SUPPLE LEAVES IT LATE TO BECOME LEGER LEGEND

Willie Supple became the latest name on the Leger Legends' hall of fame after he conjured up an amazing late run from 12/1 shot Dana's Present to land the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster this afternoon. It looked like the 45-year-old Supple, who retired from race riding in 2012, was going to have to settle for minor honours in the final furlong after Gay Kelleway had burst clear on Pelmanism to go several lengths clear. However, her mount began to tire badly in the last few strides which enabled both Dana's Present and Excellent Puck to draw alongside with the former just edging it by a nose in the photo with the other two dead-heating for second. "It was a great buzz and I'm delighted to have won it!" said Supple. "I thought I'd be third or fourth a furlong out and it was only in the last 50 yards that my horse took off. After the line, I turned to Jimmy (McCarthy) and thought he'd won it and he thought I'd won it. We then both looked at the picture and neither of us had a clue! "George Baker (trainer of Dana's Present) told me that he thought we had a squeak so he was right on that front. I'm very good friends with George's assistant, Pat Murphy, which is how I came to ride this horse. "It's great to be a part of it though and great to raise so much money for charity. I lived in a little village called Dishforth (near Ripon) in Yorkshire for a long time so this place will always have a special place in my heart. "I had over 1,500 winners in my career and the people over here were always so good to me. I was first at Jonjo O'Neill's when I came over from Ireland and also rode out for Lynda Ramsden. I had a good few winners for Eric Alston who I had a very good relationship with and ended up riding the likes of Tedburrow for him. "I was then lucky enough to land the job with Sheikh Hamdan and rode some really nice horses for Godolphin as well. I won the Lockinge on Fly To The Stars (at Newbury in 1999) and he was my first Group One winner. "I keep myself pretty fit and ride out three mornings at Kevin Prendergast's so I'm still pretty active. I've just started a wedding business with my wife which is different but a good business to be in. I often help people out with their first weddings - and then their second!" Race 4 - Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes - place quotes SO CLOSE FOR GAY AFTER 21 YEARS The length of the stirrup leather is a giveaway. "There was still plenty of horse under me at the end," said Gay Kelleway, caught on the line on Pelmanism in the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes, "but he's lazy when he's in front and I was riding about 10 holes longer than I used to. "It was a bit unfortunate he got caught and maybe I should have won but I couldn't keep pushing him. If I'd given him another smack, I'd have got into trouble with the stewards." Kelleway, 49, who trains in Newmarket, last rode in a race in 1992. Much more recently retired is ex-jump jockey Jimmy McCarthy, who hung up his boots during the summer and whose mount Excellent Puck finished fast to force a dead-heat for second with Pelmanism, a nose behind the winner Dana's Present. "That was fun," he said, "but it would have been more fun if I'd got there. I got trapped a bit by the two pole just as I was starting my run. But it was great to take part." FOURTH RACE, 3.35pm: THE CLIPPER LOGISTICS LEGER LEGENDS CLASSIFIED STAKES Quotes LEGENDS' THOUGHTS AFTER THE LEGER LEGENDS RACE Luke Harvey, rider of fifth Jay Bee Blue, said: "It was fantastic - I loved it! The buzz before the race was great and in the stall we were all having a bit of a laugh. I had a superb ride, I thought three out I was going to win - my horses was cantering but the ground was just against him. "The main thing was that everyone enjoyed it and it is for a great charity and it is a fantastic event and it was an honour to ride in it." Willie Newton, who rode 15th and last  Waltz Darling, said "I did enjoy it very much. My horse just paddled in the ground, but it was very nice to ride again." John Lowe, who rode 11th My Guardian Angel, said: "It was too soft for my horse." Michael Hills, on board 12th Callmeakhab, said: "I loved it! It was great. It was a shame my horse only took me half way into the race - but it was really good fun." Kevin Darley, rider of 14th Sardanapalus, said: "The jockey got tired before the horse - I dont think I am going to come back out of retirement just at the moment." Nick Connorton, on board sixth Mr Spiggott, said: "I had a good ride - he was on the bridle until three