Khajaaly heads hat-trick of wins from trainer Mick Appleby

A review of the action from Southwell on Tuesday, where Mick Appleby sent out three winners, including a one-two.

Mick Appleby trained the first two home in the Ladbrokes Handicap at Southwell but it was the lesser-fancied of his pair, Khajaaly, who landed a surprise victory.

The local trainer fielded the heavily-supported Westminster who was sent off 8-11 favourite for the feature race.

However, it was his 14/1 shot stablemate Khajaaly who prevailed by half a length despite wandering slightly on the run in.

Appleby said: "That was a career best run from him and we only decided to come here at the last minute."

Westminster had attempted to make all before he was picked off in the dying strides and his handler believed a prolonged tussle up the straight might have cost the odds-on jolly the prize.

He said: "Westminster burned himself out getting into a battle with (third-placed) Time And Place but there are a couple of races back here in March for him."

That victory was the second part of a hat-trick for Appleby and rider Andrew Mullen, who only recently returned to action after a spell on the sidelines.

Their first success of the afternoon came when Katie Gale (7/2) scored comfortably by two and a quarter lengths in the Willie Or Won't He At 32redsport.com Handicap.

Mullen sat motionless aboard the Shirocco mare when taking up the lead in the straight and only had to give his mount the slightest encouragement to land a facile victory.

Appleby said: "She might have won last time if she had raced less keenly, but I dread to think what the handicapper will do to her now."

The duo put the icing on the cake when teaming up with Carlanda in the closing Coral Handicap.

The 3/1 shot tracked the pace into the straight before battling dourly to win by a neck from Canadian Diamond.

Rennie Mackintosh gave Mark Johnston his first winner of the year in the 32redsport.com Cheltenham Win Handicap.

The son of Excellent Art was sent off a 25/1 chance after mixed efforts in maiden company, but belied his price to score by one and three-quarter lengths on his Fibresand debut.

His rider Joe Fanning said: "The switch to this surface definitely helped him."

The Ladbrokes Maiden Stakes went the way of Steady Major (5/4), who gained compensation for a narrow defeat at Lingfield on his latest outing.

The Invincible Spirit gelding got the better of Dark Diamond by a neck, with the disappointing favourite International Name only managing third.

The opener had gone the way of Very First Blade (4/1) who had to battle to fight off the challenge of the well-backed Sleet in The Unibet Offer Daily Jockey/Trainer Specials Handicap to score by a head.

There was a sting in the tail for his winning rider Robert Havlin, though, as he received a two-day ban (February 24 and 25) for using the whip above the permitted level.