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| |  Friday, 2 August, 2002, 17:31 GMT 18:31 UK Smirk's sweet success Smirk and Kevin Darley go for the winning post Smirk won the showcase handicap William Hill Mile at Goodwood after a stewards' inquiry. The inquiry centered on interference and involved the winner, Smirk, plus the horses finishing third and sixth. But after lengthy deliberations, the result stood, much to the relief of jockey Kevin Darley and trainer David Elsworth. In a wide open race, Wannabe Around broke from the start and opened up a five-length lead with three furlongs to go. But the pack closed in and in a photo finish Smirk, priced at 12-1, beat fast-finishing Atlantic Ace by a head. Surprise Encounter came in third, while Nashaab was fourth.
Smirk's success made up for the disappointment of Persian Punch's performance in Thursday's Goodwood Cup. "It's tough for him in these handicaps but he deserved to win," smiled Elsworth. "I had thought of him as more of an autumn horse and we'd been looking at the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket in October - he might still go there. "He was fourth in it last year and now that he has run two very good races, you'd have to think he might be improving."
Darley continued his good form with victory in the following race, the Lady O Memorial Glorious Rated Stakes, on Darasim, trained by Mark Johnston. Meanwhile, Kieren Fallon was handed a three-day ban for irresponsible riding after an incident in the opening race of the day, the Seabeach Stakes. Fallon, on the well-backed 2-1 favourite Chorist, got into a tangle with Passing Glance, ridden by Martin Dwyer. But there was drama before the Bexley Nursery Handicap when jockey George Baker was taken to hospital after his horse fell on top of him in the parade ring. Baker had just mounted Stagnite in readiness for the race when the two-year-old reared up vertically and fell straight back onto him. He was stretchered into an ambulance and taken to hospital where he will remain overnight. Stagnite was withdrawn from the race, which could not be started until the ambulance returned - leading to a 17-minute delay. | |
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