Martin Dwyer has a field day at Ascot
Every weighing room has had their jokers in the jockeys pack and Martin Dwyer is usually just one step away from his next one-liner.
But that does not detract from the serious business of life as freelance jockey. Following an abortive stint as No.2 jockey to Sheikh Hamdan, Dwyer is in his second season on his own and it has been quiet times of late, as the days of winning the Derby on Sir Percy four years ago edge further into the past.
The present looked a lot better by the end of racing at Ascot with a double, highlighted by the victory of Field Day (pictured) in the Listed Woodcote Stud EBF Valiant Stakes. The filly’s trainer, Brian Meehan is currently in California to saddle Crowded House at Del Mar over the weekend, but he has left his yard in the best form of the season so far and Field Day is a horse who looks to have every chance to live up to her name.
She had been considered Classic material after she won her maiden at Newmarket last October but was laid low over the winter. Meehan opted to take a patient approach with a second and a win in two handicaps before making the step up in class, which Field Day took in her stride. She was not inconvenienced by a muddling early pace, as Dwyer tracked the leaders, and then she forged clear in the last quarter-mile to beat Chachamaidee by three lengths.
“It was a slow pace and I was in a good position so, when we passed the two, I let her quicken and she killed them really,” Dwyer said. “She’s got a good turn of foot and she’s a good filly so hopefully she’ll progress.
“She won her maiden and I fully expected her to be a Guineas filly. And then, over the winter, she got a bit sick and wasn’t eating very much, so we put her back. And the staff have done a great job – the head lad and the team – to nurse her back to health, so it’s great to see her put in a performance like that.”
The jockey was also impressed by the performance of Meehan’s Titus Mills to win the John Guest EBF Maiden Stakes. The Dubawi colt has entries for both the Champagne and Royal Lodge Stakes and Dwyer said: “I thought he might need the run today and he’ll probably come on for it. He relished the uphill finish, the seven furlongs, and he must be pretty because he’s got a bit of a belly on him.”
It was a flying dismount and a flying visit to Ascot by Frankie Dettori who won the opening race on the card, the John Guest Maiden Fillies' Stakes, before dashing off to York’s evening meeting, where he drew a blank. Dettori appeared to be an unconventional route on White Moonstone because, with the rest of the field coming down the centre of the track, Dettori elected to track over to the stands’ rail.
But, having won by one-and-a-quarter lengths, Saeed bin Suroor was not complaining. “She always showed class in the morning when she worked and I thought today was the right moment for her to win,” he said. “I had confidence before the race, the filly is in great form. And I talked to Frankie to see where the best ground is today.
“She prefers to go seven furlongs but a stiff six suits her a lot. Next time I think we’ll go from six to seven no problem but we have no plan. She’ll learn a lot from this race and she’ll improve a lot.”
Dwyer watched his friend’s ride but could not resist a comment. “He said he did it on purpose,” Dwyer said, the grin already creasing his face. “But I think he got lost.”
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