Sand Boy lands Kempton gamble
Sir Alex Ferguson's famous red colours were carried to a ready success at Kempton by the Charlie Hills-trained Sand Boy.
Last Updated: 28/01/13 5:45pm
A three-year-old Footstepsinthesand colt, he is owned in partnership by the Manchester United manager with friends John Cotton and Jack Hanson.
Having been available at 3/1 early in the day, Sand Boy went off a heavily-backed 8/13 favourite for the BetVictor Cheltenham Festival Antepost Pioneers Median Auction Maiden Stakes and comfortably came clear from Clock Opera in the closing stages.
Hills said: "He came back lame after his first run, so he needed plenty of time and ran a good race last time. He's still green and should come on from that. It will have done him the world of good and we'll see what the handicapper does."
Asked about his best-known syndicate member, Hills said: "I talk to him quite regularly and he is very keen on his horses. It's nice to have an owner like Sir Alex in the yard."
Newmarket trainer Michael Squance had apprentice-of-the-moment Robert Tart to thank as he got off the mark for 2013 in the Get The BetVictor App Handicap.
Diplomatic (9/2) is a regular visitor to the Sunbury course, being just denied over the same mile nine days earlier, and Tart stayed cool to sneak through and hold on in a blanket finish.
"He has been running well - he was drawn seven of seven here recently and was only beaten four lengths, then was beaten on the line next time," Squance told Racing UK.