Lost at Sea makes winning debut at Doncaster

The rest of the news from the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger Festival where Lost At Sea made a winning debut in the opener.

Karl Burke can do little wrong at present and his Lost At Sea dented some lofty reputations when making a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Conditions Stakes at Doncaster.

Fresh from a big-race double at Haydock last weekend with Intense Tango and Quiet Reflection, Burke had warned his owners Zorka and Charles Wentworth that the relatively expensive breeze-up purchase would probably finish last.

However, when the front-running Battaash threw the race away by hanging across the track, Lost At Sea (16-1) showed a nice attitude to hold off the favourite Dream Of Dreams by a length and a quarter under Joey Haynes.

"When we bought him from the sales he unfortunately came back with sore shins so Charles and Zorka have had to be patient," said Burke.

"I did warn them he'd probably be last making his debut in the race like this, but they were coming as it's the charity day and I like running newcomers in races like this as they are small fields.

"He's always been a nice horse and I left him in the Mill Reef earlier in the week which shows what I think of him. That might just come too soon, though. What I do know is there'll be plenty more to come as mine are never fully tuned up first time out"

Richard Fahey's Andok maintained his unbeaten record in the Owlerton Greyhound Stadium - Sheffield's Top Night Nursery Handicap.

Impressive when beating a subsequent winner at Redcar on his debut, the Elzaam colt was up against more experienced rivals off a mark of 80.

Tony Hamilton seemed at pains to give the youngster as easy a time as possible and while the 13-8 favourite only beat Appointed by a head, he always looked like holding that rival and never came under maximum pressure.

"I think that was quite a warm race, we know a bit about the second and she's pretty good," said Fahey.

"We bought him off Eddie O'Leary at the breeze-ups for £60,000 and he said we'd robbed him and I'm beginning to think he might be right.

"Whether he runs again this season I don't know, there's not much for these handicappers and we won't throw him in the deep end as he has a lot of growing up to do."

Fahey then doubled up when Stamp Hill (5-1) finished strongest of all to pip Marco Botti's Dream Mover in the Howcroft Industrial Supplies Handicap.

"It's great to have winners at this meeting and as they aren't winning by far, the handicapper can't go mad!" said Fahey.

"This horse has been unlucky this season, but it's a nice consolation for his owner. He's tough and hardy, just the type we like, and he'll be one for all the big handicaps next season I hope."

Roger Varian's Mount Logan (13-8 favourite) returned to winning ways in some style in the Story Contracting-Plant, Construction & Rail Conditions Stakes.

Fourth in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, he looked the class act if everything went to plan and it did, winning by six lengths under Andrea Atzeni.