Morandi Second Goes One Better
The penultimate round of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Future Stars Apprentice Handicap Series, supported by White Rose Saddlery, took place at Catterick on Saturday, where the race for the champion apprentice of the season was also to be decided.
Both Sean Dylan Bowen, who was leading the charge and Joe Leavy, who went into the day three behind, were engaged at the North Yorkshire track and their first mounts of the day came in the second race.
Coincidentally, both riders had won and come second in the two divisions of the apprentice series on the opening day at Doncaster back in March, so, although they didn’t know it at the time, their championship battle started on the first day of the turf season.
Originally planned as a morning meeting, the cancellation of Newton Abbot earlier in the week meant that Catterick could move back to its traditional afternoon slot. The ground was soft, but the weather was beautiful. The sun shone all afternoon, with lots of warmth in it. The crowd, who were largely dressed for jump weather, were quickly discarding additional layers!
All 10 runners went to post for the 1m6f contest and it was Morandi Second, ridden by Joe Leavy who was just in front at the end of the first furlong. King Me and Poppy Scott were next to the rail with Two Auld Pals and Archie Young upsides. Whipping in at the back of the filed were Dark Jedi, ridding by Morgan Cole and Molten Sea under Sean Bowen. About eight lengths covered the field.
As they passed the winning post for the first time, there was a very even tempo and little change in the order. As they progressed around the far side, Bamboo Bay started to struggle and dropped back to the rear of the field, but at the other end of runners, Morandi Second got a length on the others and started an early run for home. Two auld Pals and Lord Torranaga tried to stay with him. From behind Molinari and Molten Sea started to make their move as the field rounded the final bend.
Morandi Second extended his lead by five lengths and as runners tracked across to the stands side, Joe Leavy really started to ride for home and had the race put to bed half a furlong from home.
Sean Bowen was second on Molten Sea, beaten six and half lengths and Molinari, ridden by Aiden Brookes was five lengths further back in third.
This win, took Joe Leavy into joint second place with Sean Bowen and Aiden Brookes, but a fifth place on Lord Torranaga for William Pyle earned him two points and leaves him well clear on 62 points to take the whole series, before the final is run Doncaster on Saturday 9th November.