WILLIE CARSON finally found his way back into the winner's enclosure yesterday after a week he will want to forget. After a losing sequence of 20 including his monumental blunder on Kemari at Lingfield last Saturday the Scot at last had something to smile about when steering Ninotchka to an easy victory in the Littleton Fillies Maiden at Haydock Park.
Appropriately it came on the day that Carson hinted in a radio interview that his retirement is not far off. The 53 year old jockey kept Ninotchka in the front rank for most of the journey and had burned off most of his rivals with a furlong to go.
Pulling away in great style John Dunlop's filly was eight lengths clear of Generosa at the line. "It's great that Willie's done it, though he didn't want to say much after the race," said Dunlop's representative Michael Germon.
Pat Eddery certainly looks keen to try to wrest the jockeys' title from Frankie Dettori and he added another to his tally when Joint Venture stormed home in the Parkside Auction Maiden Stakes.
Brian Meehan's colt has been a shade disappointing since finishing runner up in the Brocklesby Stakes on the opening day of the turf season. Connections decided to fit blinkers on this occasion and they had the desired effect as the 4 to 1 chance made most and kept on well to repel the newcomer Future Prospect.
Dettori later hit back when he steered C Harry to a neck defeat of Suave Star in the W Y Insurance Brokers Selling Stakes. But Eddery went on to complete a double when Master Boots easily landed the Bickershaw Conditions Stakes. The colt, trainer by David Loder, is now set to tackle the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.
Bollin Frank gained a deserved success in the Greenalls Property Handicap to put another feather in the cap of rookie trainer Tim Easterby.
Since taking over the reins from his father Peter, Easterby has done a great job carrying on the good work at Habton Grange. He has already had several important successes over jumps and Boll in Frank was providing him with his sixth victory on the Flat.
The consistent colt's only previous win came over the course and distance last July but it's impossible to fault his attitude.
The form of his last race when he finished second to Coureur had worked out well and he appeared to hold a solid chance yesterday. Surprisingly he was easy to back, drifting to 4 to 1 Joint favouritism with Band On The Run.
But in the race itself it was always Boll in Frank who was calling the shots, making most of the running and keeping on gamely in the closing stages to hold his market rival by one length.
"This horse had been a bit unlucky but he always runs up to his best and he's deserved this," said Easterby. "He doesn't need to run from the front but Lindsay decided to go on because no one was keen to make it a gallop."
. Willie Carson gave his broadest hint yet that his retirement from the saddle was imminent in an frank in depth interview with Sybil Ruscoe on Radio 5 Live yesterday afternoon.
Although he refused to be drawn into announcing a date, he stated it was "highly likely" that this year's Derby would be his last and mused that a win on Alhaarth would be "a fairy tale ending" to a 35 year career in the saddle heavy in highs but not without disappointments.
The Luca Cumani trained three year old Second Barrage took Milan by storm yesterday by gaining a 10 length debut win in the Premio Rocchetta Tanaro under 17 year old Marco Cangiano.
High flying Cangiano won the Oaks d'Italia on Germignaga at the same course last Sunday. Second Barrage was a 19 to 10 chance on the Tote.
. British bookmakers yesterday voiced unanimous approval at the news that Home Secretary Michael Howard has finally signed the order allowing "amusement with prizes" machines into betting offices.
A 28 day period is necessary between the signing of the order and implementation so punters can expect to see one armed bandits in shops from June 20th.
The date falls in the middle of the Royal Ascot meeting, one of the busiest betting periods of the year.
