WIN QUOTES                         FORGOTTEN HERO AIMED AT NOVEMBER HANDICAP Forgotten Hero, a 12/1 chance, stayed on in the determined fashion to deny Greatwood and Voodoo Prince by two necks in the Napoleon Casinos And Restaurants Handicap for trainer Charlie Hills. The son of High Chaparral, who was tackling 12 furlongs for the first time, had not won since scoring by six lengths in March, 2012, and was last seen finishing sixth in a 10-furlong handicap at York on August 24. Hills, who was saddling his third winner of the 2013 Ladbrokes St Leger Festival, said: "It was a tight finish but I was surprised how easily Forgotten Hero got there. "I think the step up in trip and especially the strong gallop have helped, but he has always had a lot of ability.                                     "We will look at the November Handicap now - the pace in those sort of races will suit him. He has had a lot of racing this season and it is only six weeks away, so I doubt he will run in between but we will see." Sixth race: 5.00pm TheAgriargo UK Tractor Challenge Nursery Winning Quotes PRINT SHOWS PHOTOGRAPHY AT HIS BEST Photography got the better of Extra Noble in a tight photo-finish in the Agriargo UK Tractor Challenge Nursery at Doncaster this afternoon, fighting back to get his head in front on the line and deny the 5/2 favourite by a short-head. The 20/1 shot hit the front with a furlong to go and was headed two hundred yards out but jockey Paddy Mathers got one last effort from his mount when it mattered to land the spoils. "That was really exciting!" said trainer Hugo Palmer after the race. "You never know when they take that long to announce the result and, to be honest, I thought it would be a dead-heat. "We actually thought he'd be a speedy two-year-old when we first got him as he's not that big but in reality, he's anything but and Paddy said that he thought he'd get further in time. "He's actually out of a Darshaan mare so there's every reason for thinking he'll train on and get better at three. "He was due to run at Kempton tonight but we decided to come here to give the owners a day out and it's actually turned out that none of them could make it. I'm obviously glad we came here now as there are plenty of chances to win on the all-weather over the winter. "I've no idea where he'll go next as I've not thought that far ahead. He's in the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sales later on this year but I don't think we'll be selling him now." SIXTH RACE - AGRIARGO UK TRACTOR CHALLENGE NURSERY HANDICAP RUNNER-UP QUOTES ANOTHER SECOND FOR BECKETT Trainer Ralph Beckett was left ruing his luck after 5/2 favourite Extra Noble's short-head second to Photography in the Agriargo UK Tractor Challenge Nursery Handicap over a mile at Doncaster this afternoon. Dance Bid, trained by Clive Brittain, was a length and a half further back in third. Beckett had already sent out Cubanita to finish second in a Listed contest at Chester this afternoon before Talent's fine second in the Ladbrokes St Leger here at Doncaster. Extra Noble, who got off the mark at the second time of asking in a Kempton maiden last time, held a narrow advantage entering the final furlong but could not repel the challenge of Photography in the shadows of the post. Beckett said: "Extra Noble has run a really good race but it is our third second of the day! "He hit the front but heard the crowd roar and just pulled up a little bit. He will probably run again and we will look for another nursery over a mile on similar ground." Seventh race: 5.35pm TheQatar Racing and Equestrian Club Harwood International Stakes Winning Quotes CARD SHARP PESLIER LANDS INTERNATIONAL The 5/4 favourite Tabarak was the one and a quarter length winner of the richest ever race run in Britain for Arab horses, the £150,000 Group One Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club International Stakes, at Doncaster this afternoon. Olivier Peslier's mount ran on strongly inside the final furlong to get the better of runner-up Djet Taouy and third-placed Al Mouhannad, both of whom had hit the front two furlongs from home. The winner proved to be welcome relief for Peslier, who had been fined £200 by the Doncaster stewards before the race for using his iPad in the weighing room earlier in the afternoon. "I knew he was a fast horse and probably the best in the race - he's won well," said Peslier. "He picked up well at the end of the race even though the ground was too soft for him. He was third in the big race at the Arc meeting last year when the ground was very heavy and we think he needs quicker going. "I needed that winner to pay the penalty I was given this afternoon. I knew that your mobile phone had to be off but didn't realise that meant iPads as well. I was only playing a card game on it to pass the time before the race." Trainer Alban de Mieulle was happy with the way his horse performed but felt he would be better on quicker ground. "I'm very pleased with him but he didn't win as well as I thought he could as the ground was a bit soft."