STYLISH SPANIARD, Oscar, Urbina, who is creating a big impression in Britain this season, took his winning score to 23 when landing the feature race on Timeform Day at Pontefract yesterday afternoon.
Urbina, who is getting plenty of opportunities from Luca Cumani, captured the Timeform Futurity for his boss on Lima, who showed a sparkling turn of foot inside the final furlong to win by a length from Nigrasine.
"Things are going well and I am very happy," enthused Urbina, 24, who was twice champion apprentice in his native Spain.
"This is my third season in Britain. I had only three rides and no winners the first year, three winners and 30 rides last year, and this season things have picked up really well. Long may it continue," he smiled.
Although no firm plans emerged for Lima, now the winner of both her starts, the runner-up Nigrasine, who was conceding Lima no less than 11lb, is on course for Redcar's Two-Year-Old Trophy next month.
"He has run a cracking race and he must go to Redcar with a great chance off 8st 4lb" said trainer Les Eyre.
Canon Can showed himself to be a useful stayer in the making when getting the better of the odds-on Kristal's Paradise in the Phil Bull Trophy over a gruelling two and a quarter miles.
Powerfully ridden by Willie Ryan, Canon Can, previously successful at Newmarket, mastered the favourite entering the final furlong and stayed on strongly to win by seven lengths.
Gary Milligan, 23, partnered the 15th winner of his career, and his seventh this season, when riding a well-judged race to make all the running on Ayunli in the Pontefract Apprentice Series Limited Stakes.
"Gary rode a cool race and did the job well," said Newmarket trainer, Stuart Williams after admitting that he had originally tried to book Fergal Lynch, rider of the runner-up Mock Trial, to partner his winner.
Burlington House - top rated by Timeform - fittingly won the Computer Timeform Nursery Handicap in runaway style. Paul Cole's colt, the 11 to 4 favourite, provided Pat Eddery with an armchair ride as he came home four lengths clear of Burkes Manor.
Eddery had to work a good deal harder on Shabanaz in the Timeform Race Card Selling Stakes but it was not enough as the combination failed by a neck to peg back Action Jackson, the mount of Kevin Darley.
Tarporley trainer Alan Bailey will bid to equal the 20th century record of handicap wins in a season on Saturday - not with one horse but with two!
Maple Bay joined stablemate My Gallery on the eight-winner mark yesterday and will go to Haydock, while My Gallery runs on the sand at Wolverhampton.
Only four horses this century have registered nine handicap wins in a season, Glencroft, Chaplins Club (twice), Star Rage and Vindaloo.
