Hamilton review: Monsieur Joe delights trainer Paul Midgley

A review of Tuesday's action at Hamilton where Monsieur Joe returned to form in the feature race.

Paul Midgley could strike while the iron is hot with Monsieur Joe after the veteran sprinter gained a first win of the season in the EBF Stallions Soba Conditions Stakes at Hamilton.

Although priced up as the stable second string behind Line Of Reason, the nine-year-old knuckled down to his task well in the five-furlong feature to defeat last year's winner Move In Time by three-quarters of a length.

Line Of Reason was the same distance further back in third, with Muhadathat last of four runners.

Monsieur Joe (11/2) could make a swift return to action in the Coral Charge at Sandown on Saturday

Midgley said: "He is an absolute legend of a horse and is a thorough gent. Words can not describe him highly enough. He is very straightforward and wears his heart on his sleeve.

"He has been worth his weight in gold and has given us lots of pleasure.

"To be honest, he hasn't done a lot wrong this season. He ran well first time out at Naas, then the ground dried up in France. Things didn't go his way in the Dash at Epsom and the same happened at Musselburgh. The bit of rain they had here got into the ground and that helped him.

"I would say as long as he is fine in the morning and in the run up to Saturday I am sure he will go down to Sandown.

"He loves the soft ground and with some of those entered not going it opens up the door for him."

Baileys Showgirl showed what she is capable of when breaking on level terms when brushing off her rivals in the Highland Spring Water Avon Gorge Novice Auction Stakes.

Having blown any chance of victory on her debut at Chelmsford when surrendering a large amount of ground after rearing up in the stalls, the Mark Johnston-trained 15/2 shot looked a different character in Scotland as she coasted home a three-length winner.

Charlie Johnston, son and assistant trainer, said: "I was fairly amazed she beat one home considering how much of a start she gave them at Chelmsford.

"We had done some stalls work since and she went in there with a blind fold on. When she came out on terms that was the hard part done. The rest was pretty easy from there.

"I think we will stick at six furlongs for now and we will try find a novice or conditions race and then if she wins again then we would be ready to step her up in class."

Sharjah can now boast wins in Ireland, England and Scotland after taking his career number of victories into double figures in the Racing Welfare Stable Staff Week Handicap.

Trained in Ireland by Andrew Slattery, the 10/1 shot was not for catching in the mile and half contest, making all under Tony Hamilton for a length and a half victory.

Brian Slattery, brother of the winning trainer, told Racing UK: "We literally thought coming over he was a steering job. Twelve months ago he was rated 85 and over a mile and a half, when he is allowed to dictate like that, he is just a better horse than those he was running against today.

"He loves waiting in front for the other horses. He is a mile and a quarter horse and they were never going to do him for speed from two down."

Adam McNamara saw his claim whittled down to 5lb after chalking up his 20th winner of the campaign aboard Spirit Of Zeb (11/2) in the Totepool Chatelherault Palace Handicap.

The victory was the first leg of a double for trainer Richard Fahey, who later teamed up with Hamilton to take the racinguk.com Maiden Stakes with David's Duchess (1/3).

The Kristin Stubbs-trained Bronze Beau (15/2) made his 101st start a victorious one when defying top-weight in the High Definition Racing UK Handicap, while Whitkirk (5/2) from the yard of Jedd O'Keeffe claimed a first career win in the Ferniegair Handicap.