out and then I blew up!" MORE LEGENDS SPEAK AFTER THE LEGENDS RACE Carl Llewellyn, who rode fourth Self Employed, said: "It was very enjoyable and he went well, and hopefully the charity has made plenty of money. The horse was lovely, which obviously helps, he did most of the work for a long time which was very helpful - I am eternally grateful to him! It has been a great turn out and the auction went well - everyone dug deep." Tony Culhane, on board seventh Piceno, said: "I was a little bit keen early on, Dale (Gibson) didn't go fast enough as usual and I got stuck behind him. I knew I wasn't going to get home because he was so keen early on. Hopefully, I can come back next year, I really enjoyed it." David O'Meara, rider of eighth Berlusca, said: "I enjoyed it. I raised about fifteen hundred pounds - mostly from owners in the yard - so it has been well worthwhile. I have enjoyed the day out!" Gary Bardwell, who partnered 10th Orders From Rome, said: "He ran well for a long way but I think the ground was against him in the end. I enjoyed the race - I have been in it three years now and it is good crack seeing all the old boys in the weighing room. It seems like only yesterday that we were all still riding." Willie Ryan, on board 13th Winslow Arizona, said: "I loved it. My horse struggled in the ground and then dropped out - then I did!" FOURTH RACE RESULT 3.35pm Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes £10,000 total prize fund. For 3yo+, rated 0-70, 1m (str). Weights: 3yo 10st 9lb; 4yo+ 11st. Penalties: after August 31st, a winner 6lb. Weight for age: 3 from 4yo+ 5lb. Penalty value 1st £6,469.00 2nd £1,925.00 3rd £962.00 4th £481.00. 1) DANA'S PRESENT (Whitsbury Racing Club) George Baker 4-11-00 Willie Supple [8] 12/1 2) PELMANISM (Koo's Racing Club) Brian Ellison 6-11-00 Gay Kelleway [12] 12/1 2) EXCELLENT PUCK (IRE) (Ken Gundlach) Jamie Osborne 3-10-09 Jimmy McCarthy [10] 11/1 4) SELF EMPLOYED (Garry Woodward) Garry Woodward 6-11-00 Carl Llewellyn [15] 5) JAY BEE BLUE (Scuderia Vita Bella) Sean Curran tb4-11-00 Luke Harvey [7] 6) MR SPIGGOTT (IRE) (Heart Of The South Racing) Gary Moore v4-11-00 Nick Connorton [6] 7) PICENO (IRE) (Ontoawinner) Scott Dixon p5-11-00 Tony Culhane [19] 8) BERLUSCA (IRE) (Peter Ball) David O'Meara 4-11-00 David O'Meara [16] 9) SWORD IN HAND (Geoffrey Bishop) Alan Jarvis t4-11-00 Dale Gibson [18] 10) ORDERS FROM ROME (IRE) (G Stevens) Eve Johnson Houghton t4-11-00 Gary Bardwell [4] 11) MY GUARDIAN ANGEL (Sarabex) Mark Tompkins 4-11-00 John Lowe [13] 12) CALLMEAKHAB (IRE) (AEGIS Partnership) Charlie Hills 3-10-09 Michael Hills [2] 11/2f 13) WINSLOW ARIZONA (IRE) (Rathordan Partnership) Michael Bell 3-10-09 Willie Ryan [9] 14)SARDANAPALUS (J Nixon) Kevin Ryan p4-11-00 Kevin Darley [11] 15) WALTZ DARLING (IRE) (Mrs M Thwaites & M Foxton) Keith Reveley 5-11-00 Willie Newton [17] Non-runners: Broctune Papa Gio (Self Cert - Not Eaten Up (Replaced by Waltz Darling)), Slim Chance (withdrawn), Sunnybridge Boy (reserve), Skyfire (reserve). Time: 1m 43.18s Distances: ns, dh, 2½, 3, 1¼, 6, 2, sh, ½, 1, 3¾, 1, 2¼, ¾ Breeder: Newsells Park Stud     Breeding: Osorio (GER) - Euro Empire (USA) (Bartok (IRE)) Tote     Win £12.50       Place £3.70 £3.40 £5.10            Exacta  £77.90 £104.00 Winning Trainer:-Name: Baker, George Based: Barton Yard, Manton Estate, Marlborough, Wiltshire Background: Studied at Edinburgh University before working in the City, notably for Baring Bank at the same time as Nick Leeson, before turning his back on the square mile and spending three years living in Vietnam. Returned to England and bought a house at the bottom of Paul Webber's drive. Spent five years as Webber's assistant before joining The Sportsman writing features and working as their Lambourn correspondent. Returned to Webber after the paper failed and set up on his own at the start of 2008. Royal Ascot Wins (1): Royal Hunt Cup (2013 Belgian Bill) Other notable wins: Scarbrough Stakes (2011 Humidor) First Winner (Jumps): Friendly King, Wood Farm Stud Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race, Exeter, April 15, 2008 First Winner (Flat): Music Box Express, Visit Pontin's For Great Short Breaks Handicap, Wolverhampton, March 28, 2008 Flat Wins (2008-2012): 15; 26; 40; 49; 32 Wins in 2013: 21 Winning jockey:-Name: Willie Supple Born: June 8, 1968 Background: Former Flat jockey. Rode over 1,500 winners. First Winner: Peak Squaw - Gowran Park, 1986 Big Race Wins Include: Diamond Jubilee Stakes (2004 Fayr Jag), Dubai Golden Shaheen (1998 Mudallel), Lockinge Stakes (1999 Fly To The Stars), Moyglare Stud Stakes (2006 Miss Beatrix)