Sir Prize – back-to-back winner at Kempton
SIR PRIZE may have been a surprise winner at Kempton earlier this month when obliging at 20/1 but he was quite strongly fancied to double up at the track yesterday and he duly did so at 5/1.
He was drawn wide when he first won and it was a similar story second time around, so again Robert Winston held him up. While the trip was 1m4f two and a half weeks ago, the furlong shorter trip was never really likely to be a problem this time around.
Last time, Sir Prize came from off the pace and wide and given the way the race panned out, he did well to win. Yesterday, his passage home was a little easier and Robert rode him full of confidence and brought him with a winning run in the home straight to beat the 15/8 favourite, Ilhabella fact by a neck. The third horse, Singing Sheriff was 2 1/4 lengths further back.
The lightly raced Sir Prize has had his problems, hence this was just the fourth run for the 4yo. He only went up two pounds last time and the handicapper cannot be too harsh on him given the victory by a neck, especially if he takes the view of the Racing Post which described the race as “an ordinary handicap.” Congratulations to owners Michael and Heather Yarrow, whose son of Sir Percy was purchased for 115,000 guineas and from whom there could be more to come.
Yesterday’s victory by Sir Prize was the fourth success for Harper Lodge Farm this month, following the successes of Swiss Chime, Tropics and a previous win by Sir Prize. This equals the start made in January of last year.
The stable has plenty more horses to run on the all-weather this winter and will be looking to go into the new turf season with a few more wins against its name.
