Custom Cut gets back on track with incisive victory at Sandown

The prolific Custom Cut dug deep to make a winning reappearance in the bet365 Mile at Sandown yesterday.

The six-year-old won five races on the spin during a tremendous first season with David O’Meara in 2014, but finished out with the washing on his final start in the QEII on Champions Day at Ascot.

A 4-1 chance for his first start since October, Custom Cut tracked the front-running Bow Creek before taking over in the straight.

Here Comes When came from last to mount a challenge, but Custom Cut was not for passing, sticking to his guns to take the Group Two prize by a length and a half.

Winning jockey Daniel Tudhope said: “He’s every jockey’s dream as he travels well and gives you everything. He tries his heart out every time.

“He’s an improving horse and did well last season. It’s a good start to this season and hopefully he can keep going. I think Group Ones are probably on the agenda.

Outsider-of-four Master Apprentice made every post a winning one to cause a minor upset in the bet365 Classic Trial. With the big guns seemingly keen to play their cards late, Andrew Balding’s colt (12-1) got something of an uncontested lead in the hands of David Probert.

Snoano loomed up as a danger before weakening in the straight, while the Charlie Hills-trained Autumn Stakes winner Commemorative, the 4-6 favourite on his first start since running at the Breeders’ Cup meeting, was bitterly disappointing on his return.

Cape Clear Island, a winner of a valuable sales race at Newmarket last week, was last of the quartet early on and although he got going late in the day, Master Apprentice held him at bay by half a length.

Probert said: “It was quite a smart performance. It was quite a tactical race and he managed to get his own way out in front, but when I really asked him to lengthen and quicken away he answered and put it to bed fairly sharply.

Western Hymn showed the benefit of a return to a quicker surface when showcasing his talent with a battling victory in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes.

Tracking pacesetting favourite Postponed from the outset, the 7-2 shot quickened up to take command of the Group Three mile-and-a-quarter contest inside the final two furlongs.

The strong-travelling Cannock Chase looked poised to pounce after being angled out for a run by Ryan Moore, however he failed to find the gears to match the winner, eventually giving way to finish third.

Last challenge

With Cannock Chase out of the picture, it was left to the rallying Postponed to throw down one last challenge, but the John Gosden-trained Western Hymn stuck on tenaciously to take the race by three-quarters of a length, the second leg of a four-timer on the afternoon for winning rider Frankie Dettori.

Gosden said: “I’m just happy to see the horse back. “He’s been off a long time, he got stuck in the mud at Deauville and it was pretty bad at Ascot in the big race there, so it’s good to have him back and see him running his race.

“He’s come here in good form and showed his class and we can now look towards races like the Hardwicke [at Royal Ascot].