The turf: Irish hopes

Life certainly had its moments at Newbury’s Hennessy meeting. Emma Lavelle’s Tocca Ferro had impressed many on his seasonal return at Ascot and looks set for a rewarding future after his victory in the sportingbet.com intermediate hurdle showed an increasing professionalism. Then there was the double with Sarde and Regal Approach for Kim Bailey, who has remained amiable through some cruel dips in fortune since his Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle winning days and who is now at last back in the form of old…

Sarde was handled ably by stable amateur Charlie Greene, but Regal Approach was given a true professional’s ride by Sean Quinlan whose 19 winners in the season to that point had all been for the Bailey yard. The talented rider, long associated with Richard Phillips, is coming well through that tricky period that faces all riders after they have ridden out their conditional’s allowance.

The most memorable Newbury moment for me, though, came when an elegant lady stepped into the lift and commanded throatily, ‘Take me anywhere you want to go.’