LINGFIELD Friday

THE major surprise of the all-weather season arrived on Championship Day at a sunny Lingfield yesterday when John Gosden’s 3/1 on favourite Wissahickon, who had carried all before him from last season’s Cambridgeshire onwards, could finish only a well-beaten second to Mark Johnston’s 9/2 shot Matterhorn.

The was no fluke about the result. Matterhorn, the all-weather Horse of the Year, was looking for a six-timer when seeing too much daylight at Kempton last time.

Given a lead here, as Wissahickon’s stable-companion Court House predictably took them along, he challenged around the final bend with Frankie Dettori, trapped wide early on, looking anxious on the favourite. They challenged at the same time but it soon became apparent that Matterhorn was going by far the better. He went well clear to score easily as Wissahickon held the veteran Pactolus for second.

IMPRESSIVE

“He was very impressive today,” said winning jockey Joe Fanning.

“I rode a bad race on him last time, simple as that. I was drawn low and pushed him up front but they were snapping at him the whole way. Coming down the hill he was travelling really well today. He stayed on well but he’s got plenty of speed, as well.”

Remarkably, neither Johnston nor Fanning had won a race on all-weather championships day up until yesterday but that is a statistic that will never be quoted again.

Wissahickon may have been below his best but he beat the others.

Maybe it was a bridge too far but the Breeders’ Cup Classic seems a mite optimistic now.

Kachy blitzes in the Sprint

THE bookmakers were never going to take any chances with the brilliantly speedy Kachy, who cracked the course record in his preparation race and started at 4/9 in the Betway Sprint.

Out of the stalls in a flash, he was soon over two lengths clear and Richard Kingscote was able to get the slightest of breathers into him as Encrypted gave chase and Stone Of Destiny moved up on the outside.

However, the winner was toying with them and soon kicked well clear again and it was left to the admirably consistent George Bowen to chase him up when the race was done and dusted.

Merhood rewarded each-way backers in third at 20/1 with David Marnane’s Alfredo Arcano doing himself justice behind the placed horses.

“I’d just like to pay tribute to his trainer Tom Dascombe, who’s done such a good job with him,” said Kingscote.

“This is how he likes to run his races.

“He’s got a lot of natural ‘boot’ and if you can get him to use it soon, it makes things very difficult for the others. He’s really matured over the last couple of seasons.”

Watersmeet too quick for Amade

THE opening apprentices’ handicap went to Eve Johnson Hughton’s Goring, 14/1, who dropped back to seven furlongs and was given a perfectly-judged ride by Georgie Dobie, who is one of the finds of the season and was following up a double at Windsor on Monday. Ms Johnson Houghton’s horses are fit and ready at this time of year as usual.

There followed one of the major gambles of the day in the Betway Marathon.

All the money came for French challenger Amade, who was seeking his sixth straight win at 4/6 from evens but had no answer to Johnston’s old campaigner Watersmeet in the closing stages.

Unsuited by the steady pace, Amade was moved forward by Christophe Soumillon as Stamford Raffles made much of the running from Higher Power. Aware that speed might well be the key factor, Soumillon kicked hard off the final turn but Joe Fanning on Watersmeet (7/1) followed him and coaxed much the better turn of foot from the eight-year-old, who went on the score by just over two lengths with Spark Plug back in third.

Watersmeet, quite a character at home, had finished second and third in the race so was hardly winning it out of turn. He made his debut at the track all of five years ago and, although a good winner on turf, is very sell suited by Polytrack.

“You need to be careful because he can kick and bite but he was in a good mood because he’d already won one battle today, refusing to be plaited!” Johnston smiled. “He’s just that bit better on the all-weather but he’s run some cracking races in top staying handicaps and has done us proud over the years.”

MOORE IN CHARGE

Those who faithfully follow Ryan Moore enjoyed a handsome result in the Fillies’ And Mares’ as Heavenly Holly, 9/1, drawn widest of all in stall 12, exited the stalls in a flash and came across to dominate against the inside rail.

The Shamardal filly, the most lightly raced in the field, never saw a rival and never eased off, coming home nicely clear as Island Of Life stayed on easily best of the rest, followed by French challengers Silvery Mist, who was none too well away, and favourite Cry Baby.

Heavenly Holly, trained by Hugo Palmer, was unraced at two and and won twice on the all-weather here but seemed held by Silvery Mist on Deauville listed form very late in the year.

“She’s improving and only started racing in October,” Palmer said. “I thought she was the only filly in the field that could improve again and we’ll look for some blacktype on turf now. The Chartwell Stakes for fillies on Derby and Oaks trials day here looks right.”

SOUMILLON EDGES IT

Christophe Soumillon, who was having his first experience of the Lingfield all-weather track, showed ice-cool judgement in landing the Ladbrokes Conditions Stakes on 11/4 favourite Pizzicato.

Only moderately away and with Quiet Endeavour showing blistering pace up front, it looked as if the French challenger had plenty to do, especially when Deputise found a split against the far rails and went for home.

But Pizzicato made ground very easily in the straight, looking sure to go straight past. It wasn’t quite like that as Deputise and James Doyle matched strides but Soumillon, crouching low and always confident, nursed Pizzicato home by a short-head.

“I was confident in the straight because he’s really professional and mature,” the jockey said. “It was close but we only won by a short-head at Chantilly last time as well!”

OH THIS IS HIM!

Richard Hannon completed a lucrative and prestigious across-the-card double when grand old campaigner Oh This Is Us found a blistering turn of foot in the straight in the closing Sun Racing Mile.

Arcanada led from Salateen for much of the way. Cardsharp briefly threatened to give Johnston and Fanning a treble but it was French raider Inyco who seemed to have come with a perfectly-timed winning run.

However, Oh This Is Us found a truly impresibe burst on the outside and sailed by for Tom Marquand to oblige at 5/1.

“I simply adore him,” the jockey smiled. “I remember winning on him a 3lb claimer and again in listed company. He’s been so good to me. I think he’s won a dozen times in all and he found a tremendous burst there.”

It was a splendid end to a remarkable day, thoroughly enjoyed by a huge crown in the sunshine.

Fox crafty at Newcastle

THERE was also a valuable all-weather card at Newcastle, where the Listed Ladbrokes Burradon Stakes over a mile went to Richard Hannon’s Fox Power in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa, who is now retained by the colt’s owners King Power Racing.

Fox Power (7/1) battled on to repel the persistent challenge of John Gosden’s Daarik with Bayroot keeping on well for third.

Clipper Queen

AT Bath the Listed Whitsbury Manor Stud/British EBF Lansdown Stakes for Fillies & Mare over five furlongs went to the Roger Varian-trained favourite Queen Of Desire. The Clipper Logistics-owned filly is bred in the purple by Dubawi out of the listed winner Beyond Desire who was second in the Lowther Stakes